1. Scientific Programs of the Department: M.S. and Ph.D. students in Biochemistry are expected to attend and contribute to all seminars, journal clubs, and other scientific programs sponsored by the department. It is mandatory that all graduate students attend and contribute to the MCBS 997 Graduate Seminar held each semester.
2. Participation in Instructional Activities: All Ph.D. students are expected to participate in the MCBS teaching program for at least one academic year of their training for a graduate degree. These teaching assignments are designed to give graduate students practical teaching experience.
3. Teaching Assistant Responsibilities: The duties of each teaching assistant should be carefully and fully described to the student prior to his/her acceptance of the assignment. In general, teaching assistants will have primary responsibility for either of two types of duties:
4. Laboratory Teaching Assistants are charged with the conduct and operation of the teaching laboratories in a defined course. The following responsibilities are typical duties of laboratory assistants: set-up of experiments; introductory lectures; assisting students in the conduct of the experiments; teaching and evaluating students in the laboratory; preparing, administrating and grading laboratory quizzes; grading laboratory notebooks.
5. Recitation Teaching Assistants are charged with the conduct of recitation and review sessions in a defined course. The following are typical duties of the recitation assistant: to assist the instructor in the researching and collection of course-related materials; to attend all lectures as the basis of recitation/review material; to be available for special one-on-one review sessions for a minimum of 5 hours/week; to be responsible for teaching recitation and review sessions on a weekly basis; to proctor exams and quizzes; to assist in the preparation of exams and quizzes; exam grading (including interpretative/essay questions).
6. Guidelines on Compensation for Graduate Students: Compensation for teaching and for research is neither guaranteed nor a requisite condition of enrollment in a graduate degree program in Biochemistry. Compensation will be administered in accordance with the following policies:
- All requirements and policies of the Graduate School will be strictly adhered to.
- Decisions on the distribution of compensation to graduate students will be made by the department faculty by June 1 of each year. Notification of the source and amount of compensation for the next academic year will be transmitted in writing by the Chairperson on the follow schedule:
- Students receiving Assistantship or Fellowship compensation in the current academic year will be notified of the availability of continuing financial support for the next academic year by June 1.
- Students admitted to the degree program during the current academic year but not receiving a Fellowship or Assistantship award or stipend will be notified of the availability of financial support no later than September 1 of the next academic year.
7. Employment Outside the University: Students who obtain compensation for their teaching or research efforts in the University are prohibited from receiving additional compensation from other sources. This includes academic year appointments to Teaching Assistantships, Research Assistantships, and recipients of fellowship awards.
Typically graduate students in Biochemistry receive additional compensation during the summer to conduct their research work. Sources of summer support for graduate students include: Graduate School Summer Fellowships, Agricultural Experiments Stations Graduate Research Assistantships, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture Summer fellowship, and summer stipends from research grants.
Students who receive a summer stipend from any funds other than research grants are expected to work full time on their research project during the summer period. Students receiving less than the average annual stipend at UNH determined by the Research Office may, with the written permission of their advisor and the department chair, supplement their income in order to meet this target value. In all cases, the policies of the Graduate School must be followed. Students who engage in outside employment may not be eligible for future support from UNH sources. Exceptions to this policy due to unusual circumstances will be handled on an individual basis by the department.
