Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Doctor of Philosophy - Biological Sciences


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Plan Description


The School of Life Sciences (SoLS) offers a Ph.D. program in Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Physiology, and Microbiology. This degree is research intensive and is designed to prepare students for careers in academia, government, or industry. Students complete a minimum of 60 credit hours from a list of core and approved courses within their section. In addition, students are typically a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester. It is expected that students will first-author at least one peer-reviewed journal article.​

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements


Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

Applications for fall admission that are completed by the posted deadline will be given priority for state-funded graduate assistantships. Admission is based on a combination of criteria that may differ from one year to another, however, most successful applicants have a minimum of a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (junior and senior years) and score in the upper 50th percentile on all sections of the GRE. Decisions for fall applicants will be made by April 1 if not sooner.

Applications are not considered complete unless they contain:

  1. A completed SoLS application form.
  2. A completed Graduate College Application with Official transcripts and three Letters of Recommendation.
  3. Official GRE score report; subject GREs are not required.
  4. A two-page personal statement describing why the applicant wishes to obtain a Ph.D. in biological sciences.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Subplan 1 Requirements: Post-Bachelor’s - Cellular and Molecular Biology Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Required Course – Credits: 2


Core Courses – Credits: 9


Complete 9 credits from the following list of courses:

Didactic Courses – Credits: 9


Complete 9 credits of advisor-approved didactic courses.

Seminar Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits from any combination of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 22


Complete 22 credits of advisor-approved independent study, colloquium, seminar, or didactic courses.

Dissertation – Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree. At least 24 of these hours (excluding dissertation) must be completed at the 700-level.
  2. Dissertation credits may be repeated for credit as needed, but only 12 credits may be counted towards the 60 credit hour minimum graduation requirement.
  3. Students must complete the specific didactic course work required. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements.
  4. Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS’s Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of “B” (3.00) was earned in each course.
  5. Students should register for at least 9 credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise they must register for at least 6 credits each semester. Students working on their dissertation must register for at least 3 credits each semester (excluding summer) until the Dissertation is completed and given final approval.
  6. Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester. The Advisor will assist with designing an initial graduate degree program (i.e., an outline of the courses that the student will complete for the degree), engage in discussions about possible research directions, and introduce the student to the personnel and resources of the School of Life Sciences.
  7. The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed by the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  8. Students must meet with their Advisory Committee at least once every year (i.e., from January to October), and a written report of this meeting must be submitted to SoLS’s Graduate Operations Committee by November 1.
  9. The Advisory Committee will review the student’s past academic background and, taking into consideration the student’s research interests, determine his/her definitive graduate degree program.
  10. Students must comply with the deadlines indicated in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for submitting required paperwork to the Graduate College.
  11. Students must take the comprehensive examination before the beginning of their sixth semester of residency in the Graduate Program.
    1. The exam must be held at least three (3) weeks before the last day of instruction of any given term.
    2. The exam will include both a written and an oral component, and will assess whether the student has reached the appropriate level of knowledge and analytical skills necessary for his/her field of study.
    3. The examination is developed or administered by the Doctoral Advisory Committee or an ad hoc Committee composed of Graduate Faculty within the Section to which the student belongs.
    4. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for information on the possible outcomes of the exam. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam.
    5. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  12. Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. Specific curricular requirements for each SoLS Section are described in detail in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html.
  13. Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences. During that time the student will receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
  14. A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  15. The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public. This public seminar will be widely advertised at least seven (7) days before it takes place, and will be followed by an oral defense of the dissertation research before the Advisory Committee and any other Graduate Faculty member who wishes to attend.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Post-Bachelor’s - Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Required Course – Credits: 2


Didactic Courses – Credits: 18


Complete 18 credits of advisor-approved didactic courses.

Seminar Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits from any combination of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 22


Complete 22 credits of advisor-approved independent study, colloquium, seminar, or didactic courses.

Dissertation – Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree. At least 24 of these hours (excluding dissertation) must be completed at the 700-level.
  2. Dissertation credits may be repeated for credit as needed, but only 12 credits may be counted towards the 60 credit hour minimum graduation requirement.
  3. Students must complete the specific didactic course work required. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements.
  4. Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS’s Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of “B” (3.00) was earned in each course.
  5. Students should register for at least 9 credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise they must register for at least 6 credits each semester. Students working on their dissertation must register for at least 3 credits each semester (excluding summer) until the Dissertation is completed and given final approval.
  6. Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester. The Advisor will assist with designing an initial graduate degree program (i.e., an outline of the courses that the student will complete for the degree), engage in discussions about possible research directions, and introduce the student to the personnel and resources of the School of Life Sciences.
  7. The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed by the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  8. Students must meet with their Advisory Committee at least once every year (i.e., from January to October), and a written report of this meeting must be submitted to SoLS’s Graduate Operations Committee by November 1.
  9. The Advisory Committee will review the student’s past academic background and, taking into consideration the student’s research interests, determine his/her definitive graduate degree program.
  10. Students must comply with the deadlines indicated in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for submitting required paperwork to the Graduate College.
  11. Students must take the comprehensive examination before the beginning of their sixth semester of residency in the Graduate Program.
    1. The exam must be held at least three (3) weeks before the last day of instruction of any given term.
    2. The exam will include both a written and an oral component, and will assess whether the student has reached the appropriate level of knowledge and analytical skills necessary for his/her field of study.
    3. The examination is developed or administered by the Doctoral Advisory Committee or an ad hoc Committee composed of Graduate Faculty within the Section to which the student belongs.
    4. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for information on the possible outcomes of the exam. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam.
    5. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  12. Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. Specific curricular requirements for each SoLS Section are described in detail in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html.
  13. Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences. During that time the student will receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
  14. A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  15. The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public. This public seminar will be widely advertised at least seven (7) days before it takes place, and will be followed by an oral defense of the dissertation research before the Advisory Committee and any other Graduate Faculty member who wishes to attend.

Subplan 3 Requirements: Post-Bachelor’s - Integrative Physiology Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Required Course – Credits: 2


Didactic Courses – Credits: 18


Complete 18 credits of advisor-approved didactic courses.

Seminar Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits from any combination of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 22


Complete 22 credits of advisor-approved independent study, colloquium, seminar, or didactic courses.

Dissertation – Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree. At least 24 of these hours (excluding dissertation) must be completed at the 700-level.
  2. Dissertation credits may be repeated for credit as needed, but only 12 credits may be counted towards the 60 credit hour minimum graduation requirement.
  3. Students must complete the specific didactic course work required. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements.
  4. Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS’s Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of “B” (3.00) was earned in each course.
  5. Students should register for at least 9 credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise they must register for at least 6 credits each semester. Students working on their dissertation must register for at least 3 credits each semester (excluding summer) until the Dissertation is completed and given final approval.
  6. Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester. The Advisor will assist with designing an initial graduate degree program (i.e., an outline of the courses that the student will complete for the degree), engage in discussions about possible research directions, and introduce the student to the personnel and resources of the School of Life Sciences.
  7. The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed by the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  8. Students must meet with their Advisory Committee at least once every year (i.e., from January to October), and a written report of this meeting must be submitted to SoLS’s Graduate Operations Committee by November 1.
  9. The Advisory Committee will review the student’s past academic background and, taking into consideration the student’s research interests, determine his/her definitive graduate degree program.
  10. Students must comply with the deadlines indicated in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for submitting required paperwork to the Graduate College.
  11. Students must take the comprehensive examination before the beginning of their sixth semester of residency in the Graduate Program.
    1. The exam must be held at least three (3) weeks before the last day of instruction of any given term.
    2. The exam will include both a written and an oral component, and will assess whether the student has reached the appropriate level of knowledge and analytical skills necessary for his/her field of study.
    3. The examination is developed or administered by the Doctoral Advisory Committee or an ad hoc Committee composed of Graduate Faculty within the Section to which the student belongs.
    4. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for information on the possible outcomes of the exam. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam.
    5. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  12. Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. Specific curricular requirements for each SoLS Section are described in detail in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html.
  13. Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences. During that time the student will receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
  14. A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  15. The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public. This public seminar will be widely advertised at least seven (7) days before it takes place, and will be followed by an oral defense of the dissertation research before the Advisory Committee and any other Graduate Faculty member who wishes to attend.

Subplan 4 Requirements: Post-Bachelor’s - Microbiology Track


Total Credits Required: 60

Course Requirements


Required Course – Credits: 2


Didactic Courses – Credits: 15


Complete 15 credits of advisor-approved didactic courses.

Seminar Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits from any combination of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 22


Complete 22 credits of advisor-approved independent study, colloquium, seminar, or didactic courses.

Dissertation – Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the undergraduate degree. At least 24 of these hours (excluding dissertation) must be completed at the 700-level.
  2. Dissertation credits may be repeated for credit as needed, but only 12 credits may be counted towards the 60 credit hour minimum graduation requirement.
  3. Students must complete the specific didactic course work required. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements.
  4. Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS’s Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of “B” (3.00) was earned in each course.
  5. Students should register for at least 9 credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise they must register for at least 6 credits each semester. Students working on their dissertation must register for at least 3 credits each semester (excluding summer) until the Dissertation is completed and given final approval.
  6. Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester. The Advisor will assist with designing an initial graduate degree program (i.e., an outline of the courses that the student will complete for the degree), engage in discussions about possible research directions, and introduce the student to the personnel and resources of the School of Life Sciences.
  7. The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed by the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  8. Students must meet with their Advisory Committee at least once every year (i.e., from January to October), and a written report of this meeting must be submitted to SoLS’s Graduate Operations Committee by November 1.
  9. The Advisory Committee will review the student’s past academic background and, taking into consideration the student’s research interests, determine his/her definitive graduate degree program.
  10. Students must comply with the deadlines indicated in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for submitting required paperwork to the Graduate College.
  11. Students must take the comprehensive examination before the beginning of their sixth semester of residency in the Graduate Program.
    1. The exam must be held at least three (3) weeks before the last day of instruction of any given term.
    2. The exam will include both a written and an oral component, and will assess whether the student has reached the appropriate level of knowledge and analytical skills necessary for his/her field of study.
    3. The examination is developed or administered by the Doctoral Advisory Committee or an ad hoc Committee composed of Graduate Faculty within the Section to which the student belongs.
    4. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for information on the possible outcomes of the exam. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam.
    5. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  12. Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. Specific curricular requirements for each SoLS Section are described in detail in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html.
  13. Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences. During that time the student will receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
  14. A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  15. The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public. This public seminar will be widely advertised at least seven (7) days before it takes place, and will be followed by an oral defense of the dissertation research before the Advisory Committee and any other Graduate Faculty member who wishes to attend.

Subplan 5 Requirements: Post-Master’s Track


Total Credits Required: 30 

Course Requirements


Required Course – Credits: 2


Seminar Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits from any combination of the following courses:

Didactic Courses – Credits: 10


Complete 10 credits of advisor-approved didactic courses.

Dissertation – Credits: 12


Degree Requirements


  1. Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours when entering the program with a master’s degree from another institution. At least 9 of these hours must be completed at the 700-level.
  2. Dissertation may be repeated for credit as needed, but only 12 credits may be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement.
  3. Students must complete the didactic course work required by the Section (e.g., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Integrative Physiology) to which they belong. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements.
  4. Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS’s Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit hour minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of “B” (3.00) was earned in each course.
  5. Students should register for at least nine (9) credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from the School; otherwise they must register for at least six (6) credits each semester. Students working on their dissertation must register for at least three (3) credits each semester (excluding summer) until the Dissertation is completed and given final approval.
  6. Students must confer with their Dissertation Advisor prior to enrollment in their first semester. The Advisor will assist with designing an initial graduate degree program (i.e., an outline of the courses that the student will complete for the degree), engage in discussions about possible research directions, and introduce the student to the personnel and resources of the School of Life Sciences.
  7. The student must form an Advisory Committee before the department’s posted deadline. This Committee will be composed by the Dissertation Advisor (who will serve as the Committee Chair), two members of SoLS’s Graduate Faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative from UNLV (outside of SoLS). Students are encouraged to include a fifth Committee member who is an expert on the student’s field of research. This fifth Committee member can have an academic affiliation outside of UNLV. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for specific requirements. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  8. Students must meet with their Advisory Committee at least once every year (i.e., from January to October), and a written report of this meeting must be submitted to SoLS’s Graduate Operations Committee by November 1.
  9. The Advisory Committee will review the student’s past academic background and, taking into consideration the student’s research interests, determine his/her definitive graduate degree program.
  10. Students must comply with the deadlines indicated in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for submitting required paperwork to the Graduate College.
  11. Students must take the comprehensive examination before the beginning of their sixth semester of residency in the Graduate Program.
    1. The exam must be held at least three (3) weeks before the last day of instruction of any given term.
    2. The exam will include both a written and an oral component, and will assess whether the student has reached the appropriate level of knowledge and analytical skills necessary for his/her field of study.
    3. The examination is developed or administered by the Doctoral Advisory Committee or an ad hoc Committee composed of Graduate Faculty within the Section to which the student belongs.
    4. See SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html for information on the possible outcomes of the exam. Students who fail to pass the exam within the specified timeline will be placed on academic probation and will be allowed one retake of the exam.
    5. Failure to pass the retake or meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  12. Doctoral students are advanced to candidacy after passing their comprehensive examination. Specific curricular requirements for each SoLS Section are described in detail in SoLS’s Graduate Student Handbook http://sols.unlv.edu/current.html.
  13. Each doctoral student should teach for a minimum of two semesters in the undergraduate curriculum of the School of Life Sciences. During that time the student will receive a Graduate Teaching Assistantship.
  14. A student will be placed on academic probation if a minimum 3.00 grade point average is not maintained in all work taken as part of the graduate degree program. A grade of “C+” or less in two graduate-level classes will cause a student to be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet the requirements of academic probation will result in separation.
  15. The Ph.D. candidate will present a seminar on his/her dissertation work that is open to all interested parties, including the general public. This public seminar will be widely advertised at least seven (7) days before it takes place, and will be followed by an oral defense of the dissertation research before the Advisory Committee and any other Graduate Faculty member who wishes to attend.

Plan Graduation Requirements


  1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
  2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her dissertation by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
  3. After the dissertation defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their dissertation to the Graduate College for format check. Once the dissertation format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for dissertation defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here

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