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Biological Sciences PhD course requirements (61 credit hours)

Graduate Core Courses (12 hrs.)

Students must enroll in four of the following six core courses:

Prokaryotic Cell Biology (BIOS 611)

Eukaryotic Cell Biology (BIOS 612)

Animal Physiology (BIOS 613)

Plant Physiology (BIOS 614)

Ecology (BIOS 615)

Evolution (BIOS 616)

Elective Courses (10 hrs.)

Elective courses allow each student to tailor additional course work to meet individual needs, and are selected from graduate level Biological Sciences or approved cognate courses with the advice and approval of the student’s dissertation committee and the Graduate Advisor.

Laboratory Rotations (3 hrs.)

Laboratory rotations allow students to obtain hands-on experience with experimental techniques used in the laboratories of at least three faculty.

Biological Sciences Colloquium (3 hrs.)

Students must enroll in Colloquium (BIOS 605) in three different semesters.

Teaching of Biological Sciences (3 hrs.)

Doctoral students are provided mentored hands-on experience with the teaching of biological sciences by enrolling in four hours of SCI 6180, including a formal course and three Teaching Experiences.

Research Requirement (30 hrs.)

Doctoral students are required to take 30 hours of research credit, including 15 hours of BIOS 735 (Independent Research) and 15 hours of BIOS 730 (Doctoral Dissertation). Research is conducted under the guidance of the student’s major advisor and dissertation committee.

Financial assistance

The Department of Biological Sciences offers several opportunities for students to obtain financial assistance. Teaching assistantships carry a tuition waiver, and are available on a competitive basis for the fall and winter semesters. A limited number of spring and summer session teaching assistantships are also available to outstanding students.

Information about additional assistantships and fellowships, special assistance for minority graduate students, tuition grants, and research funds may be obtained from The Graduate College. Information about student loans and other federal, state, and University need-based financial aid programs may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

The application deadline for Departmental teaching and research assistantships and for most University fellowships, doctoral assistantships, Thurgood Marshall assistantships, professional tuition grants, and other financial assistance is February 15.

Cost of study

The information provided by the following link provides you the estimated cost of attendance for a "In State" (Michigan resident) graduate student.