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Program Overview:

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis offers several programs that support doctoral science students. First, we provide all doctoral students in Chemistry and the Biological sciences with first semester fellowships requiring no teaching or research responsibilities. These fellowships will soon be offered to all students enrolled in doctoral science programs at Washington University. The first semester fellowships allow incoming students the opportunity to get acquainted with their programs and to study for their preliminary or qualifying exams. Students must pass these exams to continue in the program and to receive teaching assistantships.

Another new initiative is the University-wide teaching requirement. This requirement would also apply to doctoral students in the sciences, and would specify that each doctoral student obtain at least 14 contact hours of teaching at the basic level and four hours of teaching at the advanced level. The students, in consultation with their departments and advisors, can decide how to meet these contact hours. Examples include teaching in the classroom and making presentations at professional meetings and journal clubs.

Training for teaching assistants is another support offered for students in the sciences. Students attend teaching assistantship training offered by the Teaching Center. Students have the opportunity to give a practice lecture and have it taped. The tape is then reviewed by a Teaching Center representative who offers advice and tips to the student. Students teaching lab science sections are evaluated by their undergraduate students and by professors who monitor their lab sections. To encourage good teaching, both departmental and Graduate School-wide awards are given for excellence in teaching.

Another emphasis of Washington University is the support offered to international students within the sciences. Departments, such as Chemistry, help insure that our international students receive supplemental training in English if needed. Students take English as Second Language courses free of charge. International students are also encouraged to take courses in pronunciation and slang. An example of the extra care taken on behalf of international students is demonstrated by the Chemistry Department. One hour per week, two staff members speak English with international students. The students read non-scientific material such as poetry and popular books to the staff members, who then help them with their English. In the past eight years, at least three native Chinese students have secured tenure track faculty positions in Chemistry departments within the United States.