1st Year Supervisory Committee Policy

First Year Advisory Committee (FYAC)

All new Cell and Molecular Biology graduate students will meet with the FYAC prior to the first week of classes the first semester in residence. The goal of the meeting is to approve a course schedule for the first semester and to provide the student with instructions for identifying potential labs for rotations. Prior to the beginning of the second and third semesters (typically before the spring and summer semesters of the first year) each student will meet with the committee for progress assessment and advising.

Research Rotations

During the first two semesters in residence, all Cell and Molecular Biology Ph.D. graduate students will complete three 8-9 week research rotations in laboratories as approved and scheduled with students, faculty, and the FYAC. The FYAC will serve as a temporary advisor until after rotations when lab placements are sorted out. At that point CMB students will select a lab and advisor (major professor) for the rest of their graduate training, subject to approval of the FYAC and major professor.

In preparation for the rotations, each student will meet with at least six faculty members before the end of the second week of first semester classes to arrange for the three research rotations. Students will register for each rotation as a 1 hour DIS with a specific faculty member, who will grade the student S/U for the rotation. Each rotation normally will involve hands on participation in a laboratory research project and oral presentation in a lab meeting format. In consultation with the First Year Committee, each student is expected to select a major professor after the third rotation.

Students, with approval of the tentative major professor, may petition the FYAC for permission to exempt. Typical exemptions might include students who are certain they are pursuing an MS and not a PhD and students who have had significant prior laboratory experience.

Note: A student will register for the first rotation in the first semester and two DISs in the second semester, even though the second DIS actually will start in the first semester. Contact the Graduate Office, gradinfo@bio.fsu.edu, for specific DIS sections.