Advising | Academic Standards | Transfer of Credit | Transferring into CAMB | Terminal Master's Degree
All first- and second-year Ph.D. students, and third-year combined-degree students who are in their graduate course year, will meet with a program advisor prior to each semester. The Advisor and Program Chair are responsible for approving the student's class, seminar, laboratory rotation, and/or independent study selections each semester. Any exemptions from the outlined course of study must be approved in writing by the relevant Program Chair. All registrations must be done by the CAMB program coordinators.
Advising | Academic Standards | Transfer of Credit | Transferring into CAMB | Terminal Master's Degree
The University standard for satisfactory academic progress is a 3.0 grade point average. The minimum standard for final course grades in the CAMB Graduate Group is a "B-". A CAMB student who does not achieve the minimum grade for courses will be referred to the Biomedical Graduate Studies Academic Standards Committee. The Academic Standards Committee will, in concert with the student's Program Chair's recommendations, impose sanctions such as academic probation. In addition, the student's Program Chair may also impose sanctions such as re-taking an examination, re-taking an entire course, continuing course work towards the terminal Master's Degree, or withdrawing from the program. The CAMB Executive Committee will review each case on an ad hoc basis.
Advising | Academic Standards | Transfer of Credit | Transferring into CAMB | Terminal Master's Degree
Students who have completed graduate work at other graduate institutions may apply to transfer up to eight course units toward the Ph.D. degree. Students who have taken graduate courses at Penn through the College of General Studies (CGS) may apply to transfer up to four course units toward the Ph.D. degree. Courses below a "B" grade will not be considered for credit toward the Penn degree. According to University policy, courses will not be transferred until after a student has completed one academic year of course work in the program.
Advising | Academic Standards | Transfer of Credit | Transferring into CAMB | Terminal Master's Degree
Transferring into the CAMB Graduate Group
Penn students who are currently enrolled in another graduate group within BGS may transfer into the CAMB Graduate Group. Students should express their interest in joining the CAMB Graduate Group by writing a letter of intent to the Graduate Group Chair. The student will then meet individually with the Graduate Group Chair to discuss any issues related to fulfilling the Graduate Group and program course requirements. Following this meeting, the Graduate Group Chair will decide if the student is in good academic standing and if the student's academic interests and goals are appropriate for the CAMB program. The Graduate Group Chair, in consultation with the Program Chair of the student's program of interest, will provide the student with a written statement of required course work. The student should have the chair of the former program sign a "Transfer of Graduate Group Form" to release the student from the former graduate group and then have the chair of the new program sign the same form to accept the student into the new graduate group. The CAMB Graduate Group Office will request that the student's academic file be transferred from the former graduate group office.
Advising | Academic Standards | Transfer of Credit | Transferring into CAMB | Terminal Master's Degree
The Graduate Group does not admit students for study towards a Master's degree. However, the Graduate Group may award a terminal Master's degree to students who choose not to continue in the program for the Ph.D. degree or to students who fail to pass the preliminary examination or complete their dissertation research.
These CAMB mandated requirements are in addition to conditions imposed by the BGS for a terminal master’s degree.