Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Field of Study: Biology

Program Overview

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.

Teaching experience is an integral part of graduate training. Students are involved in supervised laboratory teaching in selected undergraduate courses, taking into account both their specialized areas of interest and their broader professional development. The normal teaching requirement consists of four semesters.

PhD Policies

For PhD policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Students entering with a bachelor’s degree will satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 credit hours (which may include independent study/research taken as 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.