Expectations of Graduate Students

Students in the thesis-based M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Molecular & Biomedical Sciences who are financially supported by TA, RA, or fellowship are expected to work full-time, year-round.  We expect three efforts of these graduate students:

  • Teaching, for TA-supported students: Those on TA are expected to dedicate approximately 20 hours/week during the ~30 weeks that comprise the fall and spring semesters (plus a few days before each semester begins to prep and after each semester to finalize grades, etc).  (Similar situation for GA-supported students.)
  • Research: For TA-supported students remaining 20+ hours/week during those 30 weeks (bringing to at least 40 hrs/week total) should be spent on work leading up to the thesis (planning, doing, analyzing experiments; writing; other research-related work such as essential lab maintenance, working with undergraduates, attending seminars and lab meetings and conferences, etc).  For RA- or fellowship-supported students, at least 40 hours/week should be dedicated to work leading up to the thesis.  Also, most of the other ~22 weeks of the year should be spent on full-time thesis-related research and writing.  The summers should be dedicated to thesis research and writing.
  • Formal Coursework: Students who have not yet completed their 15+ credits of formal coursework need to also do that coursework.  Some of that effort will almost certainly require hours of effort beyond the TA and thesis research work listed above.

Satisfactory performance in all three areas (teaching, research, and formal coursework) is necessary for continued financial support and inclusion in the program.

Also note:  Students financially supported by UMaine assistantships/ fellowships (TA, RA, GA, fellowships, etc) are not permitted to take on additional paid work.  Graduate Assistants may not normally be employed for pay in any capacity other than their assistantship, inside or outside the University.  See Graduate School Policies https://umaine.edu/graduate/wp-content/uploads/sites/551/2018/07/policies.pdf for further information.  Limited, short-term exceptions may be allowed under specific circumstances and must be pre-approved by both the thesis advisor and the graduate coordinator.