Integrative Biology Ph.D. Program Degree Requirements

Doctoral degrees at FAU require at least 72 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree. The following are specific requirements of the program in Integrative Biology.  Please note that these requirements apply to ALL Integrative Biology Ph.D. Program Participants. For additional requirements specific to the Neuroscience, Environmental Science, Biomedical Science, or Marine Science and Oceanography concentrations see the respective concentration pages. 

The Integrative Biology Ph.D. program is research-intensive. The 72 minimum post-baccalaureate credits required to complete the program will include:

1.  A minimum of 18 credits of coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher with the following requirements:

Of the 18 required coursework credits, 9 credits (three courses) will be in courses designated as core courses. The core requirements include:

  • Integrative Biology 1, BSC 6390, 3 credits
  • Scientific Communication, BSC 6846, 3 credits
  • One 3-credit course in statistics (students may fulfill the statistics core requirements by completing either of the three options): Experimental Design and Biometry (PCB 6456) OR Experimental Design 1 (PSY 6206) OR Biostatistics (STA 5195)

The remainder of the 18 credits will include elective courses that support the student's research plan. The student's Ph.D. supervisor and the supervisory committee must approve all elective courses:

The elective courses must be 5000- or 6000-level courses in biology, biomedical science, psychology, complex systems and brain sciences, geoscience, urban and regional planning, chemistry or approved cognates. Students participating in an Integrative Biology concentration must select from graduate-level elective courses related to the specific concentration (refer to the elective lists for concentration specifics for IBNS, IBES, IBBS, and IBMO). The lists of track-specific elective courses are not exclusive and the selection of elective courses to meet degree requirements will be determined by consultation between the student and the Ph.D. supervisor and/or the student's advisory committee.

Courses designated as proficiency or remedial (4000-level and below) may not be used to satisfy the course requirement.

2. Enrollment in three seminar/journal club courses offered by the program to be completed prior to graduation. A seminar course is considered to be one based on student participation in activities, such as student presentations or student/faculty-led discussions of relevant topics.

3. Dissertation research under the direction of the student's dissertation research committee.

4. A minimum of 25 credits of doctoral dissertation (BSC 7980).

5. Admission to candidacy following successful defense of a dissertation research proposal. The defense of the dissertation will be held with and evaluated by the student's dissertation research committee.

6. Public presentation of the dissertation research.

Please note that, per the FAU Graduate College, all FAU graduate students must submit an electronic Plan of Study which must align with the program requirements detailed above (see concentration webpages for additional concentration-specific degree requirements). Integrative Biology PhD students must submit this plan within their second semester enrolled.

Participants in the Integrative Biology Ph.D. Program are also eligible to complete an en passant Master's degree (along the way).  Additional information about Integrative Biology concentration options and the Master's Along the Way (MALW) in Biology option can be found  here.