This program is a research-oriented field of study that prepares students for significant contributions in academic or industrial settings. It is broken down into three concentrations: Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, and Biocomplexity and Evolutionary Biology.
The academic component is a three-tiered structure. The first tier provides a set of core courses designed to advance research skills across all disciplines. The second tier comprises additional core courses and elective courses. The first two tiers are designed to be completed in approximately two years, including the comprehensive qualifying exam. Only on completion of these requirements, the qualifying exam, and a successful dissertation proposal can the students advance to candidacy status. The third tier focuses on research and culminates in a dissertation.
