Set to open in summer 2020, Saint Louis University's new ISE building will be a showcase facility where undergraduate and graduate science and engineering students and faculty gather to learn, collaborate and experiment. It will feature innovative teaching environments and flexible lab spaces.
Doctoral studies in biology at Saint Louis University emphasize intensive research training under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty. Once a biology Ph.D. student at SLU successfully completes required coursework and the written and oral qualifying examinations, he or she is expected to design and conduct an original research project and to work independently.
The student will be required to present his or her work at local and/or national professional meetings and may also be expected to seek external funding to support the research project. Ideally, the student's research will result in publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
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.
Past biology Ph.D. students at SLU have gone on to careers as research scientists, teachers, university faculty, and in various capacities in pharmaceutical companies and government agencies.
Suggested courses include: biology (a minimum of eighteen, upper-division credits); chemistry (a minimum of eight, 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 iology, 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.
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
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.
Faculty committee members examine each applicant's materials and make recommendations. Consideration is given for matching applicant interests with faculty research areas.
Applicants should outline their research goals in their professional goals statement and should identify and correspond with faculty members whose area of research matches their interests early in the application process.
For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, applicants should complete their applications 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.
For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.
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:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Required Courses | ||
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium (taken for 0 credits in the student’s first year, 1 credit in the student’s second year) | 1 |
BIOL 5860 | Scientific Communication | 1 |
Dissertation Research | 12 | |
Dissertation Research (taken over multiple semesters) | ||
Seminars | ||
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar (must be taken each semester enrolled) | 0 |
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) | 2-4 |
or BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | |
Elective Courses | ||
Elective Courses | 18-20 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
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 4150 | Nerve Cell Mechanisms in Behavior | 3 |
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 |
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 teaching course, or by other teaching experience approved by the student's committee and the department chair.
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.
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
4000/5000 level electives 1 | 5-6 | |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 0 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 5-6 | |
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 | Research Topics | 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 | 1 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 2 | |
Total Credits | 36 |
1 | A maximum of 6 hours of 4000-level courses can count toward the PhD. |
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BIOL 5050 | Molecular Techniques Lab | 2 |
BIOL 5700 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 0 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 5 | |
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 | Research Topics | 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 | 2 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
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 | 1 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research 1 | 1 |
Credits | 2 | |
Total Credits | 37 |
1 | After 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. |
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BIOL 5550 | Advanced Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5800 | Research Colloquium | 0 |
BIOL 6810 | Departmental Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
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 6970 | Research Topics | 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 | 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 | 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 | 1 |
BIOL 6990 | Dissertation Research | 1 |
Credits | 2 | |
Total Credits | 37 |
1 | After 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. |