PhD Biology at University of California, San Diego

Programme overview

Offered by the School of Biological Sciences in affiliation with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the PhD trains students for independent research and teaching in the biological sciences. Areas include biochemistry, cell biology, ecology, genetics, neurobiology and systems biology.

Faculty: School of Biological Sciences | Department: Biology | Duration: Candidacy required by end of year 4; university support and registered time capped at 7 years | Study mode: full-time | Location: La Jolla, CA, United States

What you will study

First-year lab rotations in three to four labs and the first-year graduate biology sequence (boot camp, bioinformatics, biostatistics, methods and logic), three teaching assistantships, a two-part qualifying exam and an original-research dissertation. Optional specializations include anthropogeny, multiscale biology, quantitative biology, interdisciplinary environmental research and immunology.

Career pathways

Training aims at careers involving teaching and mentoring as well as research.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

University admission (graduate level): a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent and a minimum B (3.0/4.0) average in upper-division or prior graduate work. Programme page (catalog): To be eligible, students must have completed the first two quarters of their junior year in residence at UC San Diego and must have an overall UC GPA of at least 3.0.

UC San Diego enrolls for Fall term only.

Apply through the official page: https://connect.grad.ucsd.edu/apply/

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