Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry

The Graduate Program in Biochemistry offers study leading to Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science degrees. The program emphasizes intensive mentoring, formal and informal training in presentation skills, scientific writing, bioinformatics, teaching chemistry and biochemistry, and professional ethics. Research specialization is available in protein structure, dynamics, and function, protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interaction, protein and nucleic acid biochemistry, RNA and DNA structure, dynamics, interactions, and function, macromolecular folding and supramolecular assembly, biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, proteomics, metabolomics mass spectrometry, membrane proteins, protein-lipid interaction, membrane structure and function, carbohydrate chemistry, glycobiology, immunology, bio-organic chemistry, post-translational protein modification and signaling, metabolic regulation, enzyme mechanisms, drug metabolism.

Statement of Purpose
Transcript(s)
TOEFL/IELTS/PTE (international graduate students)
PROGRAM-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Letters of Recommendation (3)
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (optional)
GRE Subject (optional)
CV/Resume
Description of Research/Work Experience
Admission to graduate study in Biochemistry at the University of Maryland requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or equivalent degree. Applications are normally accepted only from Ph.D.-seeking students. The area in which the undergraduate degree has been earned need not be chemistry or biochemistry, but previous coursework must normally include a minimum of 30 semester or 40 quarter hours of chemistry, including at least 1 year of general chemistry, 1 year of organic chemistry and 1 semester of biochemistry, as well as laboratory courses in organic chemistry and biochemistry. A course in physical chemistry and a laboratory course in analytical chemistry are also desirable. Typical overall grade point averages for successful applicants are 3.0 or greater (on a scale where the average grade is 2.0), and averages in science and math courses are generally higher than this. Three letters of reference indicating a potential for independent, creative scientific research are also required.
The Graduate School at the University of Maryland has a requirement that a student's GPA is at least a 3.0 (out of 4)
iBT TOEFL - 96 Overall (Speaking 22, Listening 24, Reading 26, Writing 24)
IELTS - 7 Overall (Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7, Speaking 6.5)