• Create an account through the MCS Graduate Application Portal.
• Select “MCS Graduate Application,” then choose “Ph.D. in Biological Sciences".

• All Applicants: Upload unofficial transcripts during the application process. Official transcripts will be required only if admitted.
• International Applicants: A WES (World Education Services) evaluation is required for all international transcripts.

• GRE scores are not required, but will be reviewed if submitted.
• Photocopies are accepted for initial review; official scores must be submitted if admitted.

• To receive the doctoral degree, first-year students must complete at least six (6) lecture course, including four (4) graduate-level courses, and up to two (2) of the six can be undergraduate courses. The Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC) will provide students with a list of courses before their meeting in June. Courses that are not on the list provided by the GAC must be approved by the GAC.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative QPA of 3.0, rounded to the nearest tenth, by the end of the first year.
• Graduate students are required to complete three (3) laboratory rotations during their first year of study. A lab rotation is a short-term research experience, where doctoral students work in different faculty laboratories to explore a variety of research areas, techniques and lab environments. This process helps students gain hands-on research experience and identify a research advisor and lab whose work and approach align with their interests and working style for their research. This process also helps the potential mentor evaluate the fit of the student to their lab.

• The Thesis Proposal Defense assesses the students’ ability to identify critical unanswered questions in various disciplines, formulate scientific hypotheses, develop methods to solve these problems, design and interpret scientific experiments, and write clearly and persuasively. The Thesis Proposal Defense takes place in the late fall or early winter of the second year, after students have spent 6-9 months working in the laboratory.
• The Proposal Preparation and Peer Review Course (03-747) is offered in the fall of the second year. The course introduces second-year students to the structure and preparation of a structured research proposal, formalizing instruction in professional standards for research ethics, CV preparation, scientific writing, and data presentation.

• Participate in Yearlyl Research Advisory Committee evaluations to assess research progress and receive feedback.
• Continue Yearly Research Club presentations to maintain visibility and engagement within the academic community.

• Defend the Ph.D. dissertation successfully to demonstrate mastery of the research topic and contribution to the field.

Matriculating students arrive at the Carnegie Mellon campus in August to attend the university-wide orientation. The following week, the Department of Biological Sciences holds its orientation, introduces them to departmental faculty, research, administration, policies and services.

Before the fall and spring semesters, each first-year doctoral student meets individually with the Graduate Advisory Committee to select courses. After the first year, the Research Advisory and the Research Advisory Committee may recommend additional coursework.

• Four graduate-level courses
• Up to two undergraduate-level courses (maximum of six total). Courses taken pass/fail or audited do not count toward this requirement. Each semester must total at least 48 units, including credit for Doctoral Research (03-900).

• Students must pass four Core Elective courses with a grade of B or higher.
• A grade of B– or lower requires remediation, approved by the course instructor and the GAC.
• A successful remediation upgrades the grade to a B.

After the first year, students may take additional courses recommended by their Research Advisor and Research Advisory Committee to deepen expertise in their research area.

All Ph.D. students must register for and attend the weekly Departmental Research Seminar each semester. This 1-unit course features presentations by:

• CMU faculty
• Graduate students
• Visiting scientists

The Graduate Research Seminar (Journal Club) is a 3-unit weekly course where students and faculty present 25-minute talks. Requirements include:

• First-year students give short oral presentations summarizing each lab rotation.
• Second-year students present a published research paper or topic.
• Senior students present their own research findings.

Ph.D. students register for Doctoral Research (03-900) every semester, starting in the first year. This includes:

• Lab rotations during the first year
• Thesis research in subsequent years

During the first year, students complete three lab rotations with faculty of their choice. These short-term research projects allow students to explore different techniques, lab cultures and interdisciplinary approaches. Rotations help students identify the best match for their thesis advisor and research interests, and allow the faculty to ascertain whether the student would make a positive contribution to their research program.

Students typically complete three (3) lab rotations during their first year to explore research styles, techniques, and lab environments. If needed, a fourth rotation may be approved. Students who do not secure an advisor by the end of rotations must withdraw from the program.

Choosing the right research advisor is a key milestone in the Ph.D. journey. At Carnegie Mellon University’s Department of Biological Sciences, students select their faculty research advisor and thesis area by the end of their first year. This decision is based on mutual agreement between the student and faculty member and requires approval from the department head.

Selecting a research advisor is a key step in the Ph.D. program in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. By the end of the first year, students submit their top advisor choices to the Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC). The final selection requires mutual agreement and approval by the department head.

Students should be prepared to begin thesis research in their laboratories by early to mid-May. Students typically complete three lab rotations to explore research interests and lab environments. If needed, a fourth rotation may be approved. Students must secure an advisor by the end of their final rotation to continue in the program.

Advisors may be faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences or may hold appointments in other CMU departments or affiliated institutions, such as the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (CNBC), reflecting CMU’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and collaboration. If the advisor is outside the department, students must complete a Ph.D. Student Support Agreement Form.

Students may change research advisors with the mutual consent of the new advisor and the department head. In rare cases, an advisor may request a student leave the lab due to issues such as lack of effort, failure to follow lab policies or behavior detrimental to the research environment. Such actions require written and verbal notice and must be reviewed by the student, the Research Advisory Committee, and the Department Head.

At Carnegie Mellon University, each Ph.D. student in the Department of Biological Sciences forms a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) in collaboration with their faculty advisor. This committee includes at least three faculty members — two of whom must hold primary appointments in the department — and provides ongoing guidance throughout the student’s research journey.

The RAC oversees the Thesis Proposal Defense, meets annually to evaluate progress, and supports the student in developing a successful dissertation. Students are encouraged to include external committee members early to broaden perspectives and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

Once research is complete, students submit a formal dissertation to the RAC in preparation for the Dissertation Defense. Students should consult their advisors for guidance on writing and formatting the dissertation.

Ph.D. students must meet with their RAC at least once per year. To support meaningful discussion, meetings are often scheduled shortly after the student’s Journal Club presentation.

Before each meeting, students complete Parts 1–4 of the RAC Evaluation Form, summarizing research progress and goals. Responses should be concise, preferably in bullet format, and take no more than two hours to complete (except for the research summary). While not part of the permanent departmental record, students and advisors are encouraged to retain copies.

Documentation and Evaluation

After each RAC meeting, a Research Advisory Committee Evaluation Form must be submitted to the Biological Sciences Graduate Programs Office. These forms are kept on file and help track student progress throughout the program.

Graduate Student Qualifying Examinations are designed to assess a student’s readiness to advance in a Ph.D. program. These exams evaluate the ability to:

• Identify critical, unanswered research questions across disciplines
• Formulate scientific hypotheses or develop innovative methods
• Design and interpret rigorous scientific experiments
• Communicate research clearly and persuasively in writing

These exams serve both as a training tool and a formal assessment of a student’s potential to succeed in advanced research.

Structure of the Qualifying Exams

The qualifying exams consist of two main components:

• Comprehensive Core Exams – Administered during the first year at the end of each core course module.
• Thesis Proposal Defense – Conducted by February 1 of the second year, approximately nine months after beginning thesis research.

What Is the Thesis Proposal Defense?

The Thesis Proposal Defense is a critical part of the qualifying examination process. It includes:

• A written thesis proposal outlining the student’s planned research
• An oral defense of the proposal before a faculty committee

The proposal must demonstrate mastery of background literature, a clear rationale, sound experimental design, and awareness of potential outcomes.

Timing and Submission Deadlines

• Students typically defend their proposal in the second year, after 6–9 months of lab work.
• The written proposal must be completed by February 1.
• Students should submit the proposal to their committee at least one week before the scheduled oral defense.

Format of the Written Thesis Proposal

The proposal should follow the format of an NIH-style grant application and be no longer than 15 single-spaced pages (11–12 pt font), including figures but excluding references.

1. Specific Aims (≈1 page)
   1. Clearly state the research goals and hypotheses.
   2. Introduce the topic and its relevance to biology.
   3. List 3–4 specific research questions.
2. Significance (≈4–6 pages)
   1. Provide background and context.
   2. Identify gaps in current knowledge.
   3. Explain how the proposed research addresses these gaps.
3. Experimental Design and Methods (≈8–10 pages)
   1. Detail the experimental approach and methodology.
   2. Discuss potential challenges and alternative strategies.
4. Literature Cited
   1. Use in-text citations (e.g., Smith et al., 1888).
   2. List references alphabetically by first author’s last name.
   3. References are not included in the page limit.

Doctoral Dissertation Requirements

• Selecting a Research Advisor and Committee
• By the end of the first year, students must:
  • Choose a Research Advisor
  • Form a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) with at least three faculty members

The RAC oversees the Thesis Proposal Defense and meets annually to monitor research progress.

Final Dissertation and Defense

To earn a Ph.D., students must:

• Write a Doctoral Dissertation that contributes significantly to scientific knowledge
• Publicly defend their dissertation before the RAC

By the end of the fifth year, students are notified that they have one year remaining to fulfill all Ph.D. requirements. Students should meet early with the Director of Graduate Operations to review dissertation procedures and deadlines.

Students work closely with their research advisor and lab group to develop the dissertation’s format, style and content. The writing process typically takes several months. The completed dissertation must be submitted to the Thesis Committee at least two weeks before the scheduled defense.

The final examination includes a public presentation of the research followed by a private defense with the Thesis Committee. This session evaluates the student’s depth of knowledge, research competency and readiness to contribute to the scientific community.

In alignment with CMU’s mission to train outstanding researchers and educators, students can enhance their teaching skills through workshops and resources offered by the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation.

• Individual mentoring with advisor
• Group mentoring through Research Advisory Committee
• Advanced level courses with small class sizes individually tailored for students’ interests and specializations
• Joint advising possible, many labs involved in collaborative research
• Travel Grants to present at national and international conferences
• Grants to fund visits to other labs, attend specialized courses, etc.
• Seminar Series and Student-invited Seminar Series
• Informal lunch meetings with visiting speakers
• Fellowships application support

• Research Club
• Opportunities to train/manage undergraduates in research projects.
• Teaching Assistant opportunities (including teaching certification through Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation)
• Student Academic Success Center
• Global Communication Center
• Intercultural Communication Center (communication support for international students)
• Ethics training

• Career fairs
• Future Faculty Training
• Biological Sciences alumni talks including small group student meetings to learn about alternate career paths
• Biological Sciences LinkedIn Group
• Career and Professional Development Center
• Counseling services
• Internship opportunities
• Regional, national and international networking opportunities