The Doctor of Biology (Ph.D.) objective is to prepare students to become scholars and independent researchers with the ability to apply biology principles as well as advanced analytical and experimental techniques to conduct new research.

The Ph.D. in Biological Sciences program at Carnegie Mellon University exemplifies the interdisciplinary approach that has become an essential feature of modern biomedical science. Biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, cell and developmental biology, computational biology, molecular biology and genetics and neuroscience encompass our research foci; many students are involved in several disciplines while working on their research projects. This interdisciplinarity is unusual for departments of a similar size.

Students enrolled in doctoral graduate studies conduct dissertation research under the mentorship of expert faculty in the areas of aging, neuronal development and neuropathogenesis, epigenetics and gene regulation, structural biology, inflammation and immunity, drug resistance, cancer biology, and infectious diseases.

We offer PhD and MS degrees in 6 programs: Atmospheric Sciences, Marine Biology & Ecology, Environmental Science & Policy, Marine Geosciences, Meteorology & Physical Oceanography, and Ocean Sciences. We offer highly competitive stipend rates, tuition, and health insurance coverage for our incoming PhD students as part of a fully-funded 5-year Graduate Assistantship. Finally, as part of our revitalized connections across colleges and to take advantage of our unique research facilities, we offer an MS degree in both Ocean Engineering and Sustainable Business. Our graduate students also take advantage of nearby NOAA facilities including the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and the National Hurricane Center. PhD Assistantships can be found here: https://graduate.earth.miami.edu/admissions/phd-assistanships/index.html GRE not required!

Become an expert in collecting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting data through extensive research; advanced training; and an integrative, interdisciplinary, and evolutionary approach.

CIIS’ Philosophy, Cosmology, and Consciousness Ph.D. program is dedicated to reimagining the human species as a mutually enhancing member of the Earth community. The heart of the program is its focus on knowledge that is transformative—of ourselves and of our civilization. Our program attracts intellectually engaged individuals who are to varying degrees dismayed by what they see happening in modern societies and who are striving to find meaningful ways to develop their gifts to serve the future of the world. Our students pursue a unique interdisciplinary curriculum which prepares them for professional careers in academia, writing and research, consulting, counseling and coaching, and entrepreneurship. Our faculty have established international reputations and a wide range of research interests in fields such as: evolutionary and archetypal cosmology, philosophy, religious studies, Jungian and transpersonal psychology, ecology, and the evolution of consciousness.

The Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences—Ecology and Evolutionary Biology provides opportunities to study in areas such as animal behavior, entomology, limnology, microbial ecology, ornithology, systems ecology, systematic and evolutionary biology, environmental physiology, vertebrate ecology and population and community ecology. Although courses of study are tailored to students’ interests and needs, the program for all students normally includes training in population, community, ecosystems and evolutionary ecology and statistical theory. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of ecology, students are encouraged to take courses in geology, mathematics, chemistry and other disciplines.

The Ph.D. in quantitative biology is designed to train students to apply sophisticated quantitative techniques to solving basic and applied problems in biology. Students will attain substantially greater quantitative skills than in traditional doctoral programs in the biological sciences, providing them with a competitive advantage in business, industry, government, and academia.

The Department of Biological Sciences offers graduate study leading to Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Doctor of Philosophy degree is available in Biological Sciences, Genomics, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Environmental and Conservation Sciences, and STEM Education.

Scripps Research's doctoral program is an interdisciplinary graduate program that provides rigorous training in chemistry, chemical biology, biology, neurosciences, immunology, cell biology, chemical physiology, and biophysics.

Focus on the study of the brain and addresses the challenge of developing an integrative understanding of cognition and higher brain function. In response to this challenge, the rapidly developing field of neuroscience has produced an exponential increase in the amount of data available to investigators as they develop new theories of brain function and new hypotheses to test. The main objective of the program is to prepare students to participate at the cutting edge of this exciting field in academia, industry, and government. The program provides students with a rich interdisciplinary intellectual environment that fosters the development of the skills they will need to successfully pursue research careers.

Graduate training in genetics emphasizes study and research leading to a Ph.D. degree in genetics. The goal of the genetics graduate training program is to train the next generation of professional geneticists.

You can research functional genomics, ecological genetics, gene expression profiling at the whole-genome scale, and genetic improvement of trees for sustainable biofuel.

The Ph.D. in Vision Science is offered to top students worldwide. With leading programs in biology, optics, imaging, and vision science, you can prepare for a career in academic or industry research while interacting each week with professionals in the field.

In Marine Environmental Biology, the Ph.D. program studies marine organisms, their interactions in complex marine ecosystems, and the emergent properties of the communities that result from these interactions. By design and necessity, this work includes studies at all levels of biological organization, as well as investigations of the intersection between the activities of organisms and the abiotic world.