Graduate Programs
The mission of the Biology Graduate Program is to prepare students well for careers in teaching and/or research in academics, government or industry, or for further graduate training. We strive for excellence in graduate education, mentorship, and research across the breadth of biology, while focusing on strengths in vital sub-disciplines. We provide enriched, forward-looking graduate experiences in the areas of Ecology. Evolution, and Conservation Biology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. We strive to prepare students for the increasingly important integration of biological knowledge across levels of organization from molecules to the environment. The UND Department of Biology offers graduate studies leading to the Master of Science (thesis and non-thesis options) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Program Description
The department offers graduate work in the areas of:
- Ecology
- Behavior
- Fisheries Biology
- Wildlife Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology and Neurobiology
- Morphology
- Physiology
- Systematics and Molecular Biology
With a reputation for excellence, the “Ecology of the Northern Great Plains” program was developed. The Ph.D. program was designated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) as a Western Regional Graduate Program because of its uniqueness and strength. It is open to residents of the 13 western states at resident tuition rates.
Biology Graduate Student Handbook
Graduate Student Mentoring Program
The members of the Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA) initiated and developed a graduate mentoring program that aims to guide new graduate students in the Biology Department through their first year in graduate school. This includes aspects such as: departmental and graduate school deadlines and regulations, ethical conduct standards of a graduate student, and expectations for new graduate students. The goal is to facilitate networking between students involved in diverse biological disciplines and build connections between students working in different laboratory groups within the department. Beginning and "seasoned" student teams will be built at the beginning of each academic year during the Biology Graduate Student Orientation. Incoming students for 2012 are shown above.
Facilities for Graduate Research
Starcher Hall
The Biology Department is located in Starcher Hall and contains:
- Greenhouse facilities
- Herbarium
- Controlled environment chambers
- Animal rooms for terrestrial and aquatic organisms
- Observation rooms for behavioral studies
- Vertebrate and invertebrate research museums
- Tissue culture
- Isotope
- Chromatography
- DNA sequencing
- Data analysis rooms
- Molecular biology laboratories
- Darkroom
Field Stations
- The Forest River Biology Area consists of 160 acres and is 40 miles from the campus. It includes habitats suitable for studies in aquatic and woodland biology: spring brook, swamp, moist and dry woods, and a section of the Forest River.
- The Oakville Prairie Station consists of 950 acres of virgin lowland prairie and is located 12 miles from the campus.
- The Biology Department and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department have a history of cooperative research involving the management of sport and commercial fisheries and wildlife.
Admission Requirements
Master of Science
- Must meet current minimum general requirements as published by the Graduate School.
- Must provide GRE General test scores. Strength of scores will be considered regarding admission and awarding departmental support.
- Minimum GPA of at least 2.75 for all undergraduate work or 3.0 for the junior-senior credits.
- Students must indicate thesis vs. non-thesis option upon application. M. S. (thesis) students may request a change to M. S. (non-thesis) only within the first two semesters (not including summer) of enrollment. Such requests will be evaluated by the Graduate Director and the student's advisory committee.
- Satisfy the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the Graduate Catalog.
Students admitted to the M.S. program may, after one calendar year, and upon the recommendation of his/her advisory committee, request to bypass the masters degree and work directly toward the Ph.D. degree. The same GRE and GPA requirements apply for bypass as for students applying for the doctoral program and through normal application procedures, i.e., a GPA no lower than 3.0 for work completed while in the M. S. program. The recommendation of the advisory committee shall be brought to a vote in a faculty meeting. A minimum of one week before such a meeting, the faculty shall be notified that the student's updated file consisting of the materials used for application to the M.S. program, a transcript of all academic work completed at UND, and any additional materials the student wishes to have considered is available for review.
Students seeking summer or fall admission should complete their applications by February 15. Students seeking spring admission should complete their applications by October 15th. Master's degree applicants should specify interest in either the thesis or non-thesis option. Inquiries should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies, Biology Department.
Doctor of Philosophy
- Must meet current minimum general requirements as published by the Graduate School.
- May enter the program with a Master's degree or directly with a Bachelor's degree.
- All applicants seeking admission to the biology graduate program must provide GRE General test scores. Strength of scores will be considered regarding admission and awarding of departmental support.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 for the Master's degree work, If applying with only an undergraduate degree, must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all undergraduate work or 3.0 for junior-senior credits.
- Satisfy the Graduate School's English Language Proficiency requirements as published in the Graduate Catalog.
Financial Assistance
Financial aid in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships and internships are available on a competitive basis. Students seeking teaching assistantships should complete their applications by February 15, since most offers for appointments are made beginning in early March. Teaching assistantships are renewable if progress toward the degree and instructional service are satisfactory. Research assistantships may be offered by faculty members for work on specific research projects for nine or twelve month periods.
Degree Requirements
Master of Science
The Master of Science degree program is designed to produce broadly trained biologists for job opportunities or continued graduate study.
Thesis Option
- A minimum of 30 credits including coursework, research and thesis with research accounting for no more than 50% of credits.
- A minimum of three (3) credits of BIOL 503 Seminar (credits included in 1 above)
- A minimum of four (4) credits of BIOL 509, Scientific Writing (credits included in 1 above). Two credits should be taken while the student is writing their thesis proposal (see below).
- Either: 1) BIOL 470, Biometry (3 credits) and one of BIOL 572, Design of Biological Experiments (1 credit) or BIOL 534, Quantitative Ecology (3 credits) (all credits included in 1 above); or 2) prior graduate credit in statistical analysis and experimental design if approved by the student's advisory committee.
- Satisfactory completion of an acceptable thesis proposal (written proposal, proposal presentation and proposal defense) evaluated by the student's advisory committee.
- Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination administered by the student's advisory committee; and
- Satisfactory completion of an acceptable thesis (written thesis, thesis seminar and thesis defense) evaluated by the student's advisory committee.
Non-Thesis Option
- A minimum of 32 credits including coursework.
- A minimum of three (3) credits of BIOL 503 Seminar (credits included in 1 above)
- A minimum of 23 credits in the major (credits included in 1 above).
- BIOL 599 Research and BIOL 998 Thesis credits will not count toward the 32 credits.
- Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination administered by the student's advisor and two other faculty members selected by the student with the concurrence of the advisor, the faculty members involved and the department chairperson.
- Satisfactory completion of an acceptable Independent Study. The Independent Study should be substantial and rigorous and involve a written report and formal oral presentation to the Department.
Doctor of Philosophy
- A major area of a minimum of 90 credits including coursework, research and dissertation structured at the committee's discretion but with a minimum of 18 semester credits of course work. Work completed in a master's program may be incorporated into the doctoral program if approved by the student's advisory committee.
- A minor is not required, but each student is expected to show competence in related areas as determined by the student's faculty advisory committee.
- A minimum of five (5) credits of BIOL 503 Seminar (credits included in 1 above)
- A minimum of four (4) credits of BIOL 509, Scientific Writing (credits included in 1 above). Two credits should be taken while the student is writing their thesis proposal (see below). Two credits can be waived at the discretion of the student's advisory committee with a well-written Master's thesis and at least one first-authored publication in press.
- Either: 1) BIOL 470, Biometry (3 credits) and one of BIOL 572, Design of Biological Experiments (1 credit) or BIOL 534, Quantitative Ecology (3 credits) (all credits included in 1 above); or 2) prior graduate credit in statistical analysis and experimental design if approved by the student's advisory committee.
- Two scholarly tools. The nature of the scholarly tools shall be determined based upon their importance to the student's field of research as determined by the student's advisory committee.
- Satisfactory completion of an acceptable dissertation proposal (written proposal, proposal presentation and proposal defense) evaluated by the student's advisory committee.
- Satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination administered by the student's advisory committee.
- Performance of research suitable for publication in refereed professional journals and satisfactory completion of an acceptable dissertation (written dissertation, dissertation seminar and dissertation defense) based thereon.