Discipline Coordinator

Mary P. Walker, Director of Graduate Research Programs (816) 235-2825, walkermp@umkc.edu

Overview

In concert with the School of Graduate studies, the Department of Oral Biology offers a doctoral program that must include the in-depth study of at least two disciplines. Students in the Oral Biology program can choose to participate in any of the department's three areas of research focus:

Biomaterials/Bioengineering of Biological Tissues and Replacements
The overall goal of this program is to apply an integrated approach involving innovative computer modeling and organic synthesis, novel biocompatibility evaluation, comprehensive materials characterization, and mechanistic development of improved dental biomaterials. A new thrust to this program is an engineering component that emphasizes micro- and nano-structure/property characterization of natural biomaterials such as bone, dentin, and enamel as a tissue engineering approach to the development of replacement materials.

Mineralized Tissue Biology
This program is aimed at determining basic biological mechanisms and the cause and treatment of disease of bone and teeth during development and in the adult. Approaches include the use of basic in vitro methods combined with genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and transgenic technology.

Translational and Clinical Research
Translational and clinical research involves results from clinical observations translating into basic research and incorporates basic research findings into clinical assessment and practice. The identification, characterization and synthesis of materials for clinical use requires the combined efforts and expertise of clinical scientists, biostatisticians, bioengineers, geneticists, life scientists, chemists, physicists, and computer scientists.

Program
The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program is composed of a significant supervised research effort along with courses in areas such as dental biomaterials, research design, clinical research methodology, statistics, grantsmanship, biochemistry, proteomics, genomics, histology, and pathology. The primary didactic effort will be in oral biology (biomaterials/bioengineering of biological tissues and replacements, mineralized tissue biology, or translational/clinical research) and the student will select a secondary area of concentration from other Interdisciplinary Ph.D. discipline(s).

Duration
The length of the program is dependent on the academic background and abilities of the applicant and may vary from two to five years. The program culminates with an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Oral Biology degree and the designated co-discipline or co-disciplines.

Objectives
The course requirements for the IPhD are not predetermined, but rather are formulated by the student in consultation with the Oral Biology Director of Graduate Research Programs and the doctoral faculty who will serve on their supervisory committee.  The developed program of study will meet the student's individual needs and research interests, satisfy discipline-specific requirements, and assure upon graduation that students are able to:

• Demonstrate appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge in their disciplines
• Use skills of interdisciplinary scholarship and research to integrate multiple perspectives
• Work effectively in a collaborative environment
  Effectively communicate results of their research to diverse audiences
• Use objective assessment for personal and professional improvement and development
• Apply ethical principles to all aspects of their professional life
• Think critically and creatively as a self-directed interdisciplinary researcher
• Develop skills to become good mentors and communicators
• Successfully complete the CITI Research Ethics Tutorial at: https://www.citiprogram.org/default.asp.  Upon completion they will print the Certificate of Successful Completion, and turn it in to the Oral Biology Administrative Office to be placed in their file

Eligibility
An applicant must meet the minimum general requirements for admission to Interdisciplinary Ph.D. study at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and must satisfy grade point average requirements as stated in the admission requirements section of the Academic Regulations and Information of Doctor of Philosophy Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (http://sgs.umkc.edu/iphd/index.asp). To advance to candidate status, the student must successfully complete written and oral comprehensive examinations relevant to their coordinating and co-discipline(s).

Discipline-Specific Admission Requirements

All application materials should be submitted prior to March 1 for students wishing to begin their study in the fall semester; however, applications will be accepted throughout the year. Evaluation criteria include the following:

• Transcripts. Analysis of transcripts from all prior institutions is required. Under special circumstances (e.g., class standing) consideration may be given to applicants whose GPA is 2.5 to 3.0.
• Letters of recommendation. Three letters of recommendation are required from current or former teachers who are familiar with the applicant's past achievements and research ability.
• Letter from applicant. The applicant must submit a letter describing why he or she is interested in pursuing interdisciplinary Ph.D. study in oral biology, how the experience of the program may be used by the candidate in the future, and a list of potential research interests.
• Interviews. Interviews are not required; however, interviews are preferred and will be arranged upon the candidate's request. Successful interviews may enhance the candidate's chance of acceptance.

Suggested Compatible Co-disciplines

Core Program Requirements

The required minimum core curriculum for students with oral biology as a discipline will consist of a minimum of nine credit hours in oral biology. See minimum course requirements below. The student's supervisory committee may require additional courses for an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program which includes the department of oral biology as the coordinating-unit discipline or as a co-discipline. Ph.D. students with oral biology as their coordinating unit must either complete these courses at UMKC or must have completed equivalent coursework at approved institutions at the time of their admission to the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. Students are referred to other sections of the current UMKC general catalog for listings of appropriate graduate-level courses.

In accordance with the general requirements for the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, a Ph.D. student must prepare a plan of study in conjunction with his or her dissertation supervisor and supervisory committee during the first year of Ph.D. studies. A student's plan of study must include coursework in oral biology as well as in at least one other discipline.

Minimum Coursework Requirements

Courswork must satisfy all discipline-specific requirements and may include additional coures as appropriate to the student's research focus. Course selection will be made in conjunction with the Department of Oral Biology Director of Graduate Research Programs and the committee chair.

General requirements are listed below:

• The plan must include coursework from all of the student's disciplines
• No more than 60 percent of the total coursework taken at UMKC and included on the Ph.D. Plan of Study, exclusive of dissertation hours, may be from any one discipline
• Coursework from disciplines other than the ones to which the student has been admitted may be included on the Plan of Study and counted in the total percentage
• No more than 25 percent of the total coursework may be from disciplines not formally participating in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program
• The Plan must include at least 30 didactic hours beyond the baccalaureate degree, exclusive of dissertation research hours, in courses taken at UMKC or in courses taken at another institution which are approved for transfer by the student's Supervisory Committee
• The Plan must include a minimum of 9 credit hours, exclusive of dissertation research hours, in a co-discipline area to which the student has been admitted
• The Plan must include at least 12 hours of dissertation credits

The required core curriculum will consist of the following courses:

Dissertation credits required (no less than 12)

Examples of additional courses applicable to the program:

Departmental Research Orientation

Enrollment in BIO-SCI 5751 Elements of the Scientific Method required

• IPhD students will select and rotate through a minimum of four laboratories in the Department of Oral Biology conducting a short research project in each.  At the end of the semester, a report is required reviewing the research project and instrumentation in each laboratory.  Students are also required to attend the weekly Department of Oral Biology Seminar Series and the monthly Professional Development Seminar Series.  Research presentations cover a variety of biological, engineering and psychological disciplines relevant to oral science education and the oral health care profession. Presentations will be by faculty, students, and invited guest lecturers.

Enrollment in BIO-SCI 5752 Research Methods in Oral Biology required

• As the student identifies a research focus for the dissertation project, they will begin reviewing the literature and relevant instrumentation in conjunction with a selected research advisor.

Seminar Series

• Graduate students are expected to attend the weekly Department of Oral Biology Seminar Series and the monthly Professional Development Seminar Series
  • Information available from Department of Oral Biology website at
    http://dentistry.umkc.edu/oralbiology/oralbiologyseminar.htm

Thesis and Dissertation Defense Exams

• Graduate students are expected to attend all thesis and dissertation defense exams
  

Other Discipline-Specific Special Requirements

In accordance with general Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program requirements, each student with oral biology as the coordinating-unit discipline must submit a dissertation proposal, prepared in consultation with the student's supervisory committee, which describes an interdisciplinary program of original research on a significant problem in oral biology. The proposal will be reviewed by the student's Ph.D. supervisory committee. The student may be required to revise and resubmit the proposal to the supervisory committee. A copy of the accepted proposal will then be forwarded to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

The student must provide evidence that a substantial portion of the dissertation will be submitted for publication to refereed journals. Such proof may be in the form of a manuscript in preparation for submission or a submitted manuscript. The student must submit the complete dissertation, in typewritten or letter-quality printed form, to his or her faculty adviser for review and preliminary approval at least eight weeks before the expected date of graduation.

Appeals

In the event of disputes or special requests concerning a student's Ph.D. program, written appeals or documentation must first be submitted to the student's supervisory committee. If a resolution of the problem cannot be affected at that level, the written appeals process must then progress through the following levels:

1. Doctoral studies committee of the Department of Oral Biology.
2. Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Executive Committee.
3. Dean, School of Graduate Studies.

A 3.0 or better grade-point average is required of all work applicable to the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. A Ph.D. student with oral biology as a discipline is subject to termination from the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program if: (1) his or her grade-point average falls below 3.0; (2) more than four hours of C (2.0) grades are received; or (3) any grade of D or F is received.

A recommendation for termination from the program will be made by the student's supervisory committee to the Department of Oral Biology and forwarded to the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. executive committee and the dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

Comprehensive Examination Guidelines

A comprehensive examination will be administered to all students enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program whose subject emphasis area is oral biology. The examination includes both written and oral components. Content of the comprehensive examination will be tailored to the student's field of research interest and prepared with input from all members of the student's supervisory committee.

Oral Biology as a Co-discipline

• The Plan of Study must include a minimum of 9 approved credit hours, exclusive of dissertation research hours, in the Oral Biology co-discipline area
• At least one member of the Department of Oral Biology doctoral faculty must serve on the dissertation committee
• The Department of Oral Biology Director of Graduate Research Programs will serve as the intreim adviser to co-discipline Interdisciplinary Ph.D. students.

Students will select courses applicable to their program from the following list with guidance from the Department of Oral Biology Director of Graduate Research Programs.