Biological Sciences Ph.D.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree Program in Biological Sciences trains and develops scholars and promotes research by providing students with contemporary concepts in the fields of cellular biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry. Each student receives thorough intellectual training in a particular specialty and must master the methods that are requisite for productive scholarly endeavors in that specialty. Graduate students are primarily engaged in research, but also take courses in specialized areas of interest, participate in seminars, and have opportunities to gain teaching experience while satisfying other requirements of their doctoral programs. Students carry out their research in state-of-the-art laboratories supervised by the faculty. Some of the research faculty members participate in and are supported by federally funded research programs. The Department fosters and maintains collaborations at local, national academic, industrial, and governmental research facilities. These collaborations provide opportunities for doctoral students to expand their research specialty areas.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biological Sciences must meet the General Admissions Requirements as published in this Catalog. GRE Required.

Program Objectives

1. Emphasize the multidisciplinary aspects of modern biological sciences.
2. Promote the development of the skills required for scientific inquiry, writing and presentation.
3. Provide opportunities for students to gain academic teaching and research experiences that will prepare them for scholarly and productive endeavors.
4. Train scientists and scholars to perceive fundamental biological problems and to investigate them successfully.
5. Prepare Ph.D. level students for postdoctoral research or academic teaching positions in academic institutions and biotechnology or other industries.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students pursing the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biological Sciences will:

1. Conduct independent and collaborative research to prepare proposals for fellowship and funding, and scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals.
2. Communicate effectively biological information in written and oral formats to scientific and nonscientific audiences at professional conferences, workshops, seminars, and other academic venues.
3. Teach laboratory classes in introductory biology.
4. Practice professional ethical standards in the conduct of scientific experiment, inquiry, scholarly research and teaching.