Biological Sciences, PhD

Location(s): Main Campus

The Biological Sciences Department is made up of many subdisciplines, each with its own special requirements. Graduate students entering these subdisciplines have a variety of backgrounds and future needs. The department recognizes these differences by stressing maximum flexibility for the program of each individual student. This flexible planning is the province of the committee supervising the research program of the graduate student.

The PhD is a research degree. Entering graduate students must affiliate with a professor, form a four-person supervisory committee and begin research in the first semester. Regular meetings with the supervisory committee are required.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the graduate program is open to qualified students with a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in biological sciences or biochemistry. All applicants should submit a complete set of official transcripts, at least two letters of recommendation, a statement of professional interests and goals; scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are optional for domestic applicants. Applicants should have some undergraduate research experience.

Students who did not receive undergraduate degrees from the United States must also submit proof of English proficiency (such as TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores) and scores of GRE. Contact the graduate program for the consideration of exam waiver. International students who have received a college or university degree from an institution in the United States, United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or some Canadian provinces are not required to submit TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic scores. Additionally, all international students must provide immigration forms guaranteeing financial support.

Program Requirements

Course Requirements

Doctoral students must complete 30 credits of graduate coursework, including two credits of BIOL 680X and four credits of seminar courses (BIOL 580 or equivalent). Other specific course requirements are determined for each student by the supervisory committee.

Concentration Examination

Concentration exams evaluate if a doctoral student has gained basic graduate-level expertise in his or her field. The concentration exam is a written and/or oral exam consisting of three specialty sections which are administered across several days.

The specialty sections are determined by the student’s supervisory committee. The areas of specialty include, but are not limited to: behavior, biochemistry, cell biology, ecology, endocrinology, evolution, evolutionary genetics, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, animal physiology and plant physiology.

At this time, the need for the ability to read and/or speak a foreign language is evaluated. The need for a foreign language varies considerably within the different subdisciplines of biology. The requirement is therefore flexible (usually one or no foreign language) and is determined by the individual supervisory committee.

Formal Research Proposal Examination

The purpose of this examination is to ensure a doctoral level of general research skills (e.g., ability to write an NSF- or NIH-type grant proposal, ability to discuss and defend ideas, competency in review and interpretation of the literature, competency in experimental design). The examination consists of the student submitting a formal research proposal to the student’s supervisory committee and then defending the proposal at a meeting with the committee. The proposal should be in the style of a standard grant proposal to the NSF, NIH, or another federal funding agency with similar proposal requirements.

Dissertation Prospectus

A dissertation prospectus must be submitted within two months following the completion of the formal research proposal examination. This prospectus is a revised version of the research proposal submitted to the supervisory committee for the formal research proposal examination. The four-member supervisory committee must approve the revision in writing. A copy of the approved revision must be submitted to the department. Meetings between the student and supervisory committee should continue on a regular basis to allow committee members to monitor the progress of the research.

Presentation Requirement

Beginning in the third year, all doctoral students are required to give an annual presentation on their research. A variety of venues are acceptable, including a talk at 1) the meeting of a professional society (includes posters), 2) the regular Friday afternoon departmental seminar, 3) the annual departmental research symposium held in January (includes posters) or 4) an organized research discussion group within the department.

Final Oral Defense

After the dissertation is submitted, the research must be defended in an oral examination. A five-member committee made up of the supervising professor, the other three members of the supervisory committee and an outside examiner appointed by the Graduate School conduct this examination. This examination covers the details, background and implications of the student’s research.

Additional Information About the Program

For more information on the Biological Sciences PhD program, please refer to the Biological Sciences website for more information. To apply to the Biological Sciences PhD program, please visit the University Admissions website.