The Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology, PhD program is a member of the Interdisciplinary Biological and Health Sciences Consortium (IBHSC). The consortium fosters a collaborative environment for research and study in the biological and health sciences. Click here for more information on the IBHSC.
The Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology program at UW-Madison is an interdisciplinary endocrine program with a longstanding focus on reproduction. Our faculty’s research spans from disordered metabolism (such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes) to reproductive biology (such as sexual differentiation, fetal programming, pregnancy complications, and cancers of the reproductive tract.) We use a variety of multidisciplinary approaches in our research, from stem cells and cellular/molecular biology, to comparative physiology, to translational work in humans. We are able to provide such diversity in research opportunities thanks to the varied backgrounds of more than 50 faculty trainers, drawn from 15 departments across 5 schools and colleges.
In addition to exceptional research training, ERP prioritizes career development and mentoring, and provides robust support services to promote our students’ success.
ERP implements a holistic approach to admissions. Both quantitative and qualitative measures are used to assess each applicant’s unique attributes and potential to thrive in our graduate program. We recognize that quantitative measures of achievement alone do not predict success in graduate school.
The ERP PhD program offers:
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A strong didactic foundation in endocrinology and reproductive physiology
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Cutting-edge research training by faculty in a variety of departments and research areas
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Weekly ERP Seminar and Annual ERP Research Symposia to cultivate presentation skills and expose students to research by peers, faculty, and visiting scholars
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Guaranteed funding through assistantships for the duration of training, given satisfactory progress, including:
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Competitive stipend
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Tuition remission
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Generous health benefits (the same as faculty and staff)
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A vibrant and engaged community of fellow students
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Attentive and attuned program leadership invested in students’ scholarly development, professional development, and overall well-being
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 1 |
| Spring Deadline | The program does not admit in the spring. |
| Summer Deadline | The program does not admit in the summer. |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3 |
Admission to the program is competitive. Potential applicants will have a major in the biological sciences or other relevant field, a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0, and appropriate preparatory courses in physiology, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, physics, calculus, statistics, organic chemistry, and/or genetics. Prior laboratory research experience is strongly recommended.
The application process includes the completion and submission of the online Graduate School application, payment of the application fee, submission of a personal statement for graduate study, receipt of English proficiency test scores (if applicable), receipt of three letters of recommendation, unofficial transcripts, and a current curriculum vitae.
Completed applications for entry are reviewed by a panel of faculty. Applicants who pass this first step will be invited to a campus visit to interview with faculty and learn more about the program.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Resources
All Endocrinology - Reproductive Physiology (ERP) students are guaranteed funding provided they make satisfactory progress. Funding support includes a competitive stipend, full tuition remission, and generous health benefits.
Students are typically funded through research assistant appointments. Eligible students may also be funded through individual fellowships or training grants. While teaching is not an ERP requirement, some students become teaching assistants.
ERP students are encouraged to apply for external fellowships, travel awards and scholarships, with the support of their advisors. An ideal time to apply for external support is within six months of the preliminary exam. The process of applying for competitive awards is an invaluable learning experience and an accomplishment in itself, regardless of whether the application is successful.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Major Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | No |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 51 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 32 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 26 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | n/a |
| Assessments and Examinations | Doctoral students are required to take a comprehensive preliminary/oral examination after they have cleared their record of all Incomplete and Progress grades (other than research and thesis). Deposit of the doctoral dissertation in the Graduate School is required. |
| Language Requirements | Contact the program for information on any language requirements. |
| Graduate School Breadth Requirement | Doctoral students are not required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate. |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Biostatistics | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Design and Analysis of Biological Studies | ||
| Introduction to Biostatistics | ||
| Statistical Methods for Bioscience I | ||
| Endocrinology Series | ||
| OBS&GYN 710 | Reproductive Endocrine Physiology | 3 |
| OBS&GYN 800 | Concepts in Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology | 3 |
| MEDICINE 720 | Endocrinology and Metabolism | 3 |
| Professional Development | ||
| OBS&GYN 955 | Responsible Conduct of Research for Biomedical Graduate Students | 2 |
| OBS&GYN 956 | Advanced Responsible Conduct of Research for Biomedical Students | 1 |
| Program Seminar | ||
| Students are required to enroll in this seminar each fall and spring semester. | 8 | |
| Seminar in Endocrinology-Reproductive Physiology | ||
| Required Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| Scientific Communication in Molecular & Environmental Toxicology | ||
| Advanced Reproductive Endocrine Physiology | ||
| Critical Thinking in Reproductive Endocrine Physiology | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| Additional Electives | ||
| Electives are chosen in consultation with advisor and with committee approval. | 0-6 | |
| Research Credits | ||
| Students must take research credits every semester until they satisfy the minimum credit requirement. Credits will vary. | 20-25 | |
| Total Credits | 51 | |
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Major-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
With program approval, prior graduate coursework may satisfy requirements. Consult with the graduate program manager and director to determine if prior graduate coursework is relevant and can fulfill requirements. Students may transfer up to 7 credits. Credits earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree are not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Students may satisfy course content requirements beyond the 7 credit transfer maximum with prior graduate coursework, but additional credits do not transfer. Such course substitutions must be discussed with the program director. Students must still fulfill the Graduate School’s minimum credit requirements.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at other Institutions or UW-Madison
Occasionally, with program approval, students may satisfy course requirements with prior undergraduate coursework from UW-Madison or other institutions, but the associated credits do not transfer. Consult with the graduate program manager and director to determine if prior undergraduate coursework is relevant and can fulfill requirements. Undergraduate coursework completed ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree are not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Such course substitutions must be discussed with the program director. Students must still fulfill the Graduate School’s minimum credit requirements.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special student at UW-Madison
Occasionally, with program approval, students may satisfy course requirements with prior coursework as a UW-Madison University Special student. Consult with the graduate program manager and director to determine if prior undergraduate coursework is relevant and can fulfill requirements. Students may transfer up to 7 total credits from graduate coursework earned as a Special student. Undergraduate courses taken as a University Special student may satisfy course requirements, but the associated credits do not transfer. Credits earned ten or more years prior to admission to a doctoral degree are not allowed to satisfy requirements.
Such course substitutions must be discussed with the program director. Students must still fulfill the Graduate School’s minimum credit requirements.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Every graduate student is required to have an advisor. An advisor is a faculty member, or sometimes a committee, from the major department responsible for providing advice regarding graduate studies. An advisor generally serves as the thesis advisor. In many cases, an advisor is assigned to incoming students. Students can be suspended from the Graduate School if they do not have an advisor.
To ensure that students are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, the Graduate School expects them to meet with their advisor on a regular basis.
A committee often accomplishes advising for the students in the early stages of their studies.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credit maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
Grievance Policy for Graduate Programs in the School of Medicine and Public Health
Any student in a School of Medicine and Public Health graduate program who feels that they have been treated unfairly in regards to educational decisions and/or outcomes or issues specific to the graduate program, including academic standing, progress to degree, professional activities, appropriate advising, and a program’s community standards by a faculty member, staff member, postdoc, or student has the right to complain about the treatment and to receive a prompt hearing of the grievance following these grievance procedures. Any student who discusses, inquiries about, or participates in the grievance procedure may do so openly and shall not be subject to intimidation, discipline, or retaliation because of such activity. Each program’s grievance advisor is listed on the “Research” tab of the SMPH intranet.
Exclusions
This policy does not apply to employment-related issues for Graduate Assistants in TA, PA and/or RA appointments. Graduate Assistants will utilize the Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures (GAPP) grievance process to resolve employment-related issues.
This policy does not apply to instances when a graduate student wishes to report research misconduct. For such reports refer to the UW-Madison Policy for Reporting Research Misconduct for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Research Associates.
Requirements for Programs
The School of Medicine and Public Health Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies requires that each graduate program designate a grievance advisor, who should be a tenured faculty member, and will request the name of the grievance advisor annually. The program director will serve as the alternate grievance advisor in the event that the grievance advisor is named in the grievance. The program must notify students of the grievance advisor, including posting the grievance advisor’s name on the program’s Guide page and handbook.
The grievance advisor or program director may be approached for possible grievances of all types. They will spearhead the grievance response process described below for issues specific to the graduate program, including but not limited to academic standing, progress to degree, professional activities, appropriate advising, and a program’s community standards. They will ensure students are advised on reporting procedures for other types of possible grievances and are supported throughout the reporting process. Resources on identifying and reporting other issues have been compiled by the Graduate School.
Procedures
- The student is advised to initiate a written record containing dates, times, persons, and description of activities, and to update this record while completing the procedures described below.
- If the student is comfortable doing so, efforts should be made to resolve complaints informally between individuals before pursuing a formal grievance.
- Should a satisfactory resolution not be achieved, the student should contact the program’s grievance advisor or program director to discuss the complaint. The student may approach the grievance advisor or program director alone or with a UW-Madison faculty or staff member. The grievance advisor or program director should keep a record of contacts with regards to possible grievances. The first attempt is to help the student informally address the complaint prior to pursuing a formal grievance. The student is also encouraged to talk with their faculty advisor regarding concerns or difficulties.
- If the issue is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may submit a formal grievance to the grievance advisor or program director in writing, within 60 calendar days from the date the grievant first became aware of, or should have become aware of with the exercise of reasonable diligence, the cause of the grievance. To the fullest extent possible, a grievance shall contain a clear and concise statement of the grievance and indicate the issue(s) involved, the relief sought, the date(s) the incident or violation took place, and any specific policy involved.
- On receipt of a written grievance, the following steps will occur. The final step must be completed within 30 business days from the date the grievance was received. The program must store documentation of the grievance for seven years. Significant grievances that set a precedent may be stored indefinitely.
- The grievance advisor or program director will convene a faculty committee composed of at least three members to manage the grievance. Any faculty member involved in the grievance or who feels that they cannot be impartial may not participate in the committee. Committee composition should reflect diverse viewpoints within the program.
- The faculty committee, through the grievance advisor or program director, will obtain a written response from the person or persons toward whom the grievance is directed. The grievance advisor or program director will inform this person that their response will be shared with the student filing the grievance.
- The grievance advisor or program director will share the response with the student filing the grievance.
- The faculty committee will make a decision regarding the grievance. The committee’s review shall be fair, impartial, and timely. The grievance advisor or program director will report on the action taken by the committee in writing to both the student and the person toward whom the grievance was directed.
- If either party (the student or the person or persons toward whom the grievance is directed) is unsatisfied with the decision of the program’s faculty committee, the party may file a written appeal to the SMPH senior associate dean for basic research, biotechnology and graduate studies within 10 business days from the date of notification of the program’s faculty committee. The following steps will occur:
- The grievant will be notified in writing, within 5 business days of the written appeal, acknowledging receipt of the formal appeal and establishing a timeline for the review to be completed.
- The senior associate dean or their designee may request additional materials and/or arrange meetings with the grievant and/or others. If meetings occur, the senior associate dean or their designee will meet with both the grievant and the person or persons toward whom the grievance is directed.
- The senior associate dean or their designee will assemble an ad hoc committee of faculty from outside of the student’s graduate program and ask them to prepare a written recommendation on whether to uphold or reverse the decision of the program on the student’s initial grievance. The committee may request additional materials and/or arrange meetings with the grievant and/or others. If meetings occur, the committee will meet with both the grievant and the person or persons toward whom the grievance is directed.
- The senior associate dean or their designee will make a final decision within 20 business days of receipt of the committee’s recommendation.
- The SMPH Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology, and Graduate Studies must store documentation of the grievance for seven years. Grievances that set a precedent may be stored indefinitely.
- The student may file an appeal of the School of Medicine and Public Health decision with the Graduate School. See the Grievances and Appeals section of the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures.
Time Limits
Steps in the grievance procedures must be initiated and completed within the designated time periods except when modified by mutual consent. If the student fails to initiate the next step in the grievance procedure within the designated time period, the grievance will be considered resolved by the decision at the last completed step.
Other
Most Endocrinology - Reproductive Physiology students are 100% funded through research assistantships and/or fellowships, which include tuition, health insurance, and a monthly stipend.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop disciplinary knowledge (i.e., endocrinology, reproductive physiology, biochemical principles)
- Critically assess research in discipline
- Clearly articulate research findings
- Develop responsible and ethical research practices
- Develop confidence, independence, and identity as a researcher