The Department of Biological Sciences offers research and training that lead to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Graduate students, in consultation with Major Advisors, design programs of study that include cutting edge research, courses that support their particular interests, and at least one semester of a teaching experience. Opportunities for research span the biological disciplines from molecular biology to ecosystems ecology and may include computational, experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or applied approaches. Our faculty members encourage graduate students to reach their full creative and scholarly potential. We take a holistic approach to graduate education by promoting both research skills and the ability to communicate effectively with professional colleagues and undergraduate students. In addition to their research program, graduate students may elect to earn a graduate certificate in The Future Professoriate, which includes mentored classroom teaching. In short, our program fosters individually tailored programs that lead to successful careers in research and education. We encourage prospective students to visit the department's webpage to learn about research focus areas and associated interdepartmental programs and to explore the research programs of potential Major Advisors by perusing faculty web pages. Contacting individual faculty members and their students prior to formal application provides opportunities to explore mutual interests.