For information on the applications, please visit the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences website.
For application criteria: https://fbe.metu.edu.tr/en/molecular-biology-and-genetics
Be sure to contact the instructor you want to work with before applying.
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Genetics
The objective of the graduate program is to train the students to carry out advanced and high-technology research in areas. The program covers molecular biology applications such as molecular genetics, ecological and evolutionary genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, cancer biology, plant sciences, molecular biophysics, biomaterials, molecular pharmacology and toxicology, biomedical techniques, biotechnology, neurophysiology, and ecology.
Course List
| Course Code | Course Name | METU Credit | Contact (h/w) | Lab (h/w) | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL558 | Bioethics and Research Methods | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 |
| GENE600 | Ph.D. Thesis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 130.0 |
| GENE601 | Seminars in Molecular Biology and Genetics I | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10.0 |
7 elective course(s)* approved by the Department of Biological Sciences. Total minimum credit: 21
Rules and Regulations
The Qualification Exam includes a written project proposal followed by an oral defense, which is graded as the written and oral examinations, respectively. The exam is designed to assess the Ph.D. candidate's ability to come up with an independent hypothesis-derived research question. The Qualification Exam is conducted in English in its entirety. The exam is held twice a year, in May and November.
- March/Sept: Students submit jury names (5 from ODTÜ, 4 outside), title, and abstract to the committee (hamdiye@metu.edu.tr).
- March/Sept: Committee evaluates abstract, decides on jury, informs student (within 2 days).
- April/October: 4 weeks later, student submits project proposal. Proposal sent to jury (3 from ODTÜ, 2 outside).
- May/November: Jury members submit evaluations (grade out of 100).
- May/November: Committee informs student. Pass grade: 70/100. Oral exam held in last week of May/Nov.
The QE involves the preparation and assessment of an original research project proposal by the student that is independent of the Ph.D. topic.
Written Project Proposal (100 pts)
- Background and Literature Review: 25 pts
- Scientific and Technological Excellence: 20 pts
- Methodology: 30 pts
- Work-Time Schedule: 5 pts
- Risk Management: 10 pts
- Overall quality: 10 pts
Minimum passing grade: 70/100
Oral Examination
The jury will independently grade the oral examination. If the mean grade is < 70/100, the student will fail. If a student fails only the oral examination, he/she may choose to submit the same project proposal for the next round of the exam.
- Abstract: Max 400 words. Executive summary (Intro, Aim, Methodology, Contributions).
- Background & Literature Review: Max 3 pages. State of art, future needs.
- Scientific Excellence: Max 1 page. Methodological contributions, innovative potential.
- Methodology: Max 4 pages. Approach, work packages, data analysis.
- Risk Management: Max 1 page. Risks and Plan-B.
Qualification Committee Members
- Prof. Sreeparna Banerjee
- Prof. Çağdaş Devrim Son
- Prof. Meryem Beklioğlu
- Assoc. Prof. Tülin Yanık
- Assist. Prof. Didem Ambarlı
Formation of Ph.D. Thesis Defense Examination Committee
The following rules for the formation of thesis defense committees were accepted by the University Graduate Committee.
Ph.D. Examination Committee Composition
- Thesis defense examination committees consist of 5 members. The members include the thesis supervisor and two “thesis advisory committee” members, one of whom must be from another university. For the remaining two, one of the members must be from another university.
- The co-supervisors could attend the thesis advisory committee meetings, and defense examinations as observers only but cannot participate in decision-making.
All the members must hold academic positions (at least instructor position with Ph.D. degree).