Graduate Fall 2020 Plan Summary

Graduate coursework will proceed in either remote or blended modes. Classes in remote mode will proceed via Zoom meetings. Classes in blended mode will consist of in-person meetings for students who are in New York and able to attend, while at the same time providing live remote learning via Zoom. Decisions on remote vs. blended mode will be made on a course-by-course basis taking into account a range of relevant factors, and will be posted later this summer.

We are aware that some graduate students may not be able to travel to New York due to COVID-19-related restrictions, and may either be delayed in arriving in New York in Fall 2020, or may not be able to attend in person for the entire Fall semester. Due to time zone differences, some students in this category may not be able to attend remote coursework at the scheduled class time.

To address this issue, instructors will be able to record in-class sessions and provide these to students who are not able to attend synchronously due to their time zone. Additionally, the department is monitoring early enrollment information to determine whether certain course scheduling changes can be made to accommodate a wider range of time zones.

Master’s coursework will take place in Fall 2020 according to the above guidelines.

All of regularly scheduled Master’s Program events will take place via Zoom in Fall 2020, including:

• The M.S. Orientation
• The M.S. Workshop on Applying to Ph.D. Programs

Fall 2020 laboratory research opportunities and M.S. research grants for M.S. students are subject to the NYU’s phased research reopening plan. Remote laboratory research opportunities, e.g. computational and bioinformatics research, may be available in certain cases.

Ph.D. coursework will take place in Fall 2020 according to the above guidelines.

The following Fall 2020 events will take place by Zoom:

• Friday morning Ph.D. student seminars
• Ph.D. defense seminars
• Ph.D. program orientation for first-year Ph.D. students
• Faculty presentations for first-year Ph.D. students

In-person laboratory research is subject to NYU’s phased research reopening plan. First-year laboratory rotations will proceed on a modified, individually-tailored schedule, planned and coordinated by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) with each student. First-year Ph.D. students will complete their three laboratory rotations over the course of the entire academic Fall 2020/Spring 2021. Each rotation will consist of a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 9 weeks. Each student’s rotation start and end dates will be determined in consultation with the student, the rotation lab faculty, and the DGS. Students will be encouraged to perform any computational rotations that can take place remotely early on in the Fall (e.g. in their first or second rotations), to maximize the department’s ability to offer in-person laboratory rotations for first-year Ph.D. students. 

The following regularly scheduled departmental events, which all graduate students are encouraged to attend, will proceed via Zoom, including

• The weekly Departmental Seminar (Mondays)
• The weekly Ph.D. Student Seminar (Fridays)
• Postdoctoral Seminars

Additionally, the department is planning to work together with the Graduate Biology Group (GBG) to discuss possibilities for additional social and scientific events, remotely or in-person where possible.