Evolutionary biology and ecology academic program

Our PhD program of study combines formal coursework with seminars and dissertation research to develop a creative and critical intellectual approach to research and model both interactive teamwork and independent scholarship. (Online course catalog; graduate course numbers: 7000s - 9000s)

field research Our formal curriculum balances breadth and depth with courses taught from the primary literature by faculty at the cutting edge of their discipline. Within their first two years, all students complete a core curriculum exploring the basic foundations and latest developments in evolutionary biology, ecology, and behavior. Formal courses include for example: Speciation, Ecological Genetics, Plant/Animal Interactions, Advanced Community Ecology and Design of Ecological Experiments. The remainder of each student's curriculum is individually tailored to meet that student's goals, either drawing entirely upon expertise present in in the greenhouse the Division or taking advantage of faculty and related programs in the School of Medicine and the Colleges of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources and Veterinary Medicine.

We expect that most students entering our evolutionary biology, ecology, and behavior graduate program will have a broad background in biology and will have completed courses in mathematics through integral calculus, a general statistics course, chemistry through organic chemistry, and physics. Outstanding students with undergraduate degrees in areas other than biology (e.g., chemistry, physics, mathematics, psychology, etc.) are encouraged to apply with the understanding that subject matter deficiencies in biology will be addressed in the first year of graduate study.

field research A new interdisciplinary program in Conservation Biology provides graduate students with a comprehensive foundation in the basic theory of population biology, ecological genetics, community ecology, conservation biology, ecotoxicology, and statistics along with applied interdisciplinary experience in conservation biology. This theoretical, broad foundation coupled with collaborative research prepares our graduates as the future leaders in research as well as service in a broad range of academic, governmental, and foundation positions in conservation-related fields.