This program is a research-oriented field of study that prepares students for significant contributions in academic or industrial settings. It is broken down into three concentrations: Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Infectious Disease, and Biocomplexity and Evolutionary Biology.
The academic component is a three-tiered structure. The first tier provides a set of core courses designed to advance research skills across all disciplines. The second tier comprises additional core courses and elective courses. The first two tiers are designed to be completed in approximately two years, including the comprehensive qualifying exam. Only on completion of these requirements, the qualifying exam, and a successful dissertation proposal can the students advance to candidacy status. The third tier focuses on research and culminates in a dissertation.
Admissions
University-wide admissions policies can be found in the Graduate Admissions Policies section of this catalog. International students and students having earned international degrees should also refer to Admission of International Students for additional requirements.
Eligibility
Applicants should have obtained a minimum of 3.25 GPA in previous coursework with significant training in the biological sciences from an institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent.
Application Requirements
To apply for this program, prospective students should submit the George Mason University Admissions Application and its required supplemental documentation, and:
- Three letters of recommendation from faculty members or individuals who have firsthand knowledge of the applicant's academic or professional capabilities.
- A goals statement consistent with the research interests of at least one faculty member in the program.
- An interview may also be required.
Applications should be submitted by January 1st for fall admission. Under unusual circumstances, applications may be considered for spring admission if they are received by October 1st. Applications will be considered until positions are filled. Students are encouraged to meet application deadlines to be considered for scholarships and stipends.
Strong candidates who lack several prerequisites may be admitted to provisional status. Removal from provisional status and continuation in the program is contingent on earning a GPA of 3.25 in the program's fundamental courses, plus completion of the missing prerequisites.
Students who have not taken a course in basic biochemistry will be required to complete one prior to BIOS 701 Systems Biology.
The GRE is not required for admission into this program.
Policies
For policies governing all graduate programs, see AP.6 Graduate Policies.
Transferring Previous Graduate Credit into this Program
Previously earned and relevant graduate credits may be eligible for transfer into this program; details can be found in the Credit by Exam or Transfer section of this catalog.
Degree Requirements
Total credits: 72
Students should refer to the Admissions & Policies tab for specific policies related to this program.
Students in this doctoral program are required to present two research papers at a meeting or conference anytime before graduation.
Doctoral Coursework
Bioscience Core
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS 701 | Systems Biology | 3 |
| or BIOL 682 | Advanced Eukaryotic Cell Biology | |
| BIOS 702 | Research Methods | 3 |
| BIOS 703 | Laboratory Rotation (repeated twice) | 6 |
| BIOS 704 | Topics in Biosciences (repeated three times) | 3 |
| BIOS 743 | Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics | 3 |
| or BIOS 767 | Molecular Evolution | |
| or BIOL 580 | Computer Applications for the Life Sciences | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |
Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB)
This concentration prepares students for significant contributions in an academic or industrial research career. Coursework covers microarray analysis of gene expression, proteome analysis, sequencing and analysis of gene polymorphisms, gene and genome evolution, molecular studies of disease mechanisms, mechanisms of toxicology and mutagenesis, developmental neuroscience, and biotechnological applications.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits from the following: 1 | 6 | |
| Human Genetics Concepts for Health Care | ||
| Signal Transduction in Cancer | ||
| Interdisciplinary Tools in the Biosciences | ||
| Laboratory Methods in Functional Genomics and Biotechnology | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Biotechnology | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
- 1
Students may take other courses as approved by their advisor.
Concentration in Microbiology and Infectious Disease (MID)
Students in this concentration will be prepared for employment in academia, government, or industry. By stressing mechanisms of pathogenicity, physiology, metabolism, and genomic and proteomic analysis of pathogens, students will have a firm foundation for future research in infectious disease. Students will also be introduced to advanced laboratory practices, such as animal research methodologies and biocontainment laboratory work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6-7 credits from the following: | 6-7 | |
| Advanced Topics in Immunology | ||
| Virology | ||
| General Biochemistry | ||
| Pathogenic Microbiology | ||
| Interdisciplinary Tools in the Biosciences | ||
| Microbial Physiology | ||
| Total Credits | 6-7 | |
- 1
Students may take other courses as approved by their advisor.
Concentration in Biocomplexity and Evolutionary Biology (BEB)
This concentration prepares students for careers in academia, government or industry. Through this concentration students will learn laboratory and quantitative skills that will enable them to investigate evolutionary relationships among organisms at the population, species or ecosystem level. Students will be encouraged to explore a wide range of coursework in order to develop a broad background in evolutionary biology and a deep knowledge of relevant methodologies necessary to keep abreast in this rapidly changing field.
The science of evolutionary biology is fundamentally concerned with documenting not only genetic change, but also the processes that cause it. Evolutionary biology includes paleobiology, population genetics, evolutionary ecology and phylogenetics. Biocompexity is the study of living organisms, including their unique structural, chemical and genetic properties, their distribution and abundance in nature, and their evolutionary relationships to all other organisms. Given the fact that most of the earth’s biodiversity is unknown, collecting, cataloging and studying organisms have always been and will continue to be one of the most challenging aspects of biology.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Adaptation in Biosystems | ||
| Population Genetics | ||
| Eukaryotic Cell Biology Laboratory | ||
| Interdisciplinary Tools in the Biosciences | ||
| Methods in Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 23-36 credits from the following lists associated with the chosen concentration: | 23-36 | |
| Cell and Molecular Biology & Microbiology and Infectious Disease Concentrations | ||
| Techniques in Virology | ||
| Advanced Topics in Molecular Genetics | ||
| Molecular Evolution and Conservation Genetics | ||
| Signal Transduction in Cancer | ||
| Emerging Infectious Diseases | ||
| Interdisciplinary Tools in the Biosciences | ||
| Techniques in Microbial Pathogenesis | ||
| Current Topics in Bioscience | ||
| Laboratory Methods in Functional Genomics and Biotechnology | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Biotechnology | ||
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Directed Studies in Biosciences | ||
| Directed Research in Biosciences | ||
| Molecular Biotechnology | ||
| Biomolecular Modeling | ||
| Research Ethics | ||
| Biocomplexity and Evolutionary Biology Concentration 1 | ||
| Selected Topics in Microbiology | ||
| Selected Topics in Ecology | ||
| Selected Topics in Animal Biology | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| Conservation Medicine | ||
| Animal Behavior | ||
| Selected Topics in Plant Biology | ||
| Ornithology | ||
| Mammalogy | ||
| Herpetology | ||
| Tropical Ecosystems | ||
| Fungi and Ecosystems | ||
| Comparative Animal Physiology | ||
| Cancer Genomics | ||
| Sensory Ecology | ||
| Human Genetics | ||
| Developmental Genetics | ||
| Microbial Ecology | ||
| Population Ecology | ||
| Signal Transduction in Cancer | ||
| Interdisciplinary Tools in the Biosciences | ||
| Microbial Physiology | ||
| Genomics | ||
| Biotechnology | ||
| Molecular Genetics | ||
| Directed Studies in Biosciences | ||
| Directed Research in Biosciences | ||
| The Diversity of Fishes | ||
| Selected Topics in Modern Geology (may be repeated once) | ||
| Vertebrate Paleontology | ||
| Total Credits | 23-36 | |
- 1
Students may take other courses related to their research topic if approved by their committee. Courses in Geographic Information Systems or Statistics are encouraged.
Dissertation Committee
Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned an advisor from the bioscience faculty. The advisor may be changed by mutual consent of student and advisor, or petition to the program director and associate dean. With their advisor, students adopt an individual program that focuses on a specific area of research.
By the end of the fourth semester of coursework, students assemble a dissertation committee of four graduate faculty members with representation from at least two academic departments. The faculty advisor and the program director approve the program of study.
Qualifying Examination
On nearing completion of course requirements, students take a qualifying exam with a written and an oral component. At the discretion of the committee, the written qualifying exam may be retaken once if the student’s performance was deemed below satisfaction.
Advancement to Candidacy
Upon successful completion of the qualifying exam, the majority of all coursework, and an accepted dissertation proposal, students will be recommended for advancement to candidacy by the committee and the program director.
The semester after advancement to candidacy, students are eligible to enroll in dissertation research (BIOS 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research). Students must review their progress on the dissertation with their graduate committee on a regular basis until graduation.
Dissertation Research
No more than 24 combined credits from BIOS 998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal and BIOS 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research may be applied toward satisfying doctoral degree requirements. Students register for a minimum of 3 credits of BIOS 999 Doctoral Dissertation Research in the first semester of advancement.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 12-24 credits from the following: | 12-24 | |
| Doctoral Dissertation Proposal | ||
| Doctoral Dissertation Research | ||
| Total Credits | 12-24 | |
Doctoral Dissertation
After advancing to doctoral candidacy, students work with their dissertation committee to develop their dissertation proposal into a completed doctoral dissertation. The dissertation research should represent a significant contribution that is publishable in a refereed scientific journal. When the dissertation is complete, students will present their results to their graduate committee and defend their dissertation in a public forum.