MCDB: General Program Information

Registration

All students are required by the Graduate School to register, whether they are in residence, in absentia, or submitting a dissertation.  An unregistered student is not permitted to use University facilities, including the libraries and the Health Service.  For advanced students, certain requirements must be fulfilled prior to registration.  These include annual thesis committee meetings and the submission of the Thesis Prospectus and the annual Dissertation Progress Report.  For information about registration for new and returning students, please see the Graduate School Academic Calendar.

All registration and course enrollment is done on-line and must be approved by the DGS.  Any changes, i.e. course added or dropped, changed from credit to audit or vice versa, must be reported to the Graduate School by submitting a course-change form signed by the DGS to the MCDB Registrar. Forms are available in the MCDB Graduate Program Office, the Graduate School, or on-line. 

Course schedules and changes submitted after the Graduate School deadlines incur late fees, payable by the student. 

Extended Registration

Under rare circumstances, a student can file for Extended Registration if they need an additional semester or year to complete their research after the 6th year.  They will need to fill out a change of status form with both PI and DGS approval.  In addition, the department requires a statement explaining the status of their research.  Before the final Graduate School approval, the student will be asked to meet with the Associate Dean.

In Absentia Registration

A student, whose program of study requires full-time study at another institution, or dissertation research on a full-time basis outside of the New Haven area, may (on recommendation of the DGS and with permission of the Dean) register in absentia

Leave of Absence

A student in good standing who is current with his/her degree requirements and wishes to interrupt study temporarily for personal reasons (for example, maternity leave; financial necessity; health problems) may be granted a leave of absence with approval of the Department and the Dean.  A Ph.D. student is not eligible for leave of absence after the 4th year of study except for reasons of pregnancy, maternity or paternity care, or military service.  Students contemplating taking a leave of absence should consult with the DGS as soon as possible to determine eligibility and be informed of the rules regulating leaves, and in order for the requisite approvals to be obtained.  See the Yale University Graduate School Programs and Policies booklet.

Forms

Many of the forms that graduate students will need to fill out during their studies are downloadable at the Graduate School: https://registrar.yale.edu/forms-petitions.

Vacation and Leave

The course of study and graduate student stipend are based on a 12-month commitment. It is expected that students will take no more than two weeks of vacation, in addition to University holidays each year. Note that breaks in course work (Fall or Spring break, Christmas/New Year’s, beyond the official university holiday days, summers) are not holidays for graduate students. First- year students are required to schedule any absences with the DGS and the faculty member in whose lab they are working. Unscheduled absences or excessive vacation time will result in a stipend reduction and/or possible suspension from the Program.

If the student needs to take a leave of absence, a personal leave of absence form must be filled out.

Probation

If the Thesis Advisory Committee deems that the student has made insufficient progress in the time since the previous meeting, the Committee may decide to place the student on “notice” or “probation”. The Committee will discuss with the student expectations and goals that they would like to see completed by the next committee meeting, usually in six-month time. If the student fails to satisfy the Committee at the next meeting, the student’s progress will be discussed at the next Faculty meeting, where the student may be asked to withdraw from the program. A student will also be placed on probation if he/she has not met with his/her Thesis Committee as mandated.

Ethical Code of Research

If you believe you have identified a potential case of scientific misconduct, there are a few steps you should take to resolve the matter.  First, you should informally discuss the matter with a faculty member you know, such as your thesis advisor or member of your thesis committee.  Such discussions may help define the problem, put it in perspective, and help you decide whether further steps are warranted.  

If you believe the matter requires official notice, the next level of discussion is at the departmental level involving either the Director of Graduate Studies or the Chairman.  The department takes these matters seriously, and will not penalize an individual for raising reasonable concerns.  All steps will be taken to preserve confidentiality to safeguard all parties involved in the dispute.

Security

Security services are provided by the Yale Campus Police and members of the University Security Programs Department. The Yale Campus Police are state-certified officers. Security officers assigned to the Security Programs Department are not police officers. They provide services such as building patrol, access control, escort services, and parking lot security. Individuals are urged to walk in groups or request an escort (432-WALK (9255).  Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., seven days a week, Yale students, faculty and staff can call 432-6330 or 432-WALK to request a University Security safe ride within campus boundaries.  Visit the Department of Security on the web.  Night-time transportation is available via the Nighttime Shuttle, free of charge with a valid ID, for students working late in the evenings.  The Nighttime Shuttle also runs between 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Monday – Sunday (seven days a week).  This services runs on a scheduled route around the campus and does off-route drop offs.  Call 432-6330 or visit them on their website  http://to.yale.edu/nighttime-routes. 

Professional Climate and Diversity

The MCDB community constitutes students, laboratory personnel, faculty members, and support staff all working together to forward the teaching and research missions of the Department. Individuals at various stages of their careers and from many backgrounds must rely on each other to help achieve their highest academic and research goals. To help ensure that the departmental environment is positive for all MCDB community members, the MCDB Committee on Diversity and Professional Climate has been established.  

Mission: The MCDB Committee on Diversity and Professional Climate will help the Department develop and sustain a diverse community of scholars and staff. The Committee also will help to ensure that the Department maintains a professional work environment that encourages respectful interchange between all members regardless of background or career status.

Activities: The MCDB Committee on Diversity and Professional Climate will carry out various activities to achieve its objectives. For example, the Committee will identify departmental, university, or other resources or activities that could be applied to enhance the diversity and professional climate of MCDB. The Committee will serve as a mechanism to identify challenges caused by policies or practices that might detract from diversity or climate, and recommend changes that would benefit the MCDB community. Importantly, the Committee and its members will provide another resource for community members to rely on when challenges arise. The Committee will regularly report at departmental meetings and work in concert with the MCDB Chair to achieve its mission goals.

Students may call the SHARE hotline (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Education 203-432-2000.  SHARE will treat your call as strictly confidential.   

Title IX coordinators and members of the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct (UWC) will maintain confidentiality as much as possible, only sharing information when required by law or for safety concerns.  http://provost.yale.edu/title-ix.