Subject: MGRD
Term: Summer 2026
MGRD 540: Introduction to Grant Writing: Beyond the Research Strategy Syllabus (100/1541)
M 11:30-01:00 PM May 11-May 11, M 11:30-01:00 PM May 18-May 18, M 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 01-Jun 01, M 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 08-Jun 08, M 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 15-Jun 15, M 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 22-Jun 22, W 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 03-Jun 03, W 11:30-01:00 PM Jun 24-Jun 24
Chance, M
This course is designed for PhD students in the School of Medicine, with enrollment also open to PhD students from other schools. The course is one of a two part course series that aims to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge required to write competitive fellowship grant applications for submission to NIH and/or foundations. The courses that make up the two part series do not have to be taken in a specific order and each course can be taken independent of a student's enrollment or planned enrollment in the other course.
Students will explore the fundamental components of grant writing beyond the research strategy, including understanding the purpose and requirements of the biosketch, training plan, letters of reference, letters of support, and additional supporting documents. The course will also cover key aspects such as communication with grant administrators and program officers and expectations with regard to pre- and post-award timelines. Through a combination of faculty-led discussions, workshops, Q&A panels, and peer reviews, students will gain hands-on experience in drafting and refining essential components of their fellowship application. By the end of the course, students will have well-developed supporting documents for their research strategy proposal, along with a deeper understanding of the grant writing process and the skills to secure funding for their research.
MGRD 610: Internship in Biomedical Sciences (100/1233)
Misko, T
This course is an ungraded (pass/fail) internship. Students are expected to identify a potential internship that will enhance their career in a meaningful way. For example, a student interested in education might choose to work with the Great Lakes Science Center to develop and help deliver content for a medical-themed summer camp. Students interested in getting a job in industry may find a company in their field and intern with them. Research experiences within CWRU or affiliated hospitals MAY be appropriate only if the student wouldn't otherwise get those experiences in their program and it would significantly help their career. Therefore, all internships must be identified and approved by the course director and, if counting as an elective toward their degree, their program director, prior to enrolling.
All students must identify an internship mentor at the location of their internship. The course director will check in with their mentor regularly to ensure an appropriate experience for student as well as the hosting institution.
Credits depend on the scope of the internship. For each credit you are enrolled in, you will be expected to work at least 50 hours. So, in other words, if you register for 9 credits in one semester, you will be expected to work a total of at least 450 hours, or about 11-12 weeks full time. Thus, the number of credits registered should coincide with the agreed upon scope of the internship.
In order to pass this course, students will be expected to keep, and submit weekly, a reflection log. In addition, students will be expected to present on their experiences, including what they did and what they learned, at an end of the semester, and their internship mentor, program director and other students in this course will be invited to attend this public presentation. Students who do not meet the criteria for hours worked, miss more than 2 of the weekly reflections or do not do an end of the semester presentation will receive a failing grade.
MGRD 701: Dissertation Ph.D. (100/1319)
Nieman, M
Research experience in a selected faculty research laboratory designed for international exchange students doing PhD dissertation research.