Biology
Overview
The Biology Graduate Program has excellent students, world-class faculty members who advise students and superb staff members. Faculty members work with students to design a set of courses, a research project and other activities that will prepare them for their career choice of:
- academic research
- medical institution research
- private sector research
- government work
- teaching at the baccalaureate level
No matter what the choice is, this program will help students to develop as research scientists who know how to write, think critically, and express themselves effectively. Faculty will also help students to network and find the right position for their next step: postdoctoral training, industry, teaching position, etc. All Biology students learn to teach undergraduates, helping to develop teaching skills which will serve them well regardless of whether teaching is their ultimate career goal. Biology graduate students are very successful and are appreciated for their contribution to undergraduate research, to the research program of the faculty, and to the quality and liveliness of the Biology Department.
The research of Biology faculty is very diverse and ranges from cell and molecular biology, through animal behavior, ecology, and evolution. Faculty and student research typically range across these disciplines and students are encouraged to seek out diverse faculty for their graduate committee to meet their particular needs.
Biology offers an Accelerated Masters Degree, a Masters Degree, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, and a Masters of Science in Teaching degree. Ph.D. applicants are given priority over M.S. applicants.
Degrees
Ballif, Bryan A.; Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Harvard University
Brody, Alison Kay; Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, University of California Davis
Cahan, Sara Irene; Associate Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Arizona State University
Ebert, Alicia; Associate Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Colorado State University
Gotelli, Nicholas J; Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Florida State University
Kilpatrick, Charles William; Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology; PHD, University of North Texas
Lam, Ying Wai; Research Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Lockwood, Brent; Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Stanford University
Marsden, J. Ellen; Professor, Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources; PHD, Cornell University
Martinsen, Ellen; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, University of Vermont
May-Collado, Laura J.; Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Florida International University
Pespeni, Melissa H.; Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Stanford University
Schall, Joseph J.; Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology; PHD, University of Texas at Austin
Stanley, Molly; Assistant Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, Washington University
Stevens, Lori; Professor, Department of Biology; PHD, University of Illinois-Chicago
Stockwell, Jason Dana; Associate Professor, Rubenstein School of Environmental and Natural Resources; PHD, University of Toronto
Van Houten, Judith; Professor Emerita, Department of Biology; PHD, University of California Santa Barbara
Vigoreaux, Jim Osvaldo; Professor, Department of Biology; Molecular Physiology and Biophysics; PHD, University of Oklahoma
Courses
BIOL 5990. Special Topics. 1-18 Credits.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
BIOL 6000. Scientific Survival Skills. 2 Credits.
Seminar topics include mentor-mentee relationships, finding funding, grant writing, preparing posters and seminars, communicating how to be a successful teacher, Curriculum Vitae preparation, job finding and interviewing. Prerequisite: Life Sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6005. Graduate Seminar. 1 Credit.
Weekly departmental seminar attended by all faculty and graduate students. Graduate students practice giving scientific talks, presenting annual research-in-progress updates and receiving feedback from their peers and faculty. Prerequisite: Life sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6010. Biology Seminar. 1 Credit.
Expert speakers are invited from within and outside UVM to present their research in the diverse fields of biology including cell, molecular and developmental biology, ecology, evolution, behavior and neuroscience. Prerequisite: Life sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6015. Proposal Writing. 1 Credit.
Assignments help students understand the scientific method and develop strategies for writing well. By the end of the semester, students will have a complete/near complete proposal for their graduate research project. Typically, this course is taken in the second year prior to the candidacy exam. Prerequisite: Life sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6020. Foundations in Eco & Evo. 1 Credit.
Seminar focused on reading and discussing foundational papers in ecology and evolution. Specific topics will vary by instructor. Prerequisite: Life Sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6025. Foundations in Cell & Dev. 1 Credit.
Seminar focused on reading and discussing foundational papers in cell and developmental biology. Specific topics will vary by instructor. Prerequisite: Life sciences Graduate student.
BIOL 6100. Computational Biology. 4 Credits.
Basic programming methods in R, including functions, data types, graphics, file input and output; computational tools for reproducible research, including regular expressions, markdown, git, github, and shell commands; and advanced topics, including batch processing, structured programming, functional programming, and randomization tests. Prerequisite: Graduate student.
BIOL 6200. Ecological Genomics. 4 Credits.
An exploration of the merger of ecology and genomics to address the genetic basis of adaptive variation in natural populations. Emphasis on integrating quantitative approaches and hands-on analysis of large genomic and ecological data sets. Pre/co-requisites: BCOR 2300, BCOR 2100, or STAT 1410; basic knowledge of statistics, probability, genetics, and evolution required; familiarity with programming in R or bash is recommended. Cross-listed with: PBIO 6800.
BIOL 6391. Master's Thesis Research. 1-10 Credits.
Research for the Master's Thesis.
BIOL 6990. Special Topics. 0-4 Credits.
Readings with conferences, small seminar groups, or laboratories intended to contribute to the programs of Graduate students in Biology or related disciplines for which formal courses are not available. Prerequisite: An undergraduate major in life science.
BIOL 6991. Internship. 1-18 Credits.
On-site supervised work experience combined with a structured academic learning plan directed by a faculty member or a faculty-staff team in which a faculty member is the instructor of record, for which academic credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
BIOL 6993. Independent Study. 1-18 Credits.
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
BIOL 6994. Teaching Assistantship. 1-3 Credits.
Student service as a teaching assistant, usually in an introductory-level course in the discipline, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
BIOL 6995. Graduate Independent Research. 1-18 Credits.
Graduate student work on individual or small team research projects under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion.
BIOL 7491. Doctoral Dissertation Research. 1-10 Credits.
Research for the Doctoral Dissertation.
BIOL 7990. Special Topics. 1-18 Credits.
See Schedule of Courses for specific titles.
BIOL 7993. Independent Study. 1-18 Credits.
A course which is tailored to fit the interests of a specific student, which occurs outside the traditional classroom/laboratory setting under the supervision of a faculty member, for which credit is awarded. Offered at department discretion. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.