Biological Sciences, Ph.D.

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(PBIOL)

The academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

The degree is a dissertation degree requiring the publication of a novel research project. 15 hours of credit at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of nine hours of credit for the dissertation. The curricular requirements include:

At least 15 hours at the 7000 level or above, excluding independent research, dissertation research and directed readings.
A primary area consisting of a minimum of nine hours of dissertation research hours.
A minimum core requirement of seven credit hours in BASC 7000 and six additional seminar hours distributed as two hours in BIOL 7921 and four hours in various topic-oriented seminars offered by the Department (BIOL 7901 , BIOL 7902 , or BIOL 7946 ). BIOL 7921 provides a forum by which students present their research prospectus and provide an update (exit seminar) on research progress. All faculty and students are invited to attend this course. Other seminar courses vary in content and style, and are designed to keep students abreast of recent developments in the biological sciences, expose students to specialized topics and give students experience in giving presentations.

Other specific degree requirements include passing a qualifying exam at the first year and a general exam prior to the end of the third year in the program. The general exam includes a written and oral component. Prior to scheduling the final examination and submission of the written dissertation, the student is required to have a first author publication in press in a peer-reviewed journal. As a component of professional development, all graduate students are required to teach in the undergraduate program at least one semester during their degree program.