The Watson School of Biological Sciences graduate program is committed to the success of its students. To promote a high level of student achievement, the faculty and administration take an active role in mentoring and supervising the students. A special feature of the curriculum is an intensive and supportive “two-tier” mentoring program, which involves an academic and research mentor for each student.

Soon after matriculation, each student is matched with a faculty member as an academic mentor. The academic mentor follows the student’s academic and research progress, and provides advice for the duration of the student’s tenure in the graduate program. After the laboratory rotations, each student chooses a research mentor. The research mentor is the doctoral thesis research advisor, who supervises the student’s independent laboratory research. Should the student choose his or her academic mentor as the research mentor, a new academic mentor is selected. By providing both academic and research mentors, the Watson School of Biological Sciences provides each student with advice from faculty who hold different views. They can then offer a multiplicity of in-depth evaluations of the student to aid in promoting each student’s future career.

Click on the photo to read Melanie Eckersley-Maslin's perspective on the Watson School of Biological Sciences