Orientation

All incoming PhD students receive a full-day orientation prior to the start of classes. The orientation includes a joint meeting with PhD program faculty, and presentations from the Dean of the Veterinary School, the Program Director, the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, the Graduate Studies Manager, library staff, and members of the Tufts University Campus Police. Students also receive a campus tour, and visit the TCSVM library. Ample opportunities are available to students for asking questions and for informal interaction with faculty.

Registration

All graduate students must register at the beginning of each term (fall and spring) in which they are actively working on a degree. Even if all required courses have been completed, degree candidates are still required to register for Journal Club, Seminar Series, and a Research/Dissertation course.

Approximately one month before the registration deadline (September 15 and January 15), course information and registration materials are available. Students may pick up their registration forms from the Graduate Studies Manager. They must then complete their registration forms and return them to the Graduate Studies Manager in the Administration Building before the deadline.

Cross-Registration

During the PhD program, full-time students must take at least four (4) of their six (6) didactic courses at TCSVM. However, students are also allowed to take courses through cross-registration agreements with the School of Medicine, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Sackler School of Biomedical Sciences. If a student want to cross register for additional courses, they may do so, however these grades and credits are extra and do not count toward the six (6) didactic credit requirement. In both instances, cross-registration is subject to the consent of the course instructor, the Program Director and mentor, and both registrars.

Catalogs and schedules of each of the host institutions are available from their respective graduate school offices. Cross-registration forms are available from the Graduate Studies Manager in the Administration Building.