Biology, Ph.D.
Doctoral studies in biology at Saint Louis University emphasize intensive research training under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Once biology Ph.D. students at SLU successfully complete the required coursework and the written and oral qualifying examinations, they are expected to design and conduct an original research project and to work independently.
Students will be required to present their work at local or national professional meetings and may also be expected to seek external funding to support the research project. Ideally, a student's research will result in publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Curriculum Overview
SLU's Ph.D. in Biology requires a minimum of 36 post-baccalaureate credits, with at least 24 credits of coursework and 12 credits of dissertation research.
Careers
Past biology Ph.D. students at SLU have gone on to careers as research scientists, teachers, university faculty and in various capacities at pharmaceutical companies and government agencies.
Admission Requirements
Suggested courses include biology (a minimum of eighteen [18] upper-division credits); chemistry (a minimum of eight [8] upper-division credits including two semesters of organic chemistry or one semester of organic chemistry and the other of biochemistry); physics (two semesters); mathematics (through a course in calculus). A formal minor is not permitted.
For students interested in ecology, evolution or systematics, additional coursework in some of the following areas is also recommended: genetics, general ecology, evolution, introductory statistics, general botany, and a taxonomically oriented course. For students interested in cell or molecular biology, additional coursework in some of the following areas is recommended: genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, molecular biology, microbiology or immunology.
Previous laboratory and research experience preferred.
Application Requirements
- Application form and fee
- Three letters of recommendation
- Transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Interview (desired)
Requirements for International Students
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:
- Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
- Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:
- Courses taken and/or lectures attended
- Practical laboratory work
- The maximum and minimum grades attainable
- The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations
- Any honors or degrees received.
- WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.
- In order to be issued an I-20 for your F-1 visa application, students must submit financial documents. Proof of financial support that must include:
- A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University
- A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University
Assistantship Application Deadline
Students who want to be considered for an assistantship should submit their application by Dec. 15. Applications submitted after this deadline will be considered if assistantships are available.
Review Process
Faculty committee members examine each applicant's materials and make recommendations. Consideration is given to matching applicant interests with faculty research areas.
Applicants should outline their research goals in their professional goals statement. Additionally, they should identify and correspond with faculty members whose area of research matches their interests early in the application process.
Tuition
Tuition | Cost Per Credit |
---|---|
Graduate Tuition | $1,370 |
Additional charges may apply. Other resources are listed below:
Information on Tuition and Fees
Scholarships, Assistantships and Financial Aid
For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, apply by the program admission deadlines listed. Fellowships and assistantships provide a stipend and may include health insurance and a tuition scholarship for the duration of the award.
- Graduates will be able to critically analyze primary literature articles by evaluating the scientific contributions of peer-reviewed publications in biology.
- Graduates will be able to effectively communicate scientific ideas.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate professional integrity.
- Graduates will be able to use appropriate instrumentation and analytical methods to collect data.
- Graduates will be able to draw statistically valid conclusions from quantitative data.
- Graduates will be able to design novel research that advances knowledge of their field.
- Graduates will be able to conduct self-directed research.
The program for the Doctor of Philosophy in Biology degree requires a minimum of 36 credits, when pursued from the baccalaureate, including 24 credits of structured coursework and 12 credits of dissertation research. Courses may be chosen from upper-level electives within the Department of Biology or related departments; coursework may be tailored to the research interests in consultation with the advisory committees of students.
The following requirements govern which courses may be counted toward a degree:
- At least 20 credits of structured courses (these do not include BIOL 6970 Research Topics and/or BIOL 6980 Graduate Reading Course.
- At least 18 credits (exclusive of dissertation) must be 5000- and 6000- level courses.
- At least 12 credits (exclusive of dissertation) of the total program must be from the Department of Biology.
- No more than 6 credits of BIOL 6970 Research Topics and/or BIOL 6980 Graduate Reading Course.
- 12 credits exactly of BIOL 6990 Dissertation Research.
- Students must be enrolled in a course (even if it is for zero credits) every fall and spring semester to maintain standing in the program; students on 11-month assistantships must also enroll during the summer.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required Courses | ||
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium (taken twice for 1 credit hour each time) | 1 |
BIOL 5860 | Scientific Communication | 1 |
Dissertation Research | 12 | |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research (taken over multiple semesters) | |
Seminars | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar (must be taken each semester enrolled) | 1 |
Take two semesters of the following: | ||
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation (two semesters total; may be taken for 1-2 credits) | 1-2 |
or BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | |
Elective Courses | 16-18 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
Elective Courses
Electives can be selected from any 4000-level or higher courses in Biology or related areas (subject to limits on 4000-level, 5970, and 5980 credit hours). Among the courses that can be taken as electives are:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIOL 4090 | Plant Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 4100 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 4 |
BIOL 4120 | Field Botany | 5 |
BIOL 4130 | Field Mammalogy | 5 |
BIOL 4140 | Field Ornithology | 5 |
BIOL 4160 | Microbial Ecology and Molecular Evolution | 4 |
BIOL 4200 | Aquatic Ecology | 4 |
BIOL 4260 | Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles | 4 |
BIOL 4280 | Biology of Fishes | 4 |
BIOL 4320 | Cave Biology | 4 |
BIOL 4330 | Spring Flora of the Ozarks | 4 |
BIOL 4360 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
BIOL 4370 | Animal Behavior Lab | 1 |
BIOL 4410 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 3 |
BIOL 4440 | Vertebrate Histology: Structure and Function of Tissues | 4 |
BIOL 4480 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
BIOL 4510 | Behavioral Endocrinology | 3 |
BIOL 4540 | Human Systemic Physiology | 3 |
BIOL 4640 | General Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 4650 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
BIOL 4720 | Cancer Biology | 3 |
BIOL 4910 | Internship in Conservation | 1-6 |
BIOL 4912 | Internship in Plant Science | 1-3 |
BIOL 5000 | Problems in Vertebrate Morphology | 2-5 |
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5050 | Molecular Techniques Lab | 2 |
BIOL 5070 | Advanced Biological Chemistry | 3 |
BIOL 5080 | Advanced Cell Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5090 | Biometry | 4 |
BIOL 5190 | Geographic Information Systems in Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5350 | Current Topics in Cell Biology | 2 |
BIOL 5400 | Problems in Genetics | 1-4 |
BIOL 5480 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5550 | Advanced Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 5560 | Advanced Evolution | 3 |
BIOL 5610 | Principles of Develop Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5630 | Concepts of Immunobiology | 3 |
BIOL 5640 | Advanced Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 5670 | Advanced Population Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5700 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5780 | Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis | 3 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation | 1-2 |
BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2 |
BIOL 6150 | Neural Basis of Behavior | 3 |
Non-Course Requirements
New Ph.D. degree students who enter the program with a B.S. or B.A. degree may take the written preliminary exam the first or second spring semester they are in the program. New Ph.D. students who enter the program with a master’s degree are required to take the written preliminary exam the first spring semester they are at SLU.
All doctoral students must pass written and oral exams to advance to candidacy; these are typically attempted at the end of the second and third semesters, respectively. All doctoral students must also complete one year of teaching. This can be accomplished by serving as a graduate teaching assistant, by completing two semesters of a practicum in a teaching course, or by other teaching experience approved by the student's committee and the department chair.
Continuation Standards
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
General Schedule
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
4000/5000 level electives 1 | 5-6 | |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6-7 | |
Spring | ||
Completion of Written Exams in May | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 3 | |
BIOL 5820 or BIOL 5840 |
Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation or Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics |
1-2 |
BIOL 5860 | Scientific Communication | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 5-6 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6970 | Advanced Research Topics in Biology | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
Completion of Oral Exams | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 4-3 | |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
Credits | 5-4 | |
Spring | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 3-2 | |
BIOL 5820 or BIOL 5840 |
Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation or Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics |
2-1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 6-4 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 2 |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 2-3 | |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 3-4 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 2 |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Five | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
- 1
A maximum of six hours of 4000-level courses can count toward the Ph.D.
Sample Schedule Cell/Molecular Biology Focus
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BIOL 5050 | Molecular Techniques Lab | 2 |
BIOL 5700 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 5070 | Advanced Biological Chemistry | 3 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation | 2 |
BIOL 5860 | Scientific Communication | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6970 | Advanced Research Topics in Biology | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5640 | Advanced Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 7 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 5630 | Concepts of Immunobiology | 3 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation | 1 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 5 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 2 |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 2 |
Credits | 2 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Five | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
- 1
After the second year, students should register for dissertation research (BIOL 6990 Dissertation Research (0-6 cr)), 1-3 credits/semester, until 12 credits are reached. After 12 credits have been reached, students should register for 0 hrs of BIOL 6990 Dissertation Research (0-6 cr) each semester until they graduate.
Sample Schedule Ecology/Evolutionary Biology Focus
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BIOL 5550 | Advanced Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 7 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 5110 | Advanced Sex, Evolution and Behavior | 3 |
BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2 |
BIOL 5860 | Scientific Communication | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 5480 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5560 | Advanced Evolution | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 7 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2 |
BIOL 5670 | Advanced Population Biology | 3 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Three | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Four | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Five | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
- 1
After the second year, students should register for dissertation research (BIOL 6990 Dissertation Research), 1-3 credits/semester, until 12 credits are reached. After 12 credits have been reached, students should register for 0 credits of Dissertation Research (BIOL 6990) each semester until they graduate.
For additional information about our program, please contact:
Robert Wood, Ph.D.
314-977-3718
robert.wood@slu.edu