Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Program Learning Outcomes for PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Students graduating from this program will: Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of current and past research accomplishments and techniques in ecology and evolutionary biology. Synthesize and critically evaluate scientific literature and concepts in ecology and evolutionary biology. Identify novel and potentially transformative research questions in ecology and evolutionary biology and synthesize credible paths towards answering them. Demonstrate technical proficiency in a range of ecology and evolutionary biology research methods. Develop leadership skills and organizational skills. Demonstrate the effective written communication skills required for scientific publications, grant proposal submissions, and a thesis describing independent research. Demonstrate the effective oral and visual communication skills necessary for articulating scientific findings and significance to diverse audiences. Understand pedagogical methods appropriate for teaching undergraduate students in biology. Have an operational understanding of scientific ethics and the responsible conduct of research in biology. In addition to the general university requirements and those listed above, the PhD degree in ecology and evolutionary biology requires: Passing the admission to candidacy examination given by the Graduate Thesis Committee. (The committee will be composed of at least four members. At least three must be members of the EEB graduate program faculty and one member has to be outside the EEB graduate program.) Complete an original investigation and a doctoral thesis with at least three chapters with the potential to produce publications in reputable, peer-reviewed scientific journals Present a departmental seminar on the research Publicly defend the doctoral thesis