University Catalog 2024-2025

Biology (PhD)

Degree Requirements

Students may choose from the degree tracks below to complete coursework within a focus area.

Degrees earned will be distributed as: "Doctor of Philosophy in Biology" without track specifications.

Core Courses3
Introduction to Biological Research
Introduction to Research Ethics
Additional Courses69
"Additional Courses" are determined in conjunction with the academic committee to meet the 72 total hours
Total Hours72

Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences Track

Quantitative Requirement3
Select one of the following courses:
Statistical Methods For Researchers I
Statistical Methods For Researchers II
Advanced Special Topics 2
Machine Learning Approaches in Biological Sciences
Applied Nonparametric Statistics
Modeling of Biological Systems
Restricted Elective6
Select two of the following courses:
Ecology and Conservation of Freshwater Invertebrates
Fish Physiology
Freshwater Ecology
Advanced Fisheries Science
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Management of Small Impoundments)
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Aquatic Plant Ecology)
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Advanced Biology of Fishes)
Advanced Fisheries Science
AEC 710
AEC 726
Biomathematics II
Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries
Principles of Biological Oceanography
Special Topics in Natural Resources
Environmental Toxicology
ZO 524
Total Hours9
2

BIT 815 or any Bioinformatics course determined in conjunction with the academic committee.

Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Track

Quantitative Biology Requirement3
Select one of the following courses:
Statistical Methods For Researchers I
Statistical Methods For Researchers II
Advanced Special Topics 2
Machine Learning Approaches in Biological Sciences
Restricted Elective3
Select one course from the following:
Topical Problems (Capstone Course in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology)
Molecular Genetics
Cellular and Developmental Genetics
GN 750
Biotechnology Requirement4
Select one course below determined in conjunction with the academic committee based on thesis research
Core Technologies in Molecular and Cellular Biology
Special Topics
Total Hours10
2

BIT 815 or any Bioinformatics course determined in conjunction with the academic committee.

Ecology and Evolution Track

Quantitative Requirement3
Statistical Methods For Researchers I
Statistical Methods For Researchers II
Machine Learning Approaches in Biological Sciences
Applied Nonparametric Statistics
Modeling of Biological Systems
Ecology Requirement3
Foundations of Ecology
Freshwater Ecology
Community Ecology
Conservation and Climate Science
Population Ecology
Marine Plankton Ecology
Evolution Requirement3
Evolutionary Ecology
Special Topics In Entomology
Population and Quantitative Genetics
Quantitative Genetics and Breeding
GN 740
Quantitative Genetics Theory and Methods
Systematic Botany
Paleobotany
Total Hours9

Forensic Sciences Track

Restricted Electives4
BIO 520Skeletal Biological Laboratory Methods in Human Identification & Cold Cases3
BIO 811Forensic Sciences Seminar1
Quantitative Requirements9
Statistical Methods For Researchers I
Statistical Methods For Researchers II
Applied Bayesian Analysis
Total Hours17

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

  • Every student is required to complete training logs. Many of the modules can be completed while taking the BIO 520 course. Please contact the Forensic Sciences Concentration Chair for additional information.
  • Students are also required to start the Training Case Record Form after their first year and/or after taking BIO 520, whichever comes first. Please contact the Forensic Sciences Concentration Chair for additional information.
  • Forensic Anthropology Society of Europe Level II Certification is strongly recommended but not required- costs associated with this exam are the student’s responsibility.

Physiology and Behavior Track

Quantitative Biology Requirement3
Statistical Methods For Researchers I
Statistical Methods For Researchers II
Advanced Special Topics 1
Machine Learning Approaches in Biological Sciences
Applied Nonparametric Statistics
Modeling of Biological Systems
Restricted Electives6
Select two of the following courses:
Ecology and Conservation of Freshwater Invertebrates
Fish Physiology
Freshwater Ecology
Advanced Fisheries Science
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Management of Small Impoundments)
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Aquatic Plant Ecology)
Special Topics in Applied Ecology (Advanced Biology of Fishes)
Advanced Fisheries Science
AEC 710
AEC 726
Biomathematics II
Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries
Principles of Biological Oceanography
Special Topics in Natural Resources
Environmental Toxicology
ZO 524
Additional Courses63
Additional courses are determined in conjunction with the academic committee to meet the 72 total hours
Total Hours72
1

Students may take PHI 816 Introduction to Research Ethics or equivalent to meet this requirement.

Integrative Biology Track

This concentration is open to MS and PhD students who do not fit academically within the other Biology concentrations, or who integrate across multiple concentrations. Coursework is determined in consultation with your PhD mentor and committee and is approved by the DGP.

  • David Derek Aday
  • Betty L. Black
  • Russell J. Borski
  • David Buchwalter
  • Jeffrey A. Buckel
  • Ignazio Carbone
  • Jaime A. Collazo
  • William Gregory Cope
  • Harry Valentine Daniels III
  • Robert R. Dunn
  • David B. Eggleston
  • John R. Godwin
  • Kevin Gross
  • Craig A. Harms
  • Jeffrey M. Hinshaw
  • Rebecca Elizabeth Irwin
  • Thomas J. Kwak
  • Thomas M. Losordo
  • Carolyn Jane Mattingly
  • Heather B. Patisaul
  • Luis Alonso Ramirez-Ulate
  • Ann Helen Ross
  • Mary Higby Schweitzer
  • David R. Tarpy
  • Scott M. Belcher
  • Shobhan Gaddameedhi
  • Adam Hartstone-Rose
  • Randall Brian Langerhans
  • John Edward Meitzen
  • Nanette M. Nascone-Yoder
  • Marianne Niedzlek-Feaver
  • Antonio Planchart
  • Reade Bruce Roberts
  • Jie Cao
  • Khara Deanne Grieger
  • Nathan James Hostetter
  • Kurt Marsden
  • Jamian Krishna Pacifici
  • Seema Nayan Sheth
  • Caitlin Suzanne Smukowski Heil
  • Joy Little Snowden
  • Bradley William Taylor
  • Christopher Scott Walker
  • Elsa Youngsteadt
  • Jennifer L. Campbell
  • Louis Broaddus Daniel III
  • Miles Dean Engell
  • Miriam G. Ferzli
  • Jesse Robert Fischer
  • Terry Allen Gates
  • William Miller Johnstone III
  • Jane L. Lubischer
  • Erin Alison McKenney
  • Lisa M. Paciulli
  • Lisa D. Parks
  • Martha Burford Reiskind
  • Damian Shea
  • Adrian Alan Smith
  • Lindsay E. Zanno
  • Peter T. Bromley
  • Billy J. Copeland
  • Frederick T. Corbin
  • Phillip D. Doerr
  • William C. Grant
  • Robert M. Grossfeld
  • Thurman L. Grove
  • Harold F. Heatwole
  • Joseph E. Hightower
  • Richard A. Lancia
  • Richard L. Noble
  • Kenneth H. Pollock
  • James Alan Rice Jr.
  • John F. Roberts
  • Damian Shea
  • Theodore R. Simons
  • Herbert A. Underwood
  • John G. Vandenbergh
  • Thomas G. Wolcott
  • Robert R. Anholt
  • Tyler Ray Black
  • Arthur E. Bogan
  • Heather Evans
  • John G. Boreman Jr.
  • David T. Cobb
  • Louis Broaddus Daniel III
  • Mitchell J. Eaton
  • John Jeffrey Govoni
  • Nicholas M. Haddad
  • Andrew Bittinger Heckert
  • Ryan J. Heise
  • Corinne J. Kendall
  • Reid W. Laney
  • Trudy F. MacKay
  • Alexa J. McKerrow
  • Gerard McMahon
  • James Adiel Morris Jr.
  • Jennifer R Runkle
  • Megan Elizabeth Serr
  • Rowland M. Shelley
  • Kyle W. Shertzer
  • Adrian Alan Smith
  • Seth Patrick Stapleton
  • Bryan Lynn Stuart
  • Adam J. Terando

Assistant Professors

  • Christa Baker
  • Carter K. Clinton
  • Natalia Dugue-Wilckens
  • Corey Dunn
  • Maria L. Rodgers

Adjunct Professors

  • Christian Farrell Kammerer
  • Candice Small

Teaching Associate Professor

  • Jennifer Landin

Adjunct Associate Professor

  • Guohong Cui