PhD Biology (Complex Adaptive Systems Science) at Arizona State University

Programme overview

The Doctor of Philosophy program in biology with a concentration in complex adaptive systems science prepares you to be a part of the next generation of scientists, training you in the advanced concepts and methods needed for approaching diverse phenomena in the social and life sciences. The program is tightly integrated with diverse, ongoing university-wide research at Arizona State University on complex adaptive system science.

Faculty: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | Department: School of Life Sciences | Duration: 84 credit hours | Study mode: full-time | Location: Tempe, AZ, United States

What you will study

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation Student doctoral dissertations should include the application of complex adaptive systems concepts and methods in their field of study, and candidates typically have a member of the complex adaptive systems science graduate faculty as a member of the doctoral supervisory committee.

Career pathways

A doctorate in biology with a concentration in complex adaptive systems science displays strong preparation for academic careers at every level, from community colleges to research universities. Career examples: principal investigators in government labs and nonprofit organizations, professors or instructors in universities and colleges, science teachers in elementary and high schools, wildlife, animal and conservation scientists.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit the following: graduate admission application and application fee official transcripts proof of English proficiency Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Only students admitted to participating doctoral programs may apply for a complex adaptive systems concentration. A letter of application from the student must be sent to the chair of the complex adaptive systems science graduate faculty.

Domestic applicants: USD 13,327 a year (2026-27). Arizona resident tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads Source

International applicants: USD 24,780 a year (2026-27). International tuition. Tuition only for the graduate on-campus (Tempe/Downtown Phoenix/Polytechnic/West Valley) rate band in the ASU tuition estimator, 2026-27: Fall 2026 plus Spring 2027 term tuition summed (full-time flat rate; part-time credit loads ar Source

Entry terms: Fall, Spring and Summer; the terms available for each programme are listed in Degree Search.

Graduate application deadlines are set by each programme office and listed in Degree Search. The nonrefundable application fee is $75 for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, DACA and international online students outside the U.S., and $120 for international students on a nonimmigrant visa studying in the U.S.

Apply through the official page: https://admission.asu.edu/apply/graduate/admission

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