Biological Science, Ph.D.

The faculty of biological science offers a program of study leading to the Ph.D. in biological science. This degree program focuses on research, obtaining an in-depth understanding of a particular field within the biological science, and writing scientific reports. It is designed to give students the background and experience to work as independent scientists.

Those wishing to pursue this degree program must apply through the Graduate School. Applicants should have significant training in biology (e.g., biology, biochemistry, biophysics, etc.) either at the undergraduate or Master of Science level, general chemistry, and at least one semester of organic chemistry, basic physics, and math through calculus. Admittance is also contingent upon acceptance into a faculty member’s lab, so applicants should contact faculty involved in their research areas of interest.

Learning Outcomes

The focus of the program is to offer quality graduate level courses in advanced topics in biology and to graduate Ph.D. students prepared for leadership roles in both academia and industry. Graduating students will:

1. obtain an in-depth understanding of a particular set of sub-fields within the biological sciences, which involves both knowledge of the literature and analytical ability to relate existing studies to alternative theories.

2. conduct original research, with a leadership role in the experimental design. The research will be of a magnitude that it could lead to several publications.

3. develop communication skills to function successfully in the scientific community.

4. develop research skills to the degree needed to work as independent scientists.

Program Goals

The goal of the Ph.D. program is designed to give students the background and experience to work as independent scientists, and to graduate Ph.D. students prepared for leadership roles in academia, industry, and government.

Admission

Requirements for admission to the Graduate School, including English proficiency, may be found in the section of this Bulletin. In addition, applicants to the graduate program in biological science must submit evidence of the following:

an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
results from the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam;
a statement of purpose describing the applicant’s background, specific interests in biology, and long-term professional objectives; and
reference letters (evaluations) from two individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and/or technical background

Students not meeting the specific course requirements at the time of application may be admitted on conditional grounds. In such cases, coursework required to make up deficiencies will be determined by the departmental Graduate Committee and should be undertaken during the first year of graduate work. Credit for courses required to correct deficiencies cannot be applied to the graduate degree requirements.

Curriculum Requirements

Coursework

The Ph.D. in biological science requires 72 hours of coursework with no more than 40 percent at the 6000-level.

For students already holding a M.S. degree, some of the M.S. coursework hours may be applied toward the Ph.D. degree. The departmental Graduate Committee will determine what M.S. coursework can be applied to the Ph.D. degree. Applied coursework must also be approved by the Graduate School.

Graduate Seminar	12-18 hours
Coursework	18-24 hours in area of specialization
Research/Dissertation Courses	36 hours
Total	72 hours

Common Questions