What is graduate school life like?
What’s it like in graduate school programs in the Biological Sciences? -- In one of the previous sections above, we described the differences between graduate and professional schools. Here we focus on graduate schools -- and only those that award research-based Masters or Ph.D. degrees. Traditionally, students entered a research-based Masters program, completing a thesis in 2-4 years, followed by entering a Ph.D. program and completing a disseration in another 4 years. Increasingly, graduate programs in the Biological Sciences are phasing-out Masters programs. Many programs now will accept students into Ph.D. programs who have just completed their B.S. degrees. Clearly, such students need to be very mature and -- most importantly -- they need to have the research skills that usually require them to have participated in undergraduate research. Whether you apply to a Masters program first or directly to the Ph.D., it is clear that these graduate programs are all about research. That is, they are all about your development as a biological scientist. It means that the courses you take as a graduate student are not only providing you content, but are designed to have you develop your scientific skills of question-asking, critical thinking, and presentation.
The relationship between a graduate student and their research advisor is crucial and it can be both a highly supportive mentoring relationship that lasts a lifetime, as well as the most challenging relationship of your life. Good communication is critical. Relationships with other faculty, the staff, and your graduate student peers is also vital. At the least, you learn how to work with people and those personal skills will be important when you graduate and your professional life moves on.
The timing and pace of graduate studies is totally unlike that of undergraduate school. Although there are semesters and courses begin and end, most of your time and energy will be devoted to designing and conducting research projects that do not follow a typical academic schedule. Your study organisms are available to study when they want to be (which is often not 9 to 5 on weekdays) and when you have large blocks of time (weekends, summers, and holidays are the best times). There are times when you have to work as late into the night as needed, or for days or weeks on end. This is why you need to be passionate about what you are doing.
Concerning financial support, We have described in some detail the nature of tuition waivers and stipends. Any graduate program worth its salt should provide you with a full tuition waiver (usually there are some fees of ~ $500 a year that are not waived). You have to maintain your grades and usually there is a maximum time limit of 5 years of support. The stipends that graduate programs award usually require that you serve as a teaching assistant in one or more courses (usually about 8 hours a week) -- but that's not too bad for $15-20,000 a year. You have to maintain your grades and there is a maximum time limit of 3-5 years of support. Additionally, many faculty have research grants that include a research stipend that can be given to a graduate student. These require that you work for your advisor on their project, although often you can do your own research at the same time.
Beyond your degree.-- As you approach graduation with your graduate degree, you will be looking for a job or for other professional positions. All the skills you have acquired and experiences you have had will position you for getting that good job or position. The relationships you have built with your research advisor, other faculty, and student peers will be vital to your getting those jobs or positions. Letters of recommendation never end.
Contents
Knowing yourself -- what are your interests and skills?
Fields and Careers in Biology
Finding out about opportunities -- what to do, where to go
What does one need to do to enter a graduate school program?
What is graduate school life like?