GSBMS Ph.D. Program

Ph.D. students follow the school closures from the GSBMS General Academic Calendar. Other items to note:

First-year Ph.D. students with advanced standing and first-year M.D./Ph.D. students may also sit for the Qualifying Examination upon the recommendation of their program.
Most students will take the qualifying exam during one of the designated weeks in either July or August. Students who have just completed their required coursework in the Spring term may defer until September, with the approval of the program faculty. Alternative dates may be scheduled with the approval of the Dean.
Students are entitled to two weeks of vacation that may be taken between the end of June to the start of classes in August. The dates of the vacation must be approved by their rotation or dissertation advisor and their program director. Second-year students should NOT make vacation plans that will conflict with scheduled qualifying exams. Students who have passed their qualifying exam may take their allocated vacation time at any time throughout the year, with the approval of their dissertation sponsors and if there is no conflict with courses in which they are enrolled.

FALL 2023
June 19 - August 20, 2023	Registration	All students
June 19 - August 20, 2023	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 14 - 18, 2023	General orientation for new students; sessions will be held throughout the week	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 14 - 18, 2023	Research orientation for new students; overview of research programs within each basic science department	All new PhD & MD/PhD students
August 21, 2023	Classes begin	All students
August 25, 2023	Research rotation #1; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
August 28 - December 15, 2023	Research rotation #1; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
September 1, 2023	Form Advisory Committees	Rising second-year IPP PhD, first-year AS PhD & first-year MD/PhD students
October 16, 2023	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in December 2023
November 1, 2023	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in December 2023
December 18, 2023	Research rotation #1; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
December 18, 2023	Semester ends	All students
December 21, 2023 - January 1, 2024	Holiday break	All PhD students

SPRING 2024
November 20, 2023 - January 7, 2024	Registration	All students
December 19, 2023 - January 7, 2024	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
January 5, 2024	Research rotation #2; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
January 8, 2024	Classes begin	All students
January 8 - May 3, 2024	Research rotation #2; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
March 15, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in May 2024
April 1, 2024	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in May 2024
April 22 - April 26, 2024	Spring break	All students
May 6, 2024	Research rotation #2; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
May 9, 2024	Semester ends	All students
May 17, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation to walk in May 2023 commencement	PhD students graduating in August 2024

SUMMER 2024
April 24 - May 27, 2024	Registration	All students
May 13 - May 28, 2024	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD & MD/PhD students
May 28, 2024	Classes begin	All students
May 31, 2024	Research rotation #3; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
June 3 - July 29, 2024	Research rotation #3; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
June 7, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in August 2024
June 21, 2024	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in August 2024
July 31, 2024	Research rotation #3; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
July 31, 2024	Semester ends	All students
July/August, 2024 3 days TBA	Qualifying exam	Second-year PhD students
August 1, 2024	Declaration of major	First-year IPP students

FALL 2024
June 19 - August 13, 2024	Registration	All students
June 19 - August 13, 2024	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All new PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
August 5 - 9, 2024	Ph.D. orientation for new students; sessions will be held throughout the week	All new PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
August 5 - 9, 2024	Research orientation for new students; overview of research programs within each basic science department	All new PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
August 12, 2024	General orientation	All new PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
August 14, 2024	Classes begin	All students
August 16, 2024	Research rotation #1; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
August 19 - December 13, 2024	Research rotation #1; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
September 3, 2024	Form Advisory Committees	Rising second-year IPP PhD, first-year AS PhD & first-year MD/PhD students
October 15, 2024	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in December 2024
November 1, 2024	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in December 2024
December 16, 2024	Research rotation #1; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
December 19, 2024	Semester ends	All students
December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025	Holiday break	All PhD students

SPRING 2025
November 20, 2024 - January 5, 2025	Registration	All students
December 19, 2024 - January 3, 2025	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
January 6, 2025	Classes begin	All students
January 10, 2025	Research rotation #2; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
January 13 - May 2, 2025	Research rotation #2; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
March 17, 2025	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in May 2025
April 1, 2025	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in May 2025
April 14 - April 18, 2025	Spring break	All students
May 5, 2025	Research rotation #2; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
May 8, 2025	Semester ends	All students
May 16, 2025	Last day to defend dissertation to walk in May 2025 commencement	PhD students graduating in August 2025

SUMMER 2025
April 22 - May 26, 2025	Registration	All students
May 8 - May 23, 2025	Meeting with first-year Academic Advisor	All first-year PhD, AS PhD, & MD/PhD students
May 27, 2025	Classes begin	All students
May 30, 2025	Research rotation #3; rotation request forms due in GSBMS office	First-year IPP students
June 2 - July 25, 2025	Research rotation #3; hours by arrangement with Rotation Advisor	First-year IPP students
June 6, 2025	Last day to defend dissertation	PhD students graduating in August 2025
June 21, 2025	Last day to submit approved thesis	PhD students graduating in August 2025
July 28, 2025	Research rotation #3; deadline to submit rotation report (abstract)	First-year IPP students
July 28, 2025	Semester ends	All students
July/August, 2025 3 days TBA	Qualifying exam	Second-year PhD students
August 1, 2025	Declaration of major	First-year IPP students

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBMS)