frequently asked questions
department of biology
Graduate Program
How many applications are received by the Biology Graduate Group
each year?
For the academic year (2009-2010), 174 applications
were received and reviewed by the Admissions Committee. Over
the past
5 years, an average of 135 applications were submitted each year.
Of these applications, how many were offered admissions and how
many students matriculated?
For fall 2009, the Biology Graduate Group made 24 offers to
students with 11 students acceping our offer. The average
incoming
class is 10 students.
What are the average GRE scores for admitted applicants and matriculated
students?
For 2009, admitted applicants received average scores of Verbal
612/84, Quantitative 730/78, and Writing 4.43/53.
What is the total enrollment in the Biology Graduate Group Program?
As of 9/1/2009, there are 61 students enrolled in the Biology
Graduate Program. Of these students, 67% are women, and 62% are
from various countries
around the world, including Turkey, China, Czech Republic, Japan,
Iran, Uruguay, Columbia, Vietnam, India, North Korea, and Mali. All of our students study
on a full-time basis.
What are the degree requirements for students entering the Biology
Graduate Program?
The Biology Graduate Program offers a doctoral degree only. Requirements
for the PhD include:
- a minimum of 6 required courses, additional courses are
sometimes recommended by the advising committee
- 3 lab rotations, dependent upon program track
- 1 year of teaching
- bioethics workshop
- successful completion of qualifying
exam (2nd year)
- successful completion of preliminary
exam (prior to dissertation)
- oral presentation of dissertation
- written thesis
For a list of required courses, please visit the following web
pages:
There are no language requirements.
Students are able to transfer in 8
courses taken
at the graduate
level.
For
information
regarding
the Transfer of Credit policy, visit web page, http://www.bio.upenn.edu/programs/graduate/manual/2006/academic/credit_transfer.html.
What are the advising procedures for students in the Biology Graduate
Program?
While on coursework, all graduate students meet with an Advising
Committee or their faculty advisor twice a year to discuss course
registration, research, and lab rotations. Upon reaching dissertation
status, a student meets with their Thesis Advisor as necessary,
and with their Thesis Committee at least once a year.
What are the evaluating procedures for the graduate students?
Beyond
advising, the Biology Graduate Group stresses a close interpersonal
relationship between faculty and students. Students
undertake lab rotations starting their first year, working
with faculty and other students to gain experience with different
research
projects and acquaint themselves with different laboratories
and faculty. The teaching requirement, usually done in the second
year of study, allows students to gain valuable exerience in
preparation for an academic
career.
In
both lab rotations and teaching experience, faculty will mentor
the students during the semester and provide evaluations of
lab work
and teaching
skills
at the
end of each
semester.
What are the research opportunities provided to students in the
Biology Graduate Program?
Though based in the Biology
Department in the School of Arts and Sciences, the Biology Graduate
Group is comprised of faculty from other departments and affiliated
academic institutions, such as the Medical School, Wistar Institute,
Fox Chase Cancer Center, and Academy of Natural Sciences. Thus,
the students have a wide range of research opportunities within
the program.
Research is started early, in the
first year. Students can choose from a diverse array of microorganisms,
plants or
animals
to
study.
Research topics can include genetics, molecular biology,
cell and developmental biology,
immunology,
neurobiology,
behavior and ethnology, ecology, population biology and evolution.
Our list
of recent dissertations topics provides evidence of the variety
and scope of the research projects undertaken by the students
in the Biology Graduate Group.
How are graduate students supported while pursuing their degree?
All Biology graduate students are fully supported either
by educational fellowships, teaching assistantships, training grants,
or research fellowships. Students earn a stipend ($26,500 for
the 2009-2010 adademic year), health insurance, and tuition
benefits. Funding is guaranteed for
the first five years as long as a student remains in good academic
standing and research is progressing at a satisfactory pace.
A majority
of
Biology Graduate students do obtain funding beyond this point.
How long does it take to complete a doctoral degree in Penn's
Biology Graduate Program?
The time span to earn the Doctorate of Philosophy averages
6 years.
During the first year, when supported by non-service
Educational Fellowships, students take 3 required courses, 3 electives, and
complete one lab rotation during the fall and spring semester.
They also complete a third lab roation during the summer semester
following matriculation.
Usually, students
are funded by teaching assistantships during their second
year. Besides fulfilling the teaching requirement, students continue
with course work as recommended by
advising committees and start their research through Independent
Study courses.
By the middle of their third year, many students are supported
by research fellowships. Upon successful completion of their exams,
students are then on ABD (All But Dissertation) status.
What facilities are provided to the graduate students in the Biology
Department?
Students have access to a wide range of facilities housed
in three buildings, Leidy Lab, Goddard Labs, and Carolyn Lynch
Laboratory Building. Built in 2006, the Lynch Laboratory is modern lab building and has brought Penn to the forefront in research
facilities.
A new building is being planned that will connect Leidy Lab and
Lynch Lab. Construction on that building will start shortly.
Facilities found in the Biology buildings include an animal
facilities, aquariums for both zebra fish and larger
species, plant growth rooms with controlled environments, a greenhouse,
advance microscopy and image analysis laboratory with a TCS laser-scanning
confocal microsope and digital cameras connected to light- and
stereomicroscopes, and a digital imaging facility with the capacity
to analyze flourescent and chemiluminescent films, print photographs
and scan onto 35 mm film and perform other imaging tasks.
Students also have access to the Morris Arboretum of the University
of Pennsylvania located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia.
This public garden has 70 acres set aside for plant evaluation
and field research studies.
Ecology students can utilize the various facilities on campus
as well as the resources of the Academy of Natural Sciences in
Philadelphia, Stroud Water Research Laboratory, Benedict Estaurine
Laboratory in Maryland as well as the surrounding ecosystems from
deciduous forests to the beaches of New Jersey.
What research is currently being undertaken in the Biology Department?
Research is currently being done in a number of biological
fields, including cell and developmental biology, neurobiology,
plant sciences and microbial biology,
genetics, molecular biology, ecology, evolution, biodiversity,
genomics, and bioinformatics. Detailed information can be found
at the Biology Department research
web
page.
Faculty publications are listed on each individual's web page.
Click here for a list of faculty
and links to their web pages.
Many of the faculty in
the Biology Department at Penn have been acknowledged
for their scientific accomplishments. Click here for the latest
news in the Biology Department.
Student research information can be found on the student
profile web page.
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Graduate Program