Program Structure
Progression through the GDTP, from preparation (Year 1), to Becoming a Scientist (Year 2), to Professional Skills Development (Year 3) and Consolidating Skills (Year 4+).
Required Course
MCB290 (GDTP Genetics Immersion)
Courses to Consider
Genetics
MCB 240 (Advanced Genetic Analysis)
PMB 200A (Plant Developmental Genetics)
PMB 220A (Microbial Genetics)
Quantitative Approaches
IB C201 (Introduction to Quantitative Methods In Biology)
IB 161 (Population and Evolutionary Genetics)
IB 206 (Statistical Phylogenetics)
PMB 220B (Genomics & Computational Biology)
STAT C240C-D (Computational Statistics with Applications in Biology and Medicine)
STAT C245A (Introduction to Modern Biostatistical Theory and Practice)
The UC Berkeley Center for Computational Biology bootcamp on “Introduction to Programming for Bioinformatics”
MCB-sponsored bootcamp run by GDTP trainers Garcia and Moorjani to further develop skills in coding and statistics
Other relevant courses
Evolution (IB C160; taught by PD Whiteman)
Research Training
Rigor and Reproducibility
Responsible Conduct of Research (MCB 293C), a 15-week class, consists of 1.5 hours/week of lecture and 1.5 hours/week of small group discussion led by a rotating group of faculty who provide real-life examples and perspectives.
Rigor and Reproducibility in Research (MCB 293D) is a 15-week course that includes 1.5 hours/week of lecture and classroom discussion, with a focus on experimental design, data collection and recording, and data analysis.
Responsible Conduct in Research Refresher (MCB 293R) MCB 293R uses case studies and discussions to provide greater depth and perspective than that offered in MCB 293C. Topics include research misconduct; prevention of sexual misconduct; protection of human subjects; welfare of laboratory animals; conflicts of interest; data management; practices for enhancing reproducibility; collaboration with industry; authorship and publication; peer review; and the scientist as a responsible member of society.
Teaching and Communication
GSI Training
PMB300 Workshop on Teaching
IB375 Teaching Colloquium: Graduate Student Instructor Training
IB302 Practice of Teaching Integrative Biology
MCB380 Teaching of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Workshop on Slide Design and Oral Presentations
Career Development and Professional Skills
Beyond Academia is a non-profit organization run by UC Berkeley graduate students with the goal of empowering graduate students and postdocs to expand their career options beyond the traditional academic track.
Careers for Life Sciences PhDs (MCB 295) : this 13-week course helps graduate students plan for their postgraduate careers. The course features invited speakers from a wide variety of fields, including patent law/technology transfer, public policy/regulatory affairs, bioinformatics, science writing, forensic science, postdoctoral positions in industry, and teaching.
The Graduate Division’s Graduate Professional Development office develops activities that help graduate students set professional development goals and build skills vital to a variety of careers.
Industrial Affiliates Program (IAP) The IAP builds strong alliances with innovative companies and gives students the opportunity to engage with local industry leaders.
UC Berkeley Career Center offers seminars on academic research careers, the academic job search, and industry and teaching careers. The Center also offers free one-on-one advising with expert graduate career counselors.
OGD Inclusive Excellence Hub: A unique, welcoming venue where underrepresented graduate students can find camaraderie and build multi-disciplinary networks of their peers.