博士 和生物科学硕士课程（BIOL）旨在提供生命科学领域的广泛，多学科的现代教育，以及在一个专门领域内发展深入的专业知识和研究培训。由于生物科学领域的许多当前问题与传统的学科领域重叠，因此只提供单一的研究生课程，而不是提供植物学，微生物学，动物学和其他领域的传统独立课程。生物科学系的研究范围很广，从核酸的结构和功能到动物的摄食行为。因此，该计划为生物学的研究和研究生教育提供了多种机会。
The Department of Biological Sciences offers degree programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Traditional areas of strength in the department include basic and applied microbiology, cellular and molecular biology, comparative and environmental physiology, taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Research by the Graduate Faculty focuses on mechanisms of organism function in terms of cell properties and structural components, variation in the structure and function of organisms and other complex biological systems, and the integration of biological scales and processes. Graduate training emphasizes preparation for careers in teaching and research in both academic and nonacademic positions.The Master of Science program typically requires two years of course work, a research thesis, and an oral comprehensive examination and defense of the thesis. Thesis research for the Master's degree emphasizes basic research skills, hypothesis generation, experimental design, data collection and analysis, and manuscript preparation.