#  G1s – Required Courses, Lab Rotations, Lab Joining 

 



Welcome to MCO! This page will go over the various requirements you'll be fulfilling during your first year.



 

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###    Required Courses  expand\_more  

 

### **MCO** **REQUIRED COURSES**

[**Full Course Description/Schedule Here**](https://mcointranet.fas.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum7256/files/2025-08/MCO%20Course%20List%2025-26.pdf)

***FALL SEMESTER 2025***

- **MCB 300A**: Lab Rotation (4 credits)
- **MCB 297**: Method & Logic (4 credits)
- **Science Communication/Writing (course number TBD)** (2 credits)
- **MCB 290A**: Journal Club (2 credits)
- **QBio course OR Elective** (4 credits)
- [**MCB 350**](/responsible-conduct-research): Scientific Integrity/RCR (2 credits)

***SPRING SEMESTER 2026***

- **MCB 300B**: Rotation (4 credits)
- **MCB 297**: Method and Logic (2 credits)
- **MCB 327:** Life Science Pedagogy (2 credits)
- **MCB 290B**: Journal Club (2 credits)
- **QBio course OR Elective** (4 credits)

[APPROVED ELECTIVE COURSES](https://hu-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/lindsayguest_fas_harvard_edu/Ebs58jw0SDFGjtmBq7zSRx4BB-TIuuTM0DaKtXlrCvgc5Q?e=nZaU7t)

[**Advice on Choosing Electives**](/advice-choosing-electives)

​​​**Courses not on this list must be approved by the MCO Leadership Team**. **It is the student’s responsibility to check with the program leadership if an elective course (not on the approved list) is okay to take and will satisfy the elective requirement.**



 

 

 



###    Lab Rotations  expand\_more  

 

### **LAB ROTATIONS**

During your first year, you will complete a miminum of 3 lab rotations, ~8 weeks long each. At least **2 weeks** prior to any rotation, you will submit a **Rotation Registration Form in my.harvard. Please see instrutions on how to do this here.** **For any non-MCO rotations, you must obtain approval from MCO leadership in advance**, and indicate on the how this project fits in with your overall plans. At the end of the rotation period, your rotation advisor will be promted to fill out a rotation report in my.harvard**.** Please read full rotation schedule and policies below:

- [**Rotation Schedule and Policies 2026-2027**](https://mcointranet.fas.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum7256/files/2026-08/Rotation%20Dates%20%26%20Policy%202026-2027.pdf)



 

 

 



###    Joining a Lab  expand\_more  

 

### **JOINING A LAB**

Choosing a lab is a very important decision! There are lot of factors to consider, and the decision is ultimately unique to each student. We encourage you to talk to your peers and to us about concerns or questions you may have about joining a lab. We've also put together some advice here:

- [**Advice on Lab Joining**](https://mcointranet.fas.harvard.edu/advice-lab-joining)

Once you have chosen a lab to join, congratulations! Please look over the following documents next steps:

- **Lab Joining** - Once you have completed the minimum number of rotations, a Dissertation Advisor Declaration form will be made available to you in my.harvard. You will complete this form, which will be routed to your advisor, and then the MCO office for approval. Instructions on finding this form are [here](/file_url/311).
- [**Graduate Student Academic Obligations**](https://mcointranet.fas.harvard.edu/sites/g/files/omnuum7256/files/2026-04/2025-26%20Academic%20and%20Financial%20Obligations.pdf) - please read this over! This will be sent to your faculty advisor. 
    - [FY25 Graduate Student Estimated Costs](/financial-information)