Graduate Program Courses

All candidates must complete the program of courses as indicated below. In order to serve individual students' needs, specific courses will be determined by the direct supervisor in consultation with the Thesis Advisory Committee and the Graduate Committee.

In addition to research, thesis, and seminar courses (see below), Ph.D. students may be required to take additional courses before taking the oral comprehensive examination during the latter stages of the first year in the program.

In addition to research, thesis, and seminar courses (see below), all M.Sc. students are required to take Microbiology & Immunology 9000A and 9100 during their first year in the graduate program.

MICROIMM 9000A (Infection and Immunity)
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to infection and immunity and an exposure to platform technologies and their application in infection and immunity (e.g., bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, imaging, statistics, microscopy, transgenics, animal gene knockouts, FACS, Biacore, real time PCR, etc.). It involves two 2-hour sessions, for each of 8 weeks during the months of October-November. The format allows for transitioning from an undergraduate to a graduate training environment.
Evaluation: The final mark will be a combination of the evaluation of written reports, a written grant proposal and an oral defense of the proposal.

MICROIMM 9100 (Effective Scientific Communication)
This course involves two 2-hour sessions, for each of 4 weeks during the month of September, related to developing important communication skills and providing an opportunity to learn about and capitalize upon various career opportunities.
Evaluation: pass/fail

MICROIMM 9200Y (Seminar Course M.Sc.)
M&I 9200y involves two oral presentations, one in the first year and another in the second year in the program. The first presentation shall involve a comprehensive discussion on the background and objectives of the research project. The second presentation will involve a progress report on the research project. Both presentations will be evaluated by the course Coordinator, peer-students, and two other faculty members assigned as discussants by the Course Coordinator. The final mark will result from the average of the marks obtained in the two presentations.
Evaluation: 30% first presentation, 70% second presentation.

MICROIMM 9225Y (Seminar Course Intermediate – Ph.D.)
This course is for students entering directly in the Ph.D. program. Two oral presentations are required, one in the first year and another in the second year in the program. The first presentation shall involve a comprehensive discussion on the background and objectives of the research project. The second presentation will involve a progress report on the research project. Both presentations will be evaluated by the course Coordinator, peer-students, and two other faculty members assigned as discussants by the Course Coordinator.
Evaluation: 30% first presentation, 70% second presentation.

MICROIMM 9250Y (Seminar Course Ph.D.)
This course consists of annual presentations of the research progress as long as the student remains registered in the program.
Prerequisites:
MICROIMM 9200Y and 9950Y or MICROIMM 9225y
Evaluation: pass/fail

MICROIMM 9300Y (Contemporary Issues in Microbiology and Immunology - Journal Club)
This is a weekly journal club for M.Sc. students on current topics in Microbiology and Immunology. Only students in the first year of the program and those writing their theses may be exempted from presenting an article, at the discretion of the course coordinator. Topics will be decided by the course Coordinator(s) in consultation with the Graduate Committee and the Department Chair.
Evaluation: pass/fail

MICROIMM 9350Y (Contemporary Issues in Microbiology and Immunology - Journal Club)
This is a weekly journal club for Ph.D. students on current topics in Microbiology and Immunology. Only students in the first year of the program and those writing their theses may be exempted from presenting an article, at the discretion of the course coordinator. Topics will be decided by the course Coordinator(s) in consultation with the Graduate Committee and the Department Chair.
Evaluation: pass/fail

MICROIMM 9950Y (Candidacy Evaluation - also applies to students transfering to the Ph.D. program)
This exam provides a standardized criteria for entrance into the Ph.D. program in Microbiology & Immunology. The exam is comprised of a written proposal and oral evaluation. The proposal will be written in the format of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and include the background, rationale, hypothesis and methods of the project.
Current guidelines in pdf format available here.
Students requesting special permission to undertake the candidacy evaluation can download the request form here
The submission form for the M&I candidacy proposal is available here.
Evaluation: pass/fail

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