282070 - Biology (PhD)
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Application Deadline
Fall: January 15th
Contact Information
4102 LSB, Provo, UT 84602-5181
801-422-7137
biogradmanager@byu.edu
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Required Tests
English language proficiency exam for non-native English speakers
The GRE is not required.
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:
What motivates you to apply to our program?
Share an example that demonstrates your approach to dealing with difficult academic or personal problems with determination and maturity.
Share 1 to 2 examples that capture your approach to working in collaborative teams and in mentor/mentored environments.
Using an academic or personal example, describe how you exhibit independence, curiosity, and an ability to solve problems.
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.
Apply here
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 (course).
Required courses: course (Graduate Orientation, 1.0 credit) or equivalent; course (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.
