Ph.D. in Biological Sciences
Wayne State's Ph.D. in Biological Sciences prepares scholars for advanced research and leadership roles in academia, industry and government. Through rigorous training in areas such as molecular biology, ecology and bioinformatics, students tackle real-world challenges like disease prevention, environmental conservation and sustainable resource management. Graduates contribute to groundbreaking discoveries, develop innovative solutions and drive progress in the biological sciences field.
Funding
Our Ph.D. students receive financial support for at least five years of study. Support as a graduate teaching assistant, research assistant or graduate fellow provides a stipend, tuition and health benefits. On-campus housing is available and many graduate students live in apartments near campus.
Biological sciences program requirements and curriculum
Wayne State University offers a broad choice of courses, research programs and teaching opportunities for doctoral studies. Each student follows an individualized program with a focus on original research, publication and presentation at meetings. The biological sciences Ph.D. degree requires students to satisfy the graduate program requirements and overall biological sciences requirements.
- Overview
The Graduate School requires at least 30 credits at the 7000 level or higher exclusive of BIO 999X: Doctoral Dissertation Research of which 30 credits are required. A full plan of study including any additional courses will be decided on by the advisor and the student and reviewed and approved by the student's dissertation committee.
A maximum of 30 credits of BIO 7996: Directed Research are allowed. Additionally, all Ph.D. students must take BIO 8995: Graduate Seminar (two credits per semester) for two semesters and BIO 9996: Lab Rotation (two credits per semester) for at least one semester in their first year.
Core course requirements may be waived for a student if the student has demonstrated experience in and mastery of the topic. The graduate officer and graduate committee chair will review requests for waivers. Waivers do not release the student from the minimum Graduate School course requirements.
Present qualifying exam regulations and scheduling will be followed. All first-year students will be advised by the graduate officer and/or the graduate committee chair.
- Qualifying exam
Ph.D. students are required to pass qualifying examinations before advancing to candidacy for a Ph.D. The qualifying examinations are administered in two parts. The first part of the qualifying examination is a written test, which is taken by all students. Students may take the written qualifying exam in July of their first year, November of their second year or April of their second year.
Timing
The decision of when to take the exam is made jointly by the student and the advisor. The student's complete Dissertation Advisory Committee will administer the written qualifying exam. A list of examination topics will be generated by the Advisory Committee and submitted to the student two months before the scheduled exam.
Topics
Each of the four topics will be graded anonymously by two two committee members on a pass/fail basis. Each student must pass a minimum of three topics. If a student does not pass the minimum number of topics, he or she must retake the exam during the next qualifying exam period (July, November, April).
Oral and prospectus exams
Students who pass the written qualifying examination will take the oral examination within a year of successful completion of the written qualifying exam. Students are expected to complete a written prospectus of their thesis research. This prospectus will be in the form of a grant proposal. The oral examination will include, but not be limited to, a defense of the prospectus.
Grading
The examiners will be members of the student's graduate committee. The oral examination will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Students who do not pass the first oral examination must retake the examination within the following semester. Successful completion of the written and oral exams fulfills the qualifying exam requirements for Ph.D. candidacy.
- Requirements by division
Also see overall degree and course requirements.
Molecular biology and biotechnology division
The following sequence is required.
Course # Title Credits Term BIO 6540 Genetic Analysis 1
Fall BIO 6510 Molecular Interactions 1 Fall BIO 6530 Protein Structure & Dynamics 1 Winter BIO 6520 Gene Expression Manipulation 1 Winter BIO 6700 Responsible Conduct Research 1 Fall BIO 7300 Communication of Research 2 Winter Additionally, students must take at least two of the following lab courses.
Course # Title Credits Term BIO 7520 Nucleic Acids Lab 2 Fall BIO 7530 Proteins Lab 2 Winter BIO 7560 Microscopy & Imaging 2 Winter Note: With additional credits from the following courses to make up at least 30 credits of 7000 above (or from additional Biological Sciences or non-department courses with graduate officer permission).
Course # Title Credits BIO 6000 Molecular Cell Biology I 3 BIO 6010 Molecular Cell Biology II 3 BIO 7020 Comprehensive Virology 3 BIO 7040 Signal Transduction Mechanisms 3 BIO 7045 Biometry 4 BIO 7180 Membrane Biology 3 BIO 7240 Molecular Systems Biology 3 BIO 7500 Prokaryotic Gene Expression and Function 3 BIO 7510 Eukaryotic Gene Structure and Function 3 BIO 7610 Infections and Innate Immunity 3 Ecology and evolutionary biology division
Ecology concentration
At least four of the following courses.
Course # Title Credits BIO 7045 Biometry 4 BIO 7110 Aquatic Ecology 4 BIO 7440 Terrestrial Ecology 4 BIO 7490 Population and Community Ecology 3 BIO 7540 Ecosystem and Landscape Ecology 3 Evolution concentration
At least four of the following courses.
Course # Title Credits BIO 7045 Biometry 4 BIO 6060 Molecular Evolution 3 BIO 6090 Population Genetics 3 BIO 7150 Genomics 3 BIO 7280 Bioinformatics 3 Additional courses to augment a student's specialty
Course # Title Credits BIO 5620 Developmental Biology 3 BIO 6000 Molecular Cell Biology I 3 BIO 7090 Molecular Basis of Development 3 BIO 7060 Evolutionary and Developmental Biology 3 BIO 7120 Molecular Basis of Plant Development 3 BIO 7180 Field Investigations in Biological Sciences 3 Cellular, developmental and neurobiology division
At least 12 credits of the following courses.
Course # Title Credits BIO 5080 Cellular Basis of Animal Behavior 3 BIO 5620 Developmental Biology 3 BIO 6000 Molecular Cell Biology I 3 BIO 6010 Molecular Cell Biology II 3 BIO 6490 Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology 3 BIO 6510 Molecular Interactions 1 BIO 6520 Gene Expressions Manipulation 1 BIO 6530 Protein Structure & Dynamics 1 BIO 6690 Special Topics Neurobiology 3 BIO 7045 Biometry 4 BIO 7090 Molecular Basis of Development 3 BIO 7300 Communication of Research 2 BIO 7520 Nucleic Acids Lab 2 BIO 7530 Proteins Lab 2 BIO 7560 Microscopy and Imaging 2 BIO 7660 Neural Signaling in Health and Disease 3 BIO 7890 Neuroplasticity 3 - Courses
The Ph.D. in Biological Sciences program offers a diverse range of advanced courses designed to deepen expertise in key areas like molecular biology, ecology and bioinformatics. With a focus on integrating theoretical knowledge and practical application, the curriculum prepares students to address complex biological challenges, conduct innovative research and develop solutions that have a global impact.
- Procedures and forms
It is the student's responsibility to make sure that the Ph.D. requirements and documentation are fulfilled promptly according to the sequence outlined below and to keep the advising office informed of their progress. Upon periodic review, students who are not up to date will receive a registration hold until the requirements are met.
Forms
- Progress monitoring
Annual graduate student progress is maintained in the departmental advising office; it requires updating by the advisor with input from the student each year. For this and all other records of progress, the student should maintain regular contact with the advising office to confirm that progress has been properly documented and is officially on record in the Graduate School. Each year students fill out an annual progress report and a committee meeting confirmation form.
This will help avoid critical last-minute delays that can be caused by clerical errors or misunderstandings. A rolling record for each student will be maintained on an organization page (Biological Sciences Ph.D. Progress Group) found on Canvas. Students are encouraged to monitor their listings to ensure that the data are correct.
Plan of work
Our Ph.D. curriculum prepares students to be scholars and independent researchers, balancing the conflicting time demands on students for formal coursework and an intensive research experience. We recognize that formal training should reflect the general area of discipline, which is best represented by the divisions rather than the department as a whole. The curriculum will allow the student and their advisor flexibility in designing the plan of work while maintaining a sufficient level of departmental oversight to preserve high academic standards. As such, a student's plan of work must conform to at least one of the following formats.
- First year
Admission
An admitted student is classified as a Ph.D. applicant until the Graduate School receives and approves a dissertation outline and prospectus (see below). A provisional advisor (graduate officer) is assigned to new students until a dissertation advisor is chosen.
Lab rotation
All first-year doctoral students must enroll in the lab rotation course, BIO 9996, two credits per term while completing their rotations. This is a research experience in up to four faculty labs, designed to facilitate choosing the permanent dissertation advisor and becoming familiar with a variety of faculty programs. Before arriving, students will be asked to identify two laboratories in which they wish to complete their first two rotations. Each rotation will last one half of a semester. Ph.D. students may choose to rotate in additional laboratories in the second semester but may decide on an advisor anytime after completing two rotations.
Selection of dissertation advisor
A dissertation advisor should be chosen, with their agreement, any time after the lab rotation but no later than the end of the first year.
Formal coursework begins, as recommended by the faculty advisor. Consult the advising office for specific requirements.
Qualifying exams
Qualifying exams may be scheduled as early as July of the first year. A Dissertation Advisory Committee must be established if the qualifying exam is scheduled within the first year. See below for more details.
- Second year
Continue formal coursework and continue or begin research. The following should be completed by the end of the second year.
Plan of work
The list of all courses to be taken must be signed by the dissertation advisor and the graduate officer and submitted to the departmental advising office (required by the Graduate School before 40 credits are completed).
Dissertation Advisory Committee
Minimum of three departmental members including advisor (four if there are two departmental co-advisors) and one outside member; obtain the graduate officer signature and return the form to the departmental advising office (a subsequent change of committee membership requires Form C-1). This committee should hold a preliminary meeting with the student to discuss the general research plan. Inform the advising office and chair of the Graduate Committee of the intended date of the written qualifying exam.
Written qualifying examination
Upon successful completion of the exam, obtain signatures of the Advisory Committee and file the candidacy form in the departmental advising office.
See Graduate School Ph.D. forms
Annual advisory meeting
Following the written qualifying exam, the Advisory Committee must meet a minimum of once each year to review the student's progress until the degree is completed; verify each meeting by the Annual Graduate Student Progress Report Form.
- Third year
Continue annual advisory meetings, research and coursework.
Dissertation prospectus
The prospectus format is in grant proposal style (approximately 10 to 20 pages), with sections including specific aims, background and significance, progress and preliminary data and research design and methods. Submit to the Advisory Committee for review at least two weeks prior to the oral qualifying exam.
See Graduate School Ph.D. forms
Oral qualifying examination
The oral exam must be completed within one year of the written exam. It is primarily a defense of the prospectus (additional topics may be specified by the Advisory Committee). The arrangements are initiated and coordinated by the department advising office.
See Graduate School Ph.D. forms
Dissertation outline
The completed outline form is submitted together with the prospectus to the advising office, which will forward them to the Graduate School. Upon acceptance by the Graduate School, the student is classified as a Ph.D. candidate.
Dissertation research credits
Students may register for BIO 9991 (7.5 credits) in the semester they take their oral qualifying exams. All students must register for BIO 9991 at the latest in the semester following successful completion of the oral qualifying exam. Students must register for BIO 9992, 9993 and 9994 in the consecutive semesters following BIO 9991 (7.5 credits per semester).
- Fourth and subsequent years
Continue annual advisory meetings, research and coursework.
Dissertation writing: follow Graduate School format guidelines.
Final term
FiIe for graduation on or before the last day of formal registration.
Change of Y grades (dissertation advisor must convert all 999X Y grades to standard grades).
Public dissertation defense
The arrangements are initiated and coordinated by the department advising office. Obtain and observe the filing timeline set by the Graduate School to avoid last-minute scheduling.
Career insights
This tool provides a broad overview of how major selection can lead to careers and is provided without any implied promise of employment. Some careers will require further education, skills, or competencies. Actual salaries may vary significantly between similar employers and could change by graduation, as could employment opportunities and job titles.