Campuses:
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Twin Cities Campus
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Ph.D.Ecology, Evolution & Behavior
College of Biological Sciences
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Graduate Program, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-6770, fax: 612-624-6777)
Email:
eebgrad@umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The graduate program in ecology, evolution, and behavior (EEB) links faculty and students interested in the biology of organisms from molecules to ecosystems. Studies address questions from molecular mechanisms of evolution, the interactions of organisms in social groups and populations, the distributions and abundances of species in communities and ecosystems, to global biogeochemical processes. The program provides broad training in the general areas of ecology, evolution, and animal behavior, and specialized courses and research in vertebrate and invertebrate zoology; behavior and ethology; evolution; population genetics; molecular evolution; systematics; population, community, and ecosystem ecology; global ecology; limnology; ecology of vegetation; and theoretical ecology. Opportunities for field research are available in Africa, Central America, and other parts of the world, as well as in local ecosystems, including the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve and Itasca Biological Station. Seminars and individually designed tutorials are an important part of student programs and provide an exciting intellectual environment.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
Courses in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, general physics, one year of college calculus, animal biology, genetics, physiology, and plant biology are strongly recommended and provide an important background to pursue graduate work in EEB. Proficiency in a foreign language is not required but is strongly recommended for students who expect to pursue field work in a country where English is not the native language. Deficiencies must be made up early in the graduate program.
Special Application Requirements:
Students are admitted only in fall semester. Deadline for application is December 1. Refer to the EEB website for more details.
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
Key to test
abbreviations
(TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
24
credits are required in the major.
24 thesis credits are required.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses towards program requirements is not permitted.
A minimum GPA of 3.00
is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 2 semesters must be completed
before filing a Degree Program Form.
Significant field or laboratory experience, proficiency in using computers in research, and competence in advanced statistics are required. Students are expected to gain some appreciation of history or philosophy of science and are required to teach a minimum of two semesters at 50 percent time. Course plans are discussed and agreed upon by the student and an advisory committee of three to five faculty members.
Required courses
EEB 8201 - Graduate Foundations in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Semester 1
(4.0 cr)
EEB 8200 - Sustainability Science Distributed Graduate Seminar
(3.0 cr)
EEB 8500 - NSF GRF Graduate Research Fellowship Proposal Writing Seminar
(1.0 cr)
EEB 8980 - Seminar on Current Topics
(1.0-3.0 cr)
EEB 8301 - Prelim Proposal Writing Seminar
(1.0 cr)
EEB 8302 - EEB Written Prelim Workshop
(1.0 cr)
Quantitative course options
EEB 5042 - Quantitative Genetics
(3.0 cr)
or
EEB 5371 - Principles of Systematics
(3.0 cr)
or
STAT 5021 - Statistical Analysis
(4.0 cr)
or
STAT 5303 - Designing Experiments
(4.0 cr)
or
STAT 5302 - Applied Regression Analysis
(4.0 cr)
or
Student may select another course with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.
History and Philosophy of Science course options
PHIL 3601W - Scientific Thought
[WI]
(4.0 cr)
or
PHIL 4105W - Epistemology
[WI]
(3.0 cr)
or
PHIL 4607 - Philosophy of the Biological Sciences
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 3242 - Navigating a Darwinian World
[HIS]
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 3244 - Nature's History: Science, Humans, and the Environment
[HIS, ENV]
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 3815 - Making Modern Science: Atoms, Genes and Quanta
[HIS, GP]
(3.0-4.0 cr)
or
HSCI 5401 - Ethics in Science and Technology
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 5211 - Biology and Culture in the 19th and 20th Centuries
[CIV]
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 5242 - Navigating a Darwinian World
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 5244 - Nature's History: Science, Humans, and the Environment
(3.0 cr)
or
HSCI 8112 - Historiography of Science, Technology, and Medicine
(3.0 cr)
or
Student may select another course with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.
Electives
Students take additional graduate level courses to supplement their 24 total credit requirement. Elective coursework is chosen in consultation with the adviser.
Ethics requirement
The ethics requirement for doctoral students is training in four areas. The EEB graduate program has a four-session ethics seminar that is offered during the Friday noon seminar series. Students should complete all four sessions before the end of their second year.
Joint- or Dual-degree Coursework:
Joint Degree Program in Law, Health & the Life Sciences
Students may take a total of 12 credits in common
among the academic programs.
|
|
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 -3.0 [max 30.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 1.0] |
Prerequisites: | EEB grad student |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phil 4105W/Phil 5105 |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | Phil 4607/Phil 5607 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3242/HSci 5242 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3244/5244 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 -4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 1815/HSci 3815 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3401/5401 |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3211/5211 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3242/HSci 5242 |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3244/5244 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |