Notes On The Curriculum

The Immunology/Virology Program requires every student to complete Infection and Immune Response (BBS755), normally taken the spring semester of the first year. The course serves as prerequisites for Adv Animal Virology (BBS822) and for Mol & Cell Immunology (BBS821), which are normally taken in the fall semester of the second year. Students also are expected to complete Ethics (included in the Core Curriculum) and Scientific Writing (taken in the summer at the end of the first year) courses as required by the graduate school.

Grad Student I/V seminars (BBS833) are presentations by advanced level students. Beginning in their 3rd year, students present a seminar on their thesis research every year in the fall until graduation. First year students interested in IVP, advanced students, and faculty are encouraged to attend. Second year students are required to attend but do not present a seminar.

Immunology/Virology Seminar Course (BBS834): I/V program students are required to take two semesters of the spring Immunology/Virology Seminar Course, which includes a Tuesday discussion of the speaker's selected papers, and both the Thursday seminar and the one-hour post-seminar discussion with the speaker.

The school requires laboratory rotations every semester until students have selected a research group, and prequalifying research or thesis research thereafter. Two of these rotations must be in different labs. Additional rotations are encouraged and may be half semester (two per semester) rotations. The I/V program strongly recommends a rotation in the summer before the first year.

Students who would like advice on any aspects of the IVP should consult with the IVP Graduate Student Advisors:
Trudy Morrison, S5-250, trudy.morrison@umassmed.edu, for students interested in a virology track.
Leslie Berg, S3-143B, leslie.berg@umassmed.edu, for students interested in an immunology track.

Students who become interested in joining the Immunology/Virology Program after their first year should discuss this possibility with either of the two IVP advisors (Drs L. Berg and T. Morrison). Special arrangements can usually be made to accommodate such students.