PhD in Biology: Documents and Forms

PhD Home | How to apply | Curriculum and Progression | Documents and Forms

General Documents 

Ph.D. Program Guidelines (PDF)

Ph.D. Program First and Second Year Timeline (PDF)

Ph.D. Program Typical Course Progression (PDF)

Graduate Student and Mentor Compact (PDF)

Graduate Faculty Status (PDF)

Program Governance (PDF)

Admissions and Funding (PDF)

Playbook for Public Online Thesis Defenses

Reporting Forms and Documents

Tracking of milestones and related program requirements is done both by the Universities (NJIT Graduate Office if you are an NJIT student, and Rutgers-Newark Graduate School if you are a RU student) and internally by the Program.

NJIT students are required to complete the following:

Responsible Conduct of Research – This is an online training course that NJIT and federal agencies require. Complete this during the first year.

(Institutional Review Board Approval – Only required if you do research involving human subjects or confidential data)

Advisor Designation Form – NJIT only requires this at the end of the second year, but you should complete it once the internal declaration forms are submitted (usually at the end of the first year). Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.

Qualifying Exam Report – Complete after passing the QE (usually in the summer after Semester 4). Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.

Committee Appointment Report – Submit after the internal Committee Appointment has been approved. Committees should be formed within 9 months after passing the Qualifying exam. Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.

Research Proposal Defense Report – Submit after passing the Thesis Prospectus (within a year after the Qualifying Exam). Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.

Final Defense Report – Submit immediately after the public defense of your thesis. Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.

You can find a timeline of the milestones and associated required forms here.

RU-N students are required to complete the following:

Application for Admission to Candidacy – Complete after passing the QE (usually in the summer after Semester 4).

Dissertation Defense Report – Complete immediately after the public defense of your thesis.

You can find an overview of the university requirements for doctoral degree candidates here.

All program internal reporting and evaluation forms are Google Forms, and the links are not posted publicly. You can request a link list from the Program Directors or Standards Committee members. Below is a guide to which forms are required.

Mentorship and Rotation Documents

• Pre-qual Student Project Prospectus Form – An agreement about the scope and time commitment for the lab or field activities planned. A brief description of the proposed plan can either be included (if text only), or emailed separately to the Standards Committee in Word or PDF format. DUE LATEST 2 WEEKS AFTER THE START OF THE MENTORSHIP SEMESTER OR ROTATION.
• Final Report – A written report about the activities and results, the scope and format of which is set by the Mentor. To be submitted to the Standards Committee after Mentor approval. Word or PDF format. DUE LATEST ONE MONTH AFTER COMPLETION OF THE MENTORSHIP SEMESTER OR ROTATION.

• Pre-qual Student Evaluation Form – An assessment of the Student’s performance and potential for dissertation work.

Advisor Declaration

• Dissertation Advisor Declaration-Student – Declaration of Advisor and (if applicable) Co-Advisor. USUALLY DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2ND YEAR.

• Dissertation Advisor Declaration-Faculty – Declaration of Credit/Responsibility for the Student as Advisor or Co-Advisor. USUALLY DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2ND YEAR.

Qualifying Exam

• Qualifying Exam Prospectus – A brief outline (1-2 pages) of the planned proposal, to be submitted in Word or PDF format to the Standards Committee for approval. USUSALLY DUE APRIL 15.
• Qualifying Exam Proposal – The full proposal, to be submitted to the Qualifying Exam Committee. DUE 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE SET EXAM DATE. Click here for a Qualifying Exam Proposal template (.docx).

University Forms - Bring the following forms to your exam(s) and have them signed after successful completion:

• NJIT students: Ph.D. Qualifying Examination Report (collect signatures from Committee Members, Program Director, and Department Chair; submit to Office of Graduate Studies). Please fill out the GSO Milestone Initiation Request Form via the link to initiate the process.
• RU-N students: Application for Candidacy (collect signatures from Committee Members and Program Director; submit to Graduate School)

• Qualifying Exam Report Form – Performance evaluation and specific feedback to the Student. To be submitted by the Committee Chair. DUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE EXAM.

Dissertation Committee Appointment

• Dissertation Committee Appointment Report – Declaration of committee members who agreed to serve, to be submitted to the Program Directors for approval. DUE PRIOR TO THE THESIS PROSPECTUS, I.E. LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE QUALIFYING EXAM.
• NJIT Students also have to complete the University’s Ph.D. Dissertation Committee Appointment Report and submit it to the Office of Graduate Studies.

Thesis Prospectus

• Thesis Prospectus - The research proposal to be submitted to the Dissertation Committee. DUE 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE THESIS PROSPECTUS MEETING. Click here for a Thesis Prospectus template (.docx).
• After successful completion of the Thesis Prospectus, NJIT students also have to complete the University’s Ph.D. Research Proposal Defense Report and submit it to the Office of Graduate Studies.

• Dissertation Committee Report - The Chair of the Committee should record the outcome of the Thesis Prospectus in the first of these forms.

Dissertation Committee Meetings

• Progress Reports – Either in writing or as a presentation, as requested by the Dissertation Committee.

• Dissertation Committee Report– to be completed by the Chair of the Committee.

Dissertation Defense

Thesis – In the semester before the Defense, contact the Office of Graduate Studies (NJIT) or Graduate School (RU N) for details on formatting, registration, and deadlines.

University Forms – To be completed after successful exam. NJIT students: Ph.D. Final Dissertation Defense Report. RU-N students: Dissertation Defense Report

Advisor Report – annual report on current and projected student support.