Graduate Study in Biological Sciences
 

Biological Sciences Graduate Admissions:

The Department of Biological Sciences offers the MS and PhD degrees in Biological Sciences and the MS and PhD degrees in Microbiology. There is also a 5-year BS/MS program in Bioengineering. In addition, faculty members in Biological Sciences also participate in the interdepartmental MS and PhD programs in Plant and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Toxicology. For a complete list of Faculty and their Research Interests for the Biological Sciences and Microbiology programs click here.

Programs of Study:

The graduate programs in Biological Sciences and Microbiology offer the MS and PhD degrees. The Biological Sciences program offers specializations in:
(1) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
(2) Cell and Developmental Biology
(3) Comparative Organismal Biology

The Microbiology program offers specializations in:
(1) Cellular and Physiological Microbiology
(2) Microbial Genetics and Molecular Microbiology
(3) Environmental Microbiology

Each student's program of study is supervised by his or her advisory committee and is tailored to the student's needs and aspirations. The master's degree (MS) requires 30 hours of credit (24 hours coursework, 6 hours thesis (BIOSC or MICRO 891 research)). A non-thesis option (Biological Sciences MS program only) requires 36 hours of coursework and is recommended as continuing education for public school educators. Requirements for the doctoral (PhD) degree include 18 hours of dissertation research (BIOSC or MICRO 991); there is no specific coursework required. Rather, a course of study appropriate to each student is designed by the advisory committee in consultation with the student.

Applying to the Graduate Programs in Biological Sciences or Microbiology:


The first, and most important, step in applying to one of the graduate degree programs in Biological Sciences is to identify and contact a faculty member with whom you have similar research interests and discuss potential opportunities in his or her lab for graduate research. Students are not admitted to either the Biological Sciences or Microbiology degree programs without a faculty member having indicated willingness to serve as Major Advisor. Information concerning opportunities in specific fields of study and faculty research interests, including email contact information, is found at http://www.clemson.edu/biosci/graduate/interests.htm.

WHEN DO I APPLY?
 The deadline for graduate student application to be considered by the Department of Biological Sciences for a Graduate Teaching/Laboratory Assistantship (GLA) is January 15th of each year. This deadline applies to both the Biological Sciences and Microbiology graduate programs. Students who will be supported through GLAs are, in general, admitted only in the Fall semester of each academic year and receive a full-year (12 months) appointment. Graduate students may also be supported by individual faculty members’ research grants through Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA) and these students are accepted into either graduate program in both Fall and Spring Semesters. Individual faculty members must indicate their intention of supporting prospective applicants on GRAs to the Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC) prior to a student’s acceptance into the graduate program. Students are not accepted into the Biological Sciences or Microbiology Program unless they have GLA or GRA support.

HOW DO I APPLY?
Online applications for graduate degree programs are through Graduate Admissions. The fee for processing the application is $55.00. The Department also requests each applicant include a written Statement of Purpose (no more than 2 typewritten pages), outlining your general interests in graduate research and your future career goals in the Biological Sciences or Microbiology. Statements of Purpose should also be submitted to Graduate Admissions along with the rest of your application.

WHAT DO I NEED TO APPLY?
The following materials are required before an application is considered complete and will be forwarded to the Department (remember to receive consideration for a teaching assistantship, all materials must reach Graduate Admissions no later than January 15th of each year):

1. Application form (online submission on web site at Graduate Admissions).
2. Non-refundable $55.00 application fee.
3. One (1) official (with seal) copy of your transcript from each college or university attended.
4. GRE scores (no more than 5 years old; Clemson's institution code is R51111)-Biological Sciences and Microbiology do not require subject tests.
5. Letters of recommendation - 3 required for PhD applicants, 2 required for MS applicants.
6. TOEFL scores* (no more than 2 years old).

*TOEFL is required of all international students except those from countries where English is the official language, or those who have received a degree from a US university or college.

WHO DO I CONTACT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?
For Graduate Admissions information and submission of application materials:
Graduate Admissions
103 Sikes Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-5124
Telephone: 864-656-2287

If you have further questions, you can click on the link below to visit the Graduate School's Express Inquiry Page.

Express Inquiry

For Biological Sciences or Microbiology program information
Graduate Services
Dr. Margaret Ptacek, Programs Coordinator
Department of Biological Sciences
132 Long Hall
Clemson University
Clemson, SC 29634-0314
Telephone: 864-656-2328
Email: mptacek@clemson.edu

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I APPLY?
Once all application materials (items 1-6 listed above) have been received by Graduate Admissions, your file will be forwarded to the Department of Biological Sciences. Applicant files for Biological Sciences and Microbiology graduate programs are reviewed by the Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC) who will determine whether candidates are competitive for admission into each degree program.These applicants will then be reviewed by Biological Sciences and Microbiology Faculty, who must agree to serve as Major Advisor before an applicant can be accepted. Upon notifying the Graduate Programs Coordinator (Dr. Margaret Ptacek, mptacek@clemson.edu) of willingness to serve as Major Advisor, the applicant will then be admitted to the appropriate degree program through formal notification of Graduate Admissions and the applicant by mail. The entire process takes from 6-8 weeks, thus applicants are usually notified of their acceptance or decline by mid-March of each year. If you have not received a decision letter by April 1st, you may email the Graduate Programs Coordinator, Dr. Margaret Ptacek (mptacek@clemson.edu) to inquire about the status of your application

Guidelines used by GAC for Graduate Programs Admission:

The following criteria are used to determine each applicant's suitability for either the Biological Sciences or Microbiology graduate program. These criteria are used as guidlines, thus applicants may be considered competitive by GAC even if one or more requirements are not absolutely met.

  1. GRE score: Combined scores of the two objective sections (verbal and quantitative) of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for students admitted to the program last year ranged from 1080 to 1370 for MS applicants and 1100 to 1550 for PhD applicants. Applicant scores ranged from 4.0 to 5.0 on the analytical writing section of the GRE as well. Any applicant with a V+Q total or an analytical writing score below these ranges must be able to submit exceptional supporting materials to have a competitive application (transcript, reference letters, other supporting documents such as published papers).
  2. GPA: A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 from undergraduate degree institution and Master's degree institution (if applicable).
  3. TOEFL (international students): Because of the strong communication component of graduate degree programs, non-native speakers of English should have a TOEFL score of at least 600 (out of 677) from paper exam or 267 (out of 300) from online exam.
  4. Letters of recommendation: Strong letters from recommenders that speak to an applicant's academic skills and research potential are essential to a competitive application: 3 required for PhD applicants; 2 required for MS applicants.
  5. Statement of Purpose: A strong statement of purpose that outlines an applicant's reasons for seeking graduate education, research areas of interest, research experience and long-term career goals that incorporate the importance of a graduate degree program are essential to a successful application.


    In addition, the Biological Sciences program has the following undergraduate course requirements:
Calculus (1 semester) Inorganic Chemistry (2 semesters)
Physics (2 semesters) Organic Chemistry (2 semesters)
Plant Diversity (1 semester) Animal Diversity (1 semester)
Genetics (1 semester) Evolutionary Biology (1 semester)

At least one course in the following: Cell and Molecular Biology, Physiology and Structural Biology, Ecology and Animal Behavior.

In addition, the Microbiology Program has the following undergraduate course requirements:

Calculus (1 semester) Inorganic Chemistry (2 semesters)
Physics (2 semesters) Organic Chemistry (2 semesters)
Genetics (1 semester) Biological Sciences (1 semester)

Not meeting the undergraduate degree requirements will usually not affect an applicant's acceptability for the Program, but rather, missing requirements will be listed as "undergraduate deficiencies" that will need to be completed as part of the student's graduate degree program. Which courses will be used to make up these deficiencies is determined by the student and his or her advisory committee.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GO TO GRADUATE SCHOOL?

Graduate Student Assistants (GLA or GRA) at Clemson University receive tuition remission (Graduate Assistant Differential (GAD)) either through the Institution, the Department, or from Sponsored Grant Funds. Graduate students are, however, responsible for paying graduate student fees each semester to cover library, recreational facility, athletic events, ect., privileges.

  • Graduate Assistant Fees for Academic Year 2006-07: $950 per semester and $315 per summer session (total = $2530 per year).
  • Fees can be paid during the semesters as payroll deduction and a portion will be removed from the first six paychecks of each semester.
  • Additional information can be found at the Graduate Student Associations website http://www.grad.clemson.edu/p_financial.html.

Health Insurance is required for all graduate students and may be purchased through Clemson University. To partially offset some of the health insurance premium costs associated with this requirement, Clemson will provide all Graduate Assistants (GLA or GRA) who purchase health insurance from Clemson with an annual non-refundable, non-transferable health insurance subsidy of $250 per semester to partially defray an annual premium amount of ~$860 (single student rate). Graduate students who can document Health Insurance coverage with a private plan will not have to pay these fees.

WHAT FINANCIAL SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS?

Graduate students accepted into the Biological Sciences or Microbiology graduate programs are either awarded support through the Department of Biological Sciences as Graduate Teaching/Laboratory Assistants (GLAs) or from individual Faculty Advisors' sponsored grand funds as Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs).

GLAs are awarded upon acceptance to the program and may be renewed annually based upon performance in teaching and satisfactory progress towards degree for up to 3 years for MS candidates and 5 years for PhD candidates. The current annual (12-months, no teaching in summer) salary is $13,000 for MS students and $17,000 for PhD students. Annual GLA stipends may be supplemented by Faculty Advisors' grant funds.

GRAs are awarded by individual Faculty Advisors from funds available on research grants upon acceptance to the program. Individual stipend amounts and conditions of renewal are determined by the individual Faculty Advisor, but currently funded GRA stipends range from $15,000 - $23,000 depending upon status (MS or PhD) or tenure of student (years in program). GRA support is negotiated by prospective students with individual Faculty Advisors.

Other financial support opportunities:
University Fellowships:

Travel Awards:

  • The Biological Sciences Graduate Student Association (BSGSA) offers Travel Awards of up to $400 each, twice yearly to dues-paying members.
  • The Graduate Student Association (GSA) offers travel awards of up to $500 each during fall and spring semesters (cannot receive consecutive awards).


Graduate Studies in Biological Sciences

The graduate program in Biological Sciences, offered through the Department of Biological Sciences, includes the MS and PhD degrees. The Biological Sciences program encompasses a wide variety of disciplines in both plant and animal biology. Three major emphasis areas are identified within this degree program: (1) Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, (2) Cell and Developmental Biology and (3) Comparative Organismal Biology. Each of these emphasis areas is outlined below.

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology:
Scientists studying ecology and evolutionary biology address fundamental questions about the natural world such as: How do plants and animals interact with one another and with features of their environments? How do plants and animals adapt to differing environments? How do new species arise and how is biodiversity maintained? How do organisms function in different habitats? Why do organisms have particular forms and behaviors? What are the phylogenetic relationships among different groups of organisms? Principles and studies in ecology and evolutionary biology are at the forefront of environmental research today and have made important contributions to applied fields of biology such as biotechnology, conservation biology, environmental biology, and the health and agricultural sciences. New students beginning their studies in ecology and evolutionary biology must therefore learn theory and techniques from a broad range of biological disciplines including Animal Behavior, Biomechanics and Functional Morphology, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Population Genetics and Phylogenetics. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University has a growing number of faculty with research interests in these areas who support graduate students in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology emphasis area.

Cell and Developmental Biology:
Scientists studying cell and developmental biology address fundamental questions about the functions of cells and mechanisms that determine the development of those functions such as: How do cells function? What are the molecular mechanisms governing the characteristics of cells? What determines the life span of a cell? How do cells cooperate during development and in the adult to form an organism? How do defects in cellular function lead to disease? Students in the program have the opportunity to pursue research in the areas of Cell and Developmental Biology. Faculty research in these areas spans the fields of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology, drawing from diverse experimental systems, including several medically relevant human pathogens. Research projects may focus on the ultrastructure of cells and organisms as well as the study of developmental regulation, signal transduction, structure and function of the cytoskeleton, cell-cell, cell-matrix and host-parasite interactions, vesicle trafficking, or lipid and membrane function. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University has a growing number of faculty with research interests in these areas who support graduate students in the Cell and Developmental Biology emphasis area.

Comparative Organismal Biology:
Scientists studying comparative organismal biology address fundamental questions about form and function of plants and animals such as: How do changes in body shape improve design for more efficient locomotion? How do physiological changes in metabolism and respiration allow animals or plants to live in extreme environments such as deserts or Antarctic marine environments? How can morphological or genetic features of plants and animals be used in developing taxonomic groupings? Principles and studies in comparative organismal biology contribute to our understanding of anatomy, physiology, functional morphology and design. Research in these areas has made important contributions to science and technology in the health professions, bioengineering and design, and in the naming and cataloging of biodiversity. New students beginning their studies in comparative organismal biology must therefore learn theory and techniques from a broad range of biological disciplines including Comparative Anatomy, Comparative Systems Physiology, Biomechanics and Functional Morphology, Marine Biology, and Plant and Animal Taxonomy and Systematics. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University has a growing number of faculty with research interests in these areas who support graduate students in the Comparative Organismal Biology emphasis area.

Links to Support resources for the Biological Sciences Graduate Program:

Graduate Studies in Microbiology

The graduate program in Microbiology, offered through the Department of Biological Sciences, includes the MS and PhD degrees. The Microbiology program includes a wide variety of disciplines. These disciplines include Cellular and Physiological Microbiology, Microbial Genetics and Molecular Microbiology, and Environmental Microbiology. Each of the emphasis areas is outlined below.

Cellular and Physiological Microbiology:
The study of cellular and physiological microbiology addresses fundamental questions such as: How do bacterial activities coordinate at higher levels than individual transcriptional units (whole cell regulation)? How do the hundreds of multigene networks in bacteria interact with each other? What genes are expressed during nutrient limitation and how do bacteria compensate during nutritional stress? What biochemical approaches are now available to facilitate the recognition of genes and their products that belong to various cell networks? These are just a few of the questions being asked by researchers at Clemson. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University has a growing number of faculty with research interests in this area who support graduate students in the area of Cellular and Physiological Microbiology.

Microbial Genetics and Molecular Microbiology:
Scientists working in this area address questions such as: How are bacterial genes of significant biological importance organized in transcriptional units (operons) and expressed in bacteria? New students learn the techniques to clone entire bacterial genomes, probe for genes of interest, and sequence these genes using the latest molecular techniques. They also learn how to effectively use genetic tools such as transposon mutagenesis and a variety of cloning vectors to study genes expression. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson University has a growing number of faculty with research interests who support graduate students in the Microbial Genetics and Molecular Microbiology emphasis area.

Environmental Microbiology:
Scientist studying environmental microbiology ask questions such as: What role do microorganisms play in the metabolism of important environmental pollutants, some of which are extremely detrimental to plants and animals? How do microorganisms interact in microbial communities such as biofilms which are ubiquitous in nature? How do microbes function in important biochemical reactions designed to recycle nutrients in the environment? Other questions include how to control food-borne pathogens, a growing concern due to increased food-borne infections and bioterrorism. The department of Biological Sciences at Clemson has faculty with research interests in these areas who support graduate students in the Environmental emphasis area.

Links to support resources for the Microbiology Graduate Program

Combined BS in Biological Sciences and MS in Bioengineering

Biological Sciences undergraduates at Clemson University may begin a Master of Science (MS) degree in Bioengineering while completing their Bachelor of Science (BS) degree by using a limited number of courses to satisfy both degrees. Students interested in this combined degree program should consult with their undergraduate advisor as early as possible in their undergraduate curriculum. Application should be made by the end of their junior year, but can be made at any time so long as the requirements for the program are met. Application is through the regular Graduate School process. Specific requirements of this degree program may be found here (scroll down to page 44).

Graduate Requirements for PhD Programs:

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is the highest degree offered by Clemson University. It is conferred only for work of distinction in which the student displays original scholarship. The major emphasis of the doctoral program in Microbiology and Biological Sciences is to provide an environment for the student to learn how to think, how to ask questions and answer them by experimentation, how to perform library research, how to write and communicate in scientific formats, and to develop into a mature, articulate and competent scientist.

The Doctoral Program will involve:

  1. Advisory Committee Selection
  2. Preparing a Plan of Study (Filing GS2)
  3. Dissertation Proposal Preparation and Defense
  4. Course Work
  5. Seminars and Journal Clubs
  6. Comprehensive Exam (Filing GS5)
  7. Research and Dissertation
  8. Dissertation Defense (Filing GS7)

For detailed information about the specific requirements and timeline for each of these steps see the Biological Sciences Graduate Student Guide.

Graduate Requirements for MS Programs:

The Master of Science degree, as the name implies, is conferred to those who have demonstrated mastery of general biology and of advanced biology in areas of concentration. The major emphasis of the Master’s programs in Microbiology and Biological Sciences is to provide an environment for the student to learn how to critically think, ask questions and answer them by experimentation, perform library research, write and communicate in scientific formats, and to develop into a mature, articulate and competent scientist.

The Master’s Program will involve:

  1. Advisory Committee Selection
  2. Preparing a Plan of Study (Filing GS2)
  3. Thesis Proposal Preparation and Defense
  4. Course Work
  5. Seminars and Journal Clubs
  6. Research and Thesis
  7. Thesis Defense (Filing GS7)

For detailed information about the specific requirements and timeline for each of these steps see the Biological Sciences Graduate Student Guide.