Curriculum

• Core Courses:

1. Molecular and Cellular Approaches for Biotechnologies (4 credits) 
2. Advanced Animal Biology (3 credits)
3. Advanced Plant Biology (3 credits)
4. Advanced Microbiology (3 credits)

These courses have been designed to cover the basic principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology and also cell biology, application of transgenic technology in modern biotechnology as well as providing broad experience in the agricultural sciences.

• Seminars and Symposia: four credits of seminar (one credit per semester) have to be taken during the first two years of the Ph.D. program.
• Laboratory Rotations: Students are required to participate in at least two laboratory rotations either at Academia Sinica or at NCHU, within the MBAS program during the first year.
• Elective Courses: 
  • Phytochemistry and Herbal Medicine
  • Writing a good quality research article in English (Academic Writing class)
  • Research Topics
  • Literature Review
  • Metabolic Biochemistry Made Easy
  • Plant Transgenic Technology (lab work required)
  • Elective courses offered by other programs that are part of TIGP (with a maximum 6 credits) or selected courses offered at National Chung Hsing University.
• Chinese Language:  In order to help in everyday communication with the local people, international students are required to take a one year course in Mandarin Chinese.

Degree Requirements

• Course work:  Students are required to complete the core courses during the first two years of study. Total credits to be taken to complete the MBAS Ph.D. program are as follows:

• Thesis advisor: Each student needs choose and decide the thesis advisor before the end of the 1st academic year (7/31).
• Qualifying Exam for Ph.D. Candidacy:Students have to take the first qualifying exam before the end of the fourth semester (the end of the second academic year), and have to pass the qualifying examination before the end of the fifth semester. An original research proposition for thesis or non-thesis-related research and an oral defense of the written proposal are required. The proposal should include a clear outline of goals and specific aims of the proposed research, and should provide a description of the issues to be resolved within the broad scientific context of the field. One make-up examination is permitted if the student fails the first examination.
• Thesis Progress Report (required at least once a year): After the student passes the qualifying exam and becomes a Ph.D. candidate, the student and the thesis advisor are requested to form a thesis committee. The thesis committee should examine the student’s progress of dissertation research at least once a year and put it into the official record. The thesis committee members may also be part of the thesis oral defense committee members, so these members can know the progress and situations of the student’s thesis research from the beginning to the end. 
• Publication requirement: Each student also needs to fulfill one of the three following requirements for papers which are produced based on their graduate training/research work in this program:
• Thesis Preparation and Defense: Upon completion of thesis research, the student must fulfill the minimum requirements of article publication(s) and also obtain the thesis advisor's consent to apply for oral thesis defense. The student must deliver a Ph.D. thesis open seminar within a month after passing the oral defense.