Overview
Once the student has formed a Thesis Committee, they must hold a Curriculum Certification meeting to discuss their research area and choose appropriate coursework to complete the CMB course requirements. The Curriculum Certification meeting is not a formal research presentation and the student is usually not expected to present papers or research findings. Students will discuss the format of this meeting with their Thesis Advisor prior to the meeting to establish clear expectations. If an in person meeting is not possible, please see the CMB Virtual Meeting Guide.
At the first year meeting, students usually start with a 10-15 minute PowerPoint overview of the thesis project. The presentation should address the overarching question(s) of the research, the significance of the research, the general experimental approaches that will be used, any major findings to date, and goals for the coming year. Students should also discuss coursework, including what they have completed and what courses they plan to take to fulfill the CMB requirements. Lastly, students should discuss their professional development goals.
The meeting must be scheduled by May 17 and completed by August 31 of the student’s first year. Failure to do so will result in a hold being placed on the student’s registration.
Requirements to Complete
Prior to the Curriculum Certification Meeting:
- Schedule Curriculum Certification meeting with committee members
- Send an email notification with the scheduled date to the CMB Office by the May 17 deadline (failure to do so will result in a hold being placed on the student’s registration)
- Complete the Curriculum Certification form, available on the CMB Forms section of the CMB website
- Submit the Curriculum Certification form to the Thesis Committee one week in advance of your meeting
- Create an Individual Development Plan (strongly recommended, but not required unless supported by NIH funding)
At the Curriculum Certification Meeting:
- Bring copies of the Curriculum Certification form
- Bring a current grade report, available at My UW
- Establish the Chair of the Curriculum Certification meeting (see the Thesis Committee section of the CMB Handbook)
- Obtain signature of Thesis Advisor on the Curriculum Certification form
- At least three members of the committee must be present at the meeting, including the Thesis Advisor
- If necessary, the student should meet individually with the rest of the committee to get their input and signatures after the meeting
Submit the Following Materials:
- Submit the signed Curriculum Certification form to the CMB Office by the August 31 deadline (failure to do so will result in a hold being placed on the student’s registration)