Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Biology

Under the auspices of the Center for Computational Biology, the Computational Biology Graduate Group offers the PhD in Computational Biology as well as the Designated Emphasis in Computational and Genomic Biology, a specialization for doctoral students in associated programs. The PhD is concerned with advancing knowledge at the interface of the computational and biological sciences and is therefore intended for students who are passionate about being high functioning in both fields. The designated emphasis augments disciplinary training with a solid foundation in the different facets of genomic research and provides students with the skills needed to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to solve a wide range of computational biology and genomic problems.Computational Biology involves the development and application of data-analytical and theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to the study of biological, behavioral, and social systems.

Potential Careers:

Animal behavior/training
Biological illustration
Biomimetics and robotics
Biotechnology
Botany
Dentistry
Ecologist
Environmental biologist and consultant
Forest ranger
Medicine

The following minimum requirements apply to all graduate programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:

A bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution,
A grade point average of B or better (3.0),
If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g., Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 90 on the iBT test, 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 on a 9-point scale (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these), and
Sufficient undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field. Transcripts: Applicants may upload unofficial transcripts with your application for the departmental initial review. If the applicant is admitted, then official transcripts of all college-level work will be required. Letters of recommendation: Applicants may request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, not the Graduate Division. Applicants for the Computational Biology PhD are expected to have a strong foundation in the basic sciences (e.g., biology, mathematics, chemistry), in addition to training in computing/informatics/probability, significant programming experience, and substantial research experience. Typical students admitted to the program have demonstrated outstanding potential as a research scientist and have clear academic aptitude in multiple disciplines, as well as excellent communication skills. This is assessed based on research experience, grades, standardized exams, course selection, essays, personal background, and letters of recommendation. Three letters of recommendation are required, as is the general GRE. A GRE subject examination in an appropriate area is recommended, but not required. The program does not accept applicants interested in a Master of Science in Computational Biology.