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Life Sciences:
Biology >
Program:
Biology
PhD

Biology

Application Deadline

  • Fall: Jan 15

    • Contact Information

    4102 LSB, Provo, UT 84602-5181
    801-422-7137
    biogradmanager@byu.edu
    Website
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    Admission Requirements
    Required Tests
    Additional Requirements
    • Find an advisor: Prior to applying, applicants must identify and contact individual faculty member(s) whose research aligns with the applicant’s long-term goals. Applicants that have not previously consulted with a faculty member before applying to our program will not be considered. Click here for recommended steps to select and contact a potential advisor.
    • Baccalaureate degree or equivalent
    • Unofficial transcripts
    • Indicate in the application your desired research area and your desired advisor(s).
    • 3 letters of recommendation: These letters should be from mentors, research advisors, faculty, associates, etc., who have an understanding of the applicant’s abilities in relationship to the requirements of the graduate program. Preference will be given to letters that are written by those with a scientific background and/or those with advanced degrees with whom the applicant has worked closely.
    • Statement of intent: Write a carefully constructed statement of your background and academic preparation, field of interest and experience in it, faculty member(s) you’d like to work with and why, and academic and long-term career goals, including how graduate work fits into those goals. Also answer the following questions:

      1. What motivates you to apply to our program?
      2. Share an example that demonstrates your approach to dealing with difficult academic or personal problems with determination and maturity.
      3. Share 1 to 2 examples that capture your approach to working in collaborative teams and in mentor/mentored environments.
      4. Using an academic or personal example, describe how you exhibit independence, curiosity, and an ability to solve problems.
      5. We welcome and value the contributions of graduate students from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. However, BYU's Aims, Mission, and Honor Code differ from other universities. Please describe your perceptions of how you will thrive in and contribute to this unique environment.
    Program Requirements
    The PhD degree in biology is structured to challenge students to develop intellectual independence. This is demonstrated by designing and implementing a research project that requires substantial work on an important question in ecological or evolutionary theory, then analyzing and synthesizing results in a way that reflects the student's maturation as a scholar. Projects might include, but are not limited to, studies in population, community, or ecosystem ecology, population or conservation genetics, phylogeography, molecular evolution, bioinformatics, or phylogenetic systematics. Students will present and defend a dissertation project that includes chapters to be published as stand-alone manuscripts in appropriate scholarly journals.

    Requirements for PhD Degree Program in Biology:

    • Credit hours: Minimum 54 credit hours, including 18 dissertation hours (Bio 799R).
    • Required courses: Bio 503 (Graduate Orientation, 1.0 credit) or equivalent; Bio 691R (Graduate Seminar, 2.0 credits, 4 semesters).  Additional courses as determined by student's advisory committee and approved by department graduate coordinator.
    • Students who have previously earned a master's degree must complete at least 36 credit hours of additional graduate work at BYU beyond the master's degree.
    • Annual progress reviews by advisory committee and graduate committee.
    • Presentation of research prospectus to advisory committee.
    • Dissertation: Standard university dissertation or journal publication format.
    • Examination: (A) Qualifying examination: comprehensive oral examination, grant proposal, and literature review; (B) oral defense of research; and (C) oral defense of dissertation.
    Program Outcomes
    Area Specialization
    Students will elucidate, using pertinent examples, the current state of the discipline in their area of specialization (e.g., key theories and research practices in ecology, evolutionary biology, bioinformatics) as well as use advanced biological concepts to interpret, analyze, and solve biological problems. (BYU AIMS 1, 2, 3)

    Research Skills and Tools
    Students will conduct research using appropriate tools and techniques within their focused area of graduate study (e.g., ecology, evolutionary biology). (BYU AIMS 2, 4)

    Teaching Skills (optional)
    Students will be given the opportunity to teach in the biological sciences by demonstrating an expert understanding of basic biological concepts, foundational theories, and key relationships from the molecular to ecosystem level. (BYU AIMS 4) However, this is not required of all PhD students and depends on their career trajectory and level of external funding.
    Program Stats
    Characteristics of Students from Past Academic Year
    Total Students 28.0
    International 6.0
    Male 17.0
    Female 11.0
    LDS 20.0
    BYU Undergraduate 4.0
    Five Year Average of Graduated Students
    Average Years to Degree 1.89
    Graduated Per Year 18.6
    GMAT Quantitative Percentile 67.5
    Five Year Average of Admitted Students
    Applied Per Year 9.4
    Admitted Per Year 5.8
    Percent Admitted 61.7
    Average GPA 3.28
    Courses and Faculty

    Department Courses Department Faculty