Toxicology Doctoral Program at MSU

A Dual-Major Program in:

Environmental and Intergrative Toxicological Sciences (EITS)

You will be admitted to:

• a specific basic science disciplinary program
• AND the MSU Center for Integrative Toxicology's EITS program.

As a toxicology trainee, you gain knowledge through:

• an interactive program of courses,
• research,
• seminars,
• and scientific meetings.

You will be an active member of:

1. a toxicology research laboratory, and
2. the general scientific community at MSU.

Our graduate school education in toxicology prepares you for careers in:

1. academia,
2. industry, and
3. government.

The dual-major approach provides:

• great flexibility
• choices for selecting an area of scientific study
• a unique graduate program, closely related to toxcicology.

With your faculty advisor, you will develop a plan tailored to:

• your interests,
• your toxicology-related background and
• your professional goals.

You gain research expertise:

• in a departmentally based discipline of your choice
• coupled with training in toxicology through the EITS doctoral program. 

 

A typical graduate student...

As a student with an interest in toxicology graduate education at the doctoral level, you will:

• enter MSU through
  • one of the cooperating disciplinary programs
• have two or three laboratory rotations and
• complete first year coursework.

Affording you with unique opportunities to:

• learn techniques,
• experience diverse areas of research,
• get to know
  • prospective faculty mentors and
  • other graduate students,
• help you choose, for your thesis research
  • a lab and
  • advisor

By the end of your first year, you will:

1. choose a thesis advisor and
2. apply for acceptance into the multidisciplanary EITS toxicology graduate program.

Within the EITS program, you choose from: Two Tracks

• Toxicology Track
  • designed for doctoral students in biomedical disciplines
• Environmental Track
  • designed for students with less mammalian biology background
  • chemistry, engineering, environmental law, etc.

Next, you...

• complete course requirements for your departmental and EITS program and
• immerse yourself in toxicology research that ultimately forms the basis for writing your thesis.

During this time, you will also:

• present your work at scientific meetings,
• complete Ph.D. qualifying exams,
• write research reports for publication, and
• participate in seminars and other EITS-sponsored gatherings
  • to share ideas and
  • experiences with other trainees and faculty.

Culminating with:

• a presentation of your research to the MSU scientific community
• a "defense" of the thesis before your thesis committee,
• a joint degree in
  • one of the departmentally-based disciplines,
  • and environmental toxicology
  • typically requiring four to five years to complete.

Admission to the Toxicology Graduate Program:

1. Apply to and be accepted by one of the cooperating disciplinary MSU graduate programs.
2. During the first year of graduate study, select:
• a Ph.D. research advisor
• a research topic pertaining to toxicology
• complete the EITS application.
3. To be admitted you must:
   • Be approved by:
     • the EITS graduate committee
     • and, the EITS Graudate Director
   • Have at least a bachelor's degree
   • a minimum grade-point of 3.0
   • have completed sufficient credits in
   • biological,
   • behavioral,
   • and physical sciences
   • have a doctoral guidance committee with at least two affiliated faculty
   • and deomonstrated interest in toxicological sciences.

To Graduate from the Toxicology Graduate Program:

1. Engage in Ph.D. dissertation research in the broad area of environmental and integrative toxicological sciences;
2. Attend and participate in at least 12 seminars in toxicological sciences;
3. Complete, with a grade–point average of at least 3.00, the course requirements for either the Environmental Track or the Toxicology Track.
4. Meet the course requirements of
• the EITS program
• and your affiliated department
5. Complete an Application for Candidacy approximately six months before your graduation (contact tox@msu.edu to receive a copy)

Check Out Our Scientific Disciplines:

Departmental graduate programs cooperating with the CIT's Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Science graduate program include:

• Animal Science and Toxicology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Toxicology
• Cell and Molecular Biology and Toxicology
• Chemistry and Toxicology
• Comparative Medicine & Integrative Biology and Toxicology
• Crop and Soil Science and Toxicology
• Environmental Engineering and Toxicology
• Fisheries and Wildlife and Toxicology
• Food Sciences and Toxicology
• Forestry and Toxicology
• Genetics and Toxicology
• Geological Sciences and Toxicology
• Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Toxciology
• Pathobiology and Toxicology
• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Zoology and Toxicology

See the directory of affiliated departments for addresses, phone numbers, and links to departmental web sites.