Genetics Progress VB (For students who enroll in or after AY2021)
updated date : 3, April 2023
Course title:
Genetics Progress VB
Credit:
2 Credits
Course description:
Based on in-depth discussion with the supervisor, students prepare a manuscript of the doctoral thesis and submit it to the progress committee. Following evaluation and suggestion by the progress committee, the students improve their manuscript. If the committee judges that the quality of the manuscript is not sufficient to advance to the doctoral degree evaluation, students will not pass the course and cannot apply for the doctoral degree evaluation in the corresponding semester.
Course contents:
Students discuss extensively with their supervisor, prepare a manuscript of the doctoral thesis based on the discussion, and submit it to the progress committee. Students also submit a copy of a paper for which they are the first author and that has been published or accepted in a peer-reviewed international scientific journal. The paper must include some content from the doctoral thesis research. If a paper has not been accepted, the student must provide additional materials, such as the manuscript submitted to a journal, a copy of the correspondence with the journal editor, and the current publication status explained by his/her supervisor, to show that the submitted manuscript fulfils the criteria for successful completion of this course. The student may be asked to submit additional supporting materials by the progress committee.
The progress committee evaluates the doctoral thesis manuscript and other materials submitted by the student, and determines whether the manuscript has sufficiently reached the level for evaluation of a doctoral degree. If it is judged insufficient, revisions and/or additional analyses will be requested by the committee, so that the student is able to prepare a doctoral thesis in keeping with the criteria for the doctoral degree at the Genetics Program.
Expected learning outcome and objectives:
The expected outcome is completion of the doctoral thesis in keeping with the criteria for the doctoral degree at the Genetics Program.
The manuscript submitted to Progress VB must be well written in an accurate and logical manner that fulfills the below criteria for submission to doctoral thesis evaluation.[Doctoral degree criteria]
The Genetics Program awards doctorate degree based on the assessment of the student’s ability as an independent researcher. The doctoral dissertation acts as the primary criterion of this evaluation. An acceptable dissertation must report an original research that contributes to the advancement of the field of life sciences. The research presented in the dissertation must be accepted by a peer reviewed journal, or maintain the equivalent quality. Student must also possess a deep insight that allows one to survey the field and foresee future research, the ability to comprehend, express and discuss science in English, and a high ethical standard as a researcher. (Dec 12, 2006)
Grading policy and criteria:
For successful completion of this course, at least a part of the content of the manuscript of the doctoral thesis should be published or accepted as a first-author paper by the student in a peer-reviewed international scientific journal. Even when the first-author paper is not accepted, provided that it has been submitted to a peer-reviewed international journal and that the progress committee foresees that it will be accepted within one year, the submitted manuscript of the doctoral thesis may be reviewed in this course. Otherwise, the student will not pass the course.
When the above conditions are fulfilled, the submitted manuscript of the doctoral thesis will be reviewed by the progress committee. The committee judges whether the quality of the manuscript is sufficient for advancement into the doctoral thesis evaluation. The student will receive one of the following three decisions:
a) Rejection: the manuscript does not fulfill the publication requirement of this course or the quality standards of a doctoral thesis
Grade D (fail) will be given. Both the student and his/her supervisor will be informed of the decision. The manuscript will not be evaluated for a doctor degree in the corresponding semester. The progress committee gives advice on how the student can fulfil requirements of the course in a later semester.
b) Acceptance: the manuscript is adequately prepared for evaluation of the doctoral degree
Grade A (pass) will be given. Both the student and his/her supervisor will be informed of the decision. The student can submit the doctoral thesis by the deadline determined by the Genetics Program.
c) Minor revision: the manuscript requires small corrections before being submitted as a doctor thesis
The committee explains revisions required in the manuscript to the student and his/her supervisor. If the student completes the revisions by the deadline of the doctoral thesis submission determined by the Genetics Program, he/she can submit the revised manuscript to the progress committee. If the manuscript is judged as properly revised by the committee, the revised manuscript will be subsequently evaluated for a doctor degree as a doctor thesis, and grades (A. B, C) of this course will be given based on the quality of the revised manuscript. On the other hand, if the committee judges that the revision is insufficient, the students will receive a grade of “D” and cannot apply for the doctoral degree evaluation in the corresponding semester.
Schedule:
Students must e-mail the manuscript of the doctoral thesis and other requested materials to the progress committee members and the supervisor by at least 4 weeks prior to the deadline of the doctoral thesis submission determined by the Genetics Program. The progress committee reviews the submitted materials, and informs the evaluation decision and required revisions, if any, by mutual agreement within 10 days of receipt to the student and the supervisor. The final evaluation of this course will be completed by the deadline of the doctoral thesis submission to SOKENDAI.
Related course, pre-requisites:
All students who wish to apply for the doctoral degree evaluation in the corresponding semester must take this course. Before taking this course, students must have completed Progress VA. If a student postpones application to the doctoral degree evaluation, he/she shall also postpone taking Genetics Progress VB.
Responsible Faculty:
Progress committee chair
For students who enrolled in AY2020 or before
