Chicago State-Northwestern MS-PhD Bridge to the Future

描述（申请人提供）：西北大学（NU）和芝加哥州立大学寻求新的资金，继续在芝加哥州立大学（CSU）的生命科学硕士学位桥梁课程（BP），该课程确定并承认来自芝加哥地区的能力不足的少数民族学生，渴望和行业的博士学位，但其先前的学历不以其他方式使他们的竞争力，高质量的博士课程。BP位于CSU的理想位置，CSU拥有该国最大的少数民族学生群体之一，并且已经在该地区以其有利于弱势学生的教育计划而闻名。该计划，目前开始其第三年，提供学术技能，实验室培训，并熟悉博士课程环境，为BP学生在西北大学（NU）或类似机构的博士课程做好准备。该计划是CSU现有生物学MS计划的扩展版本，具有以下增强功能：在生物化学和分子生物学的额外要求，侧重于在NU博士课程的成功所需的技能和学术背景的特殊课程，在博士课程的核心课程招生和在居住在NU的一个季度在实验室轮换参与，准备在全国会议上发表和介绍的研究论文，BP学生的认真指导和监测他们的进步，GRE准备，并在CSU现有的少数民族计划的几个组成部分的共享。经过整整两年的招聘（第一年的招聘资金被推迟），英国石油公司已经证明，在芝加哥大都市地区，有许多才华横溢、代表性不足的少数民族学生有资格参加该项目。学生质量显着提高，每年和目前的学生都表现出坚实的优秀准备在NU研究生培训。CSU和NU教师之间的良好合作已经发展，CSU对博士研究的日益关注对学生对研究职业的看法产生了非常积极的影响。BP将继续受益于经验丰富和高度成就的外部顾问和评估人员的定期检查和评估。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Northwestern University (NU) and Chicago State University seek renewed funding to continue a Masters degree bridge program (BP) at Chicago State University (CSU) in the life sciences that identifies and admits highly able under-represented minority students from the Chicago area who have the ability, aspiration and industry for the doctoral degree but whose prior academic qualifications do not otherwise make them competitive for quality PhD programs. The BP is ideally sited at CSU, which has one of the largest minority student populations in the country and is already well-known in the area for its educational programs that benefit disadvantaged students. The program, currently beginning its third year, provides the academic skills, laboratory training, and familiarity with the PhD program environment to prepare BP students for doctoral programs at Northwestern University (NU) or similar institutions. The program is an expanded version of the existing MS programs in biology at CSU with the following enhancements: additional requirements in biochemistry and molecular biology, special courses that focus on the skills and academic background needed for success in doctoral programs at NU, enrollment in PhD program core courses and participation in laboratory rotations during a quarter in residence at NU, preparation of a research thesis for publication and presentation at a national meeting, careful mentoring of the BP students and monitoring of their progress, GRE preparation, and sharing of several components of existing minority programs at CSU. Having now progressed through two full years of recruiting (delayed funding handicapped the first year recruiting) the BP has demonstrated that there are many highly talented under-represented minority students in the Chicago metropolitan area who qualify for the program. Student quality has markedly increased each year and current students are demonstrating solid to outstanding preparation for graduate training at NU. Excellent cooperation between CSU and NU faculty has evolved, and the increased attention at CSU to doctoral research has had a very positive effect on student perception of research careers. The BP will continue to benefit from periodic examination and assessment by experienced and highly accomplished external advisors and evaluators.