Program Purpose

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The primary goal of the doctoral program in the Biology Department is to provide advanced training in ecology and evolutionary biology, and experience in biology teaching. The program features an exciting range of subdisciplines, including evolutionary ecology, bioinformatics, systematics and phylogenetics, population, community, and ecosystem biology, and conservation. We emphasize original and creative research and teaching that prepares students for careers in academics, and leadership positions in government or industrial settings. Faculty members do research in a variety of freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments on several continents across a broad spectrum of taxa (vascular plants, nematodes, crustaceans, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals). Doctoral research frequently combines field work with computational and laboratory work. Our program is enhanced by excellent on-campus resources including: a natural history museum with extensive collections, state-of-the-art gene sequencing facilities, a controlled-environment laboratory facility, electron microscopy, herbarium, and greenhouse. Our program provides a scholarly setting designed to fit the individual goals of students.

Our Ph.D. program provides the multidisciplinary training required for a successful career in academia. Students will have the opportunities to learn: 1) currently accepted theories, 2) how to plan, conduct and critically evaluate experiments, 3) how to make an original contribution to science, 4) how to become skilled in oral and written communication, and 5) how to become self-sufficient in continuing education beyond graduate school. Students should consider the graduate training program as the beginning of their professional careers, rather than as an extension of schooling as they have known it. Ph.D. students do many of the same things that occupy professional scientists: reading scientific literature; planning, conducting, and analyzing experiments; and writing grant proposals and publishing papers. Original scientific research is exciting but also requires a great deal of work. However, the rewards to the dedicated student include a sense of accomplishment, independence, and discovery as well as entry into a wonderful profession.

 

Graduate Catalog

 

Learning Outcomes

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Area Specialization

Students will elucidate, using pertinent examples, the current state of the discipline in their area of specialization (e.g., key theories and research practices in ecology, evolutionary biology, bioinformatics) as well as use advanced biological concepts to interpret, analyze, and solve biological problems. (BYU AIMS 1, 2, 3)

Research Skills and Tools

Students will conduct research using appropriate tools and techniques within their focused area of graduate study (e.g., ecology, evolutionary biology). (BYU AIMS 2, 4)

Teaching Skills (optional)

Students will be given the opportunity to teach in the biological sciences by demonstrating an expert understanding of basic biological concepts, foundational theories, and key relationships from the molecular to ecosystem level. (BYU AIMS 4) However, this is not required of all PhD students and depends on their career trajectory and level of external funding.

Evidence of Learning

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Direct Measures

1. Students will pass an oral comprehensive examination by a graduate committee.
2. Students will perform original research resulting in the development of a research-based dissertation that will lead to at least three peer-reviewed publications.
3. Each student will develop a research proposal in their first 18 months that meets the approval of their graduate committee and is submitted for external funding.
4. Students will take the graduate orientation course during their first semester, which includes a unit on teaching strategies.  Students will participate as a teaching assistant for a course in biology.  Each student will have the opportunity to develop a teaching portfolio.

Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement

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1. The Graduate Coordinator will:
   1. Ensure graduate students have the opportunity to develop teaching skills and place qualified candidates in positions where they will have a meaningful teaching experience.
   2. Establish program improvements that involve department policy, program outcomes, and/or curriculum changes.
   3. Participate in the modification of learning outcomes and the plan for collecting related evidence of student learning.
2. The assessment data are analyzed and summarized by the Graduated Coordinator and presented to the faculty each year at an annual retreat. From the ensuing discussions, appropriate plans are made to improve student learning.
   1. The department has a graduate faculty committee that assesses the quality of the program. Evaluation is normally done on an ad hoc basis. Proposals for improvement are submitted and discussed at graduate faculty meetings. If the graduate faculty votes to implement changes and if the department chair approves, the Graduate Coordinator will implement the changes. Changes that require approval from the College and/or University will be presented to the College Graduate Council by the Department representative.
3. Exit interview surveys are conducted by Graduate Studies.
4. Consistent matriculation and placement of the majority of graduate students.
5. In addition to internal assessment, the graduate program undergoes an external review about every 10 years by graduate faculty from other universities. Our last external review in 2005 gave us several ideas for improvement that we are currently implementing.