Revised 10/02

Teaching Responsibilities

To provide students with practical teaching experience, each student serves as a Teaching Assistant for two quarters. The TA experience typically involves one course in which the TA manages a formal quiz section, and a second course in which the TA manages a laboratory section. Courses with TA responsibilities limited to test grading and office hours are not accepted as meeting the TA requirement. A list of approved courses is maintained in the MCB Office.

Because achieving a diverse teaching experience is considered an important aspect of training in the MCB program, after reading the TA opportunities in the MCB office, students may wish to meet directly with course directors to discuss the course prior to agreeing to serve as TAs. The student makes these arrangements directly with the course instructor. Historically, many MCB students have served at least once as a TA in Biology 201, providing them with exposure to teaching in a large formal undergraduate setting. While serving as a TA in this class is an option, and not a requirement, students are asked to consider this as one of their two TA opportunities.

As an alternative for one of the TA requirements, students may, with the permission of their advisor and approval of the Program Director, elect to participate in the Science Education Partnership (SEP) program, administered through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. This program gives secondary school science teachers hands-on research experience through one-on-one pairing with a scientist-mentor. MCB students who participate in this program will form a new branch of SEP with its own unique program variations. Each year the MCB Program may be able to offer other alternative teaching experiences, similar to SEP. However, students will be required to select at least one "academic" course for TA experience in addition to any alternate teaching experience.

Finally, all MCB students who will be teaching in their second year are required to attend the Annual TA Conference on Teaching and Learning held over two days in mid-September. This conference will take priority over any other Autumn Quarter events (e.g., departmental retreats) scheduled during the same interval.

MSTP/MCB students will complete one regular academic TA during their second year in the MCB Program.

Second Year Course Listings and Requirements

AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING, & SUMMER QUARTERS

MCB 600 Research
(1-10 non-graded credits)

Electives Course work
Students take elective courses to complete the elective requirement as recommended by their Doctoral Supervisory Committee.

MCB 580 Teaching Practicum in Molecular and Cellular Biology
(3 credits/quarter for two quarters)
Students participate as Teaching Assistants in an approved course.

Doctoral Supervisory Committee
Must be formed by the end of December.
How to choose a MCB Doctoral Supervisory Committee [16K PDF*]

Initial Supervisory Committee Meeting
Must meet by the end of June. The Annual Doctoral Supervisory Committee Report must be sent to the MCB Office by the end of June.

Program and Departmental Activities
Students attend the evening student/faculty seminar series sponsored by the MCB Program.

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