encompasses gene discovery, gene expression, protein and nucleic acid structure and function, gene and gene product interactions, and genomic approaches to breeding and comparative studies relevant to ecology and evolutionary biology. Students selecting Functional Genomics will focus on one or more of these areas.

Academic preparation will start with a general background in Genomic Sciences including classes in Bioinformatics, Genetics, Biochemistry and Statistics. A wide variety of advanced courses are offered and will be chosen depending on the specific focus of the student.

Degrees Offered

• Master of Functional Genomics (non-thesis degree)
• M.S., Functional Genomics
• Ph.D., Functional Genomics
• Co-major in Functional Genomics
• Minor in Functional Genomics
  (for students pursuing a PhD degree in Bioinformatics or another discipline; there is no minor offered for M.S. degrees).

Admissions

Students should have an undergraduate major in the biological or physical sciences, mathematics, or computer science and have taken at least one semester of college-level calculus.

Students take a 15-credit Genomic Sciences core curriculum of courses that is common to both the Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics degree programs to ensure that all Genomic Science graduates receive a solid grounding in the basic elements of both areas. This is followed by courses specific to the degree and discipline.

Genomic Sciences Core Requirements

• ST 590A Bioinformatics I - 3 cr.
• GN 735 Functional Genomics - 3 cr.
• PP 610 or 810G: Journal Club (one-credit course to be taken twice) - 2 cr.
• GN 701: Molecular Genetics or BCH 703: Macromolecular Synthesis and Regulation - 3 cr.
• GN 703: Population and Quantitative Genetics - 3 cr or BCH 701: Macromolecular Structure - 3 cr.
• GN 850: Professionalism and Ethics - 1 cr.
  

TOTAL common core: 15 credits

Master of Functional Genomics Degree

• Genomic Sciences Core (see description above) - 15 cr.
• GN 702: Cellular and Developmental Genetics or BCH 705: Molecular Biology of the Cell - 3 cr.
• ST 511: Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences I - 3 cr.
• Functional Genomics I Electives (courses are chosen from FG I Electives listed below) - 9 cr.
  
  TOTAL Master of Functional Genomics: 30 credits

A student's Advisory Committee and the Genomic Sciences Director of Graduate Programs, must approve all courses and/or changes in core requirements. Students must maintain at least a 3.0 average. No thesis is required, but the master's program requires a final oral examination.

M.S Degree, Functional Genomics

• Genomic Sciences Core (see description above) - 15 cr.
• GN 702: Cellular and Developmental Genetics or BCH 705: Molecular Biology of the Cell - 3 cr.
• ST 511: Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences I - 3 cr.
• Functional Genomics I Electives (courses are chosen from FG I Electives listed below) - 9 cr.
• 693/695 Research - 6 cr.

TOTAL Master of Science-Functional Genomics: 36 credits

A student's advisory committee and the Genomic Sciences Director of Graduate Programs, must approve all courses and/or changes in core requirements. Students must maintain at least a 3.0 average. The degree requires a thesis and a thesis defense oral exam.

Ph.D. Degree, Functional Genomics

• Genomic Sciences Core (see description above) - 15 cr.
• ST 511: Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences I - 3 cr.
• PP 810G: Journal Club (1 cr. course, to be taken twice) - 2 cr.
• GN 702: Cellular and Developmental Genetics or BCH 705: Molecular Biology of the Cell - 3 cr.
• Functional Genomics I Electives (Courses are chosen from FG I Electives listed below) - 3 cr.
• Functional Genomics II Electives (Courses are chosen from FG II Electives listed below) - 6 cr.
• 893/895: Dissertation Research and Electives - 40 cr.

TOTAL Doctor of Philosophy-Functional Genomics: 72 cr.

Co-Major, Functional Genomics

Students co-majoring in Functional Genomics must meet all of the requirements for this degree (see above).

Ph.D. Minor, Functional Genomics

• Genomic Sciences Core, taking Journal Club only once (14 credits, see above)
• GN 702 or BCH 705 - 3 cr.

The advisor for a student minoring in Functional Genomics is not required to be a member of the Genomic Sciences Faculty. The Genomic Sciences Director of Graduate Programs must approve the minor on the Plan of Work.

Note: No minor is offered for Masters degrees.

Additional Information for Graduate Students

• All graduate students must maintain at least a 3.0 average.
• Graduate students seeking a PhD degree should rotate through at least three research programs during the first semester, although rotations may extend into the second semester.
• Graduate students must form an Advisory Committee and file a Plan of Work within the first 12 months of graduate study.
• The Advisory Committee for students seeking an M.S. degree must be comprised of a minimum of three NCSU faculty: one Bioinformatics faculty member, one Functional Genomics member and one additional faculty member (not necessarily a Genomic Sciences faculty member).
• The Advisory Committee for students seeking a PhD degree must be comprised of a minimum of four NCSU faculty: one Bioinformatics faculty member, one Functional Genomics member and two additional faculty members (not necessarily Genomic Sciences faculty members).
• A student's Advisory Committee and the Genomic Sciences Director of Graduate Programs must approve all courses and/or changes in core requirements.
• The PhD degree is research-oriented, and the research dissertation is expected to be of much greater depth than that for the M.S. degree. The PhD degree requires written and oral preliminary exams, a research dissertation and a final dissertation defense oral exam.
• Throughout the program, graduate students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience in the Genome Research Laboratory, Bioinformatics Research Center and the DNA Sequencing Facility.
• While there are no formal teaching requirements, graduate students seeking a PhD degree are strongly encouraged to seek appropriate teaching opportunities.
• Graduate students are strongly encouraged to participate in Genomic Sciences seminars and symposia. See Event Calendar.
• Further information can be found in the Genomic Sciences Graduate Student Handbook.

Functional Genomics I Electives

Students choose from the following list, omitting any courses that are already included in requirements. Substitutions of similar courses are acceptable if approved by Genomic Science Steering Committee.

• BCH 701 Macromolecular Structure, BCH 705 Molecular Biology of the Cell
• BCH 751 Biophysical Chemistry
• BCH/GN 761 Advanced Molecular Biology of the Cell
• BCH 763 Biochemistry of Hormone Action
• BCH/GN 768 Nucleic Acids: Structure and Function
• BO 710 Plant Anatomy
• BO 712 Plant Morphogenesis
• CBS 750 Veterinary Medical Virology I
• CBS 751 Pathogenic Bacteriology and Mycology
• CS 720 Molecular Biology in Plant Breeding
• FOR 710 Quantitative Forest Genetic Methods
• FS 725 Fermentation Microbiology
• GN 702 Cellular and Developmental Genetics
• GN 703 Population and Quantitative Genetics
• GN 710 Eukaryotic Regulatory Mechanisms
• GN/FOR 725 Forest Genetics
• GN/FOR 726 Advanced Topics in Quantitative Genetics
• GN 750 Developmental Genetics
• GN/ST 756 Computational Molecular Evolution
• MB 714 Microbial Metabolic Regulation
• MB 718 Introductory Virology
• MB/BO/GN/PP 730 Fungal Genetics and Physiology
• MB/IMM/PHY 751 Immunology
• PO/CBS 756 Immunogenetics
• MB/GN 758 Prokaryotic Molecular Genetics
• MB/GN 760 Experimental Microbial Genetics
• MB/CBS/IMM 783 Advanced Immunology
• PP 729 Plant Pathogenesis
• PP 732 Genetics of Host-Parasite Interactions
• PP/BO/MB 775 The Fungi
• ST 511 Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences I
• ST/GN 757 Statistics for Molecular Quantitative Genetics

Functional Genomics II Electives

These are not unique to Functional Genomics. Any graduate-level courses related to the Genomic Sciences are acceptable. Possibilities include offerings from the Colleges of Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Physical & Mathematical Sciences, and Agriculture & Life Sciences.

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