Starting in Summer 2012, the UWAB Program has partnered with eleven schools and departments to develop a Dual-Title PhD curriculum that will allow students to pursue specialized concentrations that result in the degree \u201cDoctor of Philosophy (<Home Department> and Astrobiology).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Current UWAB-affiliated departments offering a Dual-Title PhD include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once admitted to their home department and the Astrobiology Program, Dual-Title PhD students are always fully enrolled in their home department, and the home department will be the unit that awards degrees.The role of the UWAB Program’s faculty, staff, and leadership is to coordinate UWAB course offerings and activities, to monitor student progress toward Astrobiology requirements, and to verify that graduates have completed all requirements necessary for earning the Dual-Title (\u201c\u2026 and Astrobiology\u201d) distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To receive a Dual-Title PhD in Astrobiology, students must fulfill the following requirements in addition to any and all degree requirements imposed by their home departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students must complete a minimum of 20 credits of coursework. These credits must include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Astrobiology is a heavily interdisciplinary field. Thus, the UWAB Program requires students to complete at least three elective credits by taking a “cognate” course, with a course code outside the student\u2019s home department. A course can still qualify as a cognate when cross-listed in the student’s home department, if deemed an appropriate cognate course by their astrobiology advisor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no fixed list of cognate courses. However, the UWAB program strives to provide up-to-date information about known courses that can satisfy the cognate requirement. Ultimately, the student\u2019s choice of cognate credits should be made in consultation with his\/her astrobiology advisor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further details of these required courses and a list of past cognate courses can be found on our Courses page.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the required Astrobiology coursework, students must complete the following professional development activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click here for detailed instructions regarding developing, proposing, and completing your research rotation.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Each student is required to undertake a research-training project outside his\/her home discipline. Research rotations may be conducted with an astrobiology research group at UW or at another institution. At the end of the rotation, the student will submit an oral presentation and written summary of what was done during her\/his rotation project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students should begin planning their research rotation as soon as possible (no later than the end of their second year of graduate study). Proposals for research rotations must be submitted for approval to the research rotation supervisor with a copy also submitted to the UWAB Program Administrator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During their rotations, students are required to enroll in a minimum of 3 credits of ASTBIO 600, \u201cResearch Rotation,\u201d with the Astrobiology Program faculty member who will be supervising their research, lab work, and\/or field work. If the student opts to pursue an external rotation (e.g., in a lab outside of the university) the student still must (1) identify a current faculty member who will be responsible for monitoring his\/her progress during the time away and (2) enroll in ASTBIO 600 with that person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Astrobiology Workshops<\/a> are non-credit-bearing professional development activities funded and organized by the Astrobiology Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Workshops typically involve technical lectures and presentations from faculty members combined with in-the-field research (e.g., sample collection and analysis). Workshops generally last 2-3 days and are scheduled at times least likely to conflict with other activities on the academic calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The research requirements for the Dual-Title PhD are extensive and require a significant commitment of research time and focus. The Dual-Title PhD degree track will require students to pursue a dissertation project that has relevance to the field of astrobiology. As such, students pursuing the Dual-Title PhD will necessarily have to dedicate more time, energy, and resources to astrobiology-relevant research than their peers seeking only a Certificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAstrobiology-relevant research\u201d is broadly defined as research that addresses questions of the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the Universe. For example, research in areas that address or are similar to those delineated in the Astrobiology Strategy Document<\/a> (Ed. Lindsay Hays) would be considered astrobiology relevant; other topics, though, would also be acceptable, pending review\/approval of the Standards Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Astrobiology Program Steering Committee, comprised of UWAB faculty, will review and approve students\u2019 research as astrobiology-relevant prior to the student\u2019s General Exam (or equivalent) and prior to the student\u2019s Final Exam \/ Dissertation Defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the Dual-Title PhD in Astrobiology, the research requirement is overall<\/em> astrobiology relevance of the student\u2019s dissertation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you preparing for your General or Final Exam? To ensure that all Dual-Title PhD students receive appropriate guidance and supervision, each student\u2019s doctoral advisor in their home department must also be a member of the Astrobiology Program Faculty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dual-Title PhD candidates must also have a second astrobiology faculty member from outside his\/her home discipline serving on his\/her dissertation committee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, all students must have on their dissertation committee a Graduate Student Representative (GSR) according to the UW Graduate School requirements<\/a>. In order to serve as a Graduate School Representative (GSR), the proposed candidate:<\/p>\n\n\n\nField Work & Professional Development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nASTBIO 600, \u201cResearch Rotation\u201d (3 credits, minimum)<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Participation in 3 UW Astrobiology Workshops (offered annually).<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Research<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Are you ready to submit your research for review?<\/em><\/strong>
Click HERE for a detailed instructions regarding the review of \u201castrobiology-relevant research.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nResearch Advising<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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