The dual major in environmental and integrative toxicological sciences is administered by the College of Natural Science. The dual major is available only to those students who plan to complete a Ph.D. degree program that involves environmental and integrative toxicological sciences and who have a graduate major at Michigan State University. The student does not have the option of completing a dual major in environmental and integrative toxicological sciences alone.
The purpose of the Dual Major Ph.D. in Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences (EITS) is to provide students with training in a basic science discipline and training and credentials in environmental and integrative toxicological sciences. Students accepted into a science-related Doctor of Philosophy degree programs may apply subsequently for admission to the environmental and integrative toxicological sciences program. Students who complete this multidisciplinary course of study earn the Ph.D. degree in a basic science discipline with a dual major in environmental and toxicological sciences.
Each program that cooperates with the environmental and integrative toxicological sciences program is represented by training faculty affiliated with Michigan State University’s Institute for Integrative Toxicology, through which the Doctoral Program in Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences is administered in conjunction with the College of Natural Science. The program allows students substantial flexibility in choosing areas of study. Each student’s course of study is planned with that individual’s particular interests, capabilities, and professional goals in mind. The student must meet the requirements for the partnering disciplinary program and the requirements for the environmental toxicology dual major.
In partial fulfillment of the environmental toxicology major, the student must complete the biomedical toxicology track, the food toxicology and ingredient safety track, or the environmental toxicology track. Course requirements for the biomedical toxicology track are designed for doctoral students in biomedical disciplines. The food toxicology and ingredient safety track require courses in toxicology and risk assessment and regulation of food-borne ingredients. Course requirements for the environmental toxicology track are designed for doctoral students in engineering, chemistry and other fields who may have less background in mammalian biology.
When all requirements for the degree have been met, both the chairperson of the department or program that administers the student’s disciplinary major and the director of the Dual Major Ph.D. in Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences program will recommend the student for the degree.
Where course requirements for a disciplinary major and for the environmental toxicology major overlap, a given course may be counted toward both requirements.
In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and of the College of Natural Science, students must meet the requirements specified below.
Admission
A student must be accepted for graduate study into a department or program that offers the student the opportunity to meet EITS admissions requirements, such as a science-based discipline, before applying for admission to the Dual Major Ph.D. in Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences. Admission requires the approval of the environmental and integrative toxicological sciences graduate committee and the program director.
The student must:
- have earned at least a bachelor’s degree;
- have completed, with a minimum grade–point average of 3.0, sufficient credits in the biological, chemical, and physical sciences to indicate probable success in the program;
- have a dissertation project related to toxicology;
- at least two guidance committee members affiliated with the Institute for Integrative Toxicology.
In special cases, an applicant with deficiencies in background courses may be admitted on a provisional basis. Students admitted on a provisional basis will not be considered for an advanced degree until they have fulfilled the provisional requirements. Course work required to remedy deficiencies will not count towards the dual major degree.
Guidance Committee At least two members of the student’s guidance committee must be faculty affiliated with the Institute for Integrative Toxicology. At least one member of the committee must be from a department or disciplinary program other than the one that administers the student’s disciplinary major.
Requirements for the Dual Major Ph.D. Degree in Environmental in Environmental and Integrative Toxicological Sciences
- The topic of the doctoral dissertation research must be in the broad area of environmental and integrative toxicological sciences and be acceptable to the environmental and integrative toxicological sciences faculty.
- The student must complete the requirements for one of the three tracks with a grade–point average of at least 3.0.
- The student must attend and participate in at least 12 EITS approved seminars in toxicological sciences.