The Biotechnology programme is offering a PhD course that will lead to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biotechnology. Our PhD programme provides students with advanced knowledge in key areas of this fast growing field and covers recent developments in life science research, bioinformatics, microbiology, biochemistry and systems biology. Our PhD students will develop independent research projects contributing to the field of Biotechnology under the supervision of their faculty. Assessment is by coursework and thesis which must constitute a significant original contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the chosen topic.

All our graduate students will carry out rotations in research groups to gain a deeper appreciation for work at the frontier of this field. This provides them with the opportunity to participate in many areas of research such as biochemistry, bioinformatics, cancer biology, cell biology, developmental biology, human genetics, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular medicine, plant molecular biology, biochemical engineering, cell culture technology, fermentation, biosensor technology and biotechnology commercialization.

Degree Requirements

The PhD programme in Biotechnology requires:

1. successful completion of at least 6 doctoral level courses
2. successful completion of a General Examination comprising both written and oral
3. submission and approval of a PhD thesis research proposal
4. undertaking of original research
5. submission and defence of original research in the form of a dissertation

The PhD degree programme requires a minimum of 6 semesters (3 years) of full-time study. The maximum candidature of the PhD programme is 12 semesters (6 years).

Admission Requirements

Admission to the PhD programme in Biotechnology requires the completion of a Master's degree in Biology, Chemistry or Biotechnology from an acceptable university programme. Candidates with a Master's degree in other fields may be accepted based on the assessment of MUST faculty members on the candidate's proficiency in Biotechnology.

For additional information on general admission requirements, please refer to Admissions.

Required Academic Preparation Coursework

To fulfill the coursework requirements of the PhD programme, students must pass at least 6 courses. The programme courses offered are as listed below:

MBT 701   Research Practicum
MBT 702   Principles and Applications in Biotechnology Techniques
MBT 703   Seminars in Current Biotechnology Advances
MBT 704   Molecular Biology of Microbial Systems
MBT 705   Aspects of Biochemistry: An Understanding
MBT 706   Systems Biology

General Examination

Students are encouraged to take the General Examination consisting of a written and an oral examination, by the end of their third semester, and in no case can the examinations be scheduled later than the fourth semester of graduate study at MUST.

The written and oral examinations are designed to test the student on his understanding of the breadth of knowledge across the field of biotechnology as well as the depth of his understanding in his chosen field of specialisation.

Thesis Research

After passing the General Examination, the student is required to submit a PhD thesis proposal. The thesis proposal should provide strong foundation for the thesis, incorporating new research ideas and refinement of the scope of the research project. The thesis proposal is to be presented to an examination committee. Once the thesis proposal is approved, the student can proceed with the PhD thesis research. The student is required to write a doctoral dissertation and pass the Thesis Defense in order to be granted a PhD degree.