Biology - PhD

The primary objective of the Ph.D. program in Biology is to train scientists and scholars to perceive fundamental biological problems and to investigate them successfully. Predoctoral students undertake a diversified program of study that includes course work, seminars and laboratory research. Formal courses and seminars are offered in areas of biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, developmental biology, evolutionary biology, molecular biology and neurobiology. Equivalent graduate courses taken prior to entering the graduate program may substitute for one or more of these courses. With the guidance of a faculty advisory committee, all entering students plan a first-year academic program that includes lecture courses, seminars, and laboratory rotations aimed at broadening and strengthening their knowledge in the biological sciences.