Biological Sciences - PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences within the School of Life Sciences consists of four sectional research concentrations that reflect the scope of modern biology: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Physiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Microbiology.

The degree is research intensive and designed to prepare students for careers in academia, government, and industry as engaged scholars who are experts in their chosen field. 

Students must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours from a list of core and approved courses within their research section. They must engage in independent research that is novel and exciting culminating with a dissertation that makes an important contribution to their chosen field. As such, it is expected that their dissertation work will be published in peer reviewed journals with the student listed as first author.

Successful students are also trained and expected to develop as effective teachers and educators, and each student must serve as a teaching assistant for two semesters as part of the degree program.