The Department and Classes -Department of Biological Sciences - Carnegie Mellon University

The Department and Classes

Seeking Help

  • The Biology Departmental Office – Room 410, Mellon Institute
  • Mentors will be assigned to you during your first year and they will try their best to offer helpful advice. 
  • Senior Graduate Students (notes and tips are available from some of us)
  • Your Fellow Classmates

Attending Non-Compulsory Courses and Seminars

There are numerous seminars such as networking in your field, grant writing, job interviews, etc. There are also career seminars that allow you to find out what working in industry, etc is like. These will prove useful to you in the future. It is not necessary to attend all of them in the first year since they are repeated on an annual basis.

Rotations and Classes

  • There is time to talk to faculty before rotations begin, do not stress about doing it in the summer.
  • There are three rotations total with a rotation report and presentation at the end of each rotation. 
  • First rotations do not start till class starts. 
  • Only choices for the first rotation need to be handed in initially. Choices for subsequent rotations are submitted later in the semester. 
  • Class requirements can be found on the Department website (www.cmu.edu/bio)

TA duties

Teaching Assistance is required of first year students. However, first-year duties will be light grading that is organized over the course of one semester.

Getting to Mellon Institute

  • Biking - MI has a bike room with bike racks, to the right of the Bellefield entrance on the third floor. 
  • Campus parking - graduate students are wait listed for campus parking
  • Metered lots available around Mellon Institute but it may be hard to obtain a spot. 
  • Day parking available for $12 at the SEI multistory garage, next door to Mellon Institute on Dithridge St.

Departmental Retreat

  • Mandatory for Ph.D. students, will be held in the fall of each year.
  • Food and lodging are provided. Transport is provided if you do not have your own ride.
  • Watch for forthcoming details on what to bring, etc.

    Disclaimer: This list of advice and information was put together by current graduate students of the Biological Sciences department, and does not express the views of the department. Most of the information below has been verified, but some may have changed including URLs, dates, and email addresses, so self-verification of information is advisable.