Biology - PhD

The Graduate Degree Program in Department of Biology offers comprehensive programs with several pathways toward the M.S. (thesis or non-thesis) and the Ph.D. degrees in the Biological Sciences. The programs are directed towards understanding biological systems in such diverse areas as Cell and Developmental Biology, Neurobiology & Neuromechanical  Systems, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

The flexible programs of study are arranged in consultation with faculty members to meet the specific need of each student, taking into account previous training and current research interest.  Students engage in research early in their graduate programs and acquire detailed knowledge and training through faculty-student relationships, teaching assistantships, graduate student associations, and mentoring.  The Department provides weekly seminar series which enable students and faculty to attend presentations by visiting scientists and faculty keeping them abreast of advances in diverse areas of the biological sciences.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is awarded in recognition of in-depth knowledge in a major field and comprehensive understanding of related subjects together with a demonstration of ability to perform independent investigation and to communicate the results of such investigation in an acceptable dissertation.

Students entering with a Bachelor’s degree will satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 credit hours (which may include the independent study/research, course BIOL 601), tutorials, and seminars. For students entering with an approved Master’s degree, completion of at least 18 semester hours of course work is required. A minimum of 18 semester hours of dissertation research (BIOL 701) is required for all doctoral students.