Welcome to the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. Physiology is the science that studies biological function, and as such is an integrative science. The objective of the Ph.D. program in Physiology and Biophysics is to provide students with a strong education allowing them to identify critical questions in research and to prepare them with the tools to address these questions. The goal is to graduate scholars who are capable of defining key areas of inquiry in the field and articulating a rationale for how these can be pursued. This goal is achieved by developing a course of study for each student that best meets their needs and interests.
We are glad that you have decided to join our department and we look forward to meeting you in the fall semester.
Graduate Program Orientation Session
Two orientations are held during the first week of class. One is the GEMS (Graduate Education in Medical Sciences) orientation. The second orientation is from the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. New students are encouraged to arrive to the campus early before classes begin. They receive information packets containing class schedules and departmental policies. During the departmental orientation they are introduced to other students, members, and staff of the department. An overview of the curriculum and student responsibilities is discussed. There is a short slide presentation from professors in the department and a question and answer session. The students are invited to have lunch and mingle with other students in the department.
Registration Information – Student Self-Service
Information packages are sent to the students informing them about fall registration and when instruction begins. Students also receive a copy of the department's guidelines for the PhD or Master's program. First year students are asked to contact the first year student advisor in the department for advising. The advisor and students discuss the academic background and goals of the students and they are given a list of classes to register for the fall semester.
Registration, including changes to any existing registration, begins a number of months before the term and continues through the first official ten days of the term (first official five days for summer session). During the registration period, all registration activity is done by the student using Student Self-Service, which may be accessed from UIC Web For Student . When attempting to register, if you receive an error message directly pertaining to the class or section you are requesting, consult with the department offering the course as an override may need to be input into the system to allow you to continue to register. Once the override has been added you still have to register for the course in Student Self-Service. If you receive an error message that you do not understand, consult the Registration Help Line at (312) 996-8600.
i-Card
The i-Card is the official identification card of the University for students, staff and faculty. It is important to obtain the i-Card and carry it with you at all times. The i-Card is needed to enter certain labs and buildings, for access to certain student-related events and services, and to check material out of the library.
Once you have registered for a course you may obtain your i-Card. This should be done as soon as possible following your registration. You will need to bring a print-out of your registration and either a driver's license, state ID card, or passport to the i-Card Office. Complete information, including locations, is available from the i-Card Office .
Medical Immunization Requirement
Illinois state law requires proof of certain immunizations for students in most cases. The policy and contact information are available at the Office of Medical Immunization Records . It is important that you read this information carefully since registration for future terms is not allowed if you are not in compliance at that time.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are set by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois . The tuition and fee schedule at UIC is fairly elaborate so it is important to understand what your charges will be, as well as your payment obligations. This information is available from the Office of Admissions and Records website .
Please note students are responsible for paying the following fees: Health Insurance, Health Service, General, Student-to-Student, and Illinois Student Association.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate students accepted to the PhD program with full status into the Department of Physiology and Biophysics are guaranteed financial aid provided they maintain good academic standing. The assistantship carries with it a tuition and service fee waiver.
If you have been granted an assistantship there are a number of important steps to follow to ensure timely processing and receipt of your first stipend check.
It is only after all these stages have been successfully completed that your appointment becomes official and allows you to begin your duties and receive the monthly stipend, which is paid on the 16th. In addition, if the appointment comes with a tuition waiver (contact your unit to find out exactly which parts of the tuition and fees are waived and which are not), it is only at this stage that the waiver is available to be applied to your account, assuming you have also correctly registered for the total hours required to receive the waiver. If the appointment for the assistantship is offered or processed late, or any of the steps outlined above are delayed, there is a possibility of missing your first monthly stipend check. Although you will receive an adjusted payment a month later (assuming the beginning date is properly processed and assuming you worked for that period), not having the first check can cause financial issues you did not anticipate. Therefore, if you do not receive timely responses you should always contact the hiring unit to ensure procedures have not been overlooked. See the Graduate College website at http://grad.uic.edu/cms/ for additional assistantship information.
Teaching Assistantship Duties and Expectations
The Graduate assistant should concentrate on course and lab work. They cannot accept any work outside the department. Graduate students receiving stipends from the Department of Physiology and Biophysics must be full-time students (complete >12 hrs/semester) and spend 100% of their effort on activities related to and approved by the Department of Physiology and Biophysics. Such activities do not include laboratory or library assistance for the Thesis Advisor that is not directly associated with the students approved research program.
Integration of New Students
The (PBGSA), which is the Physiology & Biophysics Graduate Student Association, is formed by graduate students in the department. Regular meetings are held each semester for interaction with other students. For information visit their web site at http://pbgsa.phyb.uic.edu/ . Students have an opportunity to engage with existing students in student group meetings, departmental colloquium series, weekly departmental seminar series, and the department annual picnic.
Each new student will have a preliminary meeting with the first year advisor during orientation.
Students decide on an advisor at the end of their first year.
For assistance please contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, at 312-996-7620 or by email at
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Department of Physiology and Biophysics |
04/28/09