About PhD Program,
The Department of Biological Sciences offers an interactive environment for training graduate students in Ecology and Evolution. In addition to our dynamic group of faculty, our graduate program offers a number of less tangible features that can strongly influence the training of scientists:
- We have a highly interactive group of faculty and students. Opportunities for informal discussions and socialization between graduate students and faculty abound at weekly meetings of the E & E Journal Club and our Ecology and Evolution Seminar, as well as other informal journal clubs. By limiting the graduate program to a select group of students, our program offers a low graduate student to faculty ratio which ensures students one-on-one interaction with all members of their dissertation committees, as well as with scientists in the Ecology and Evolution community at large.
- Facilities useful for members of the Ecology and Evolution group include a modern greenhouse complex, growth chambers for conducting controlled environment experiments, a molecular ecology laboratory, GIS equipment, a microscopy and imaging facility, and an animal care facility.
- Our campus facilities are greatly enhanced by the laboratories, field sites and research facilities at our department’s field station, The Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. In the summer months, the vibrant community of Ecologists and Evolutionary biologists from our university is joined by faulty and students from many other institutions. Scientists conducting research and/or teaching at PLE come from both regional and national universities and colleges. Finally, PLE’s Summer Seminar Series and Summer Courses attract high caliber scientists and students from other institutions, thus providing a large network of intellectual resources for our graduate students.
- We are imbedded in a matrix of like-minded Institutions within the Pittsburgh community including, The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, The Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, The National Aviary, The West Penn Conservancy, The Pittsburgh Zoo, and others. Thus, graduate students in the Ecology and Evolution Program may draw on the wealth of expertise in ecology, conservation and biodiversity afforded by this rich local community.
- The size and interactive nature of our graduate program fosters close working relationships between our students and their mentors; this interaction is best served when the students and their mentors begin their association beforethe student has been admitted to the program. This process ensures that the student has found the best possible mentor for her/his graduate career. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you establish a dialog with a potential graduate advisor in Ecology or Evolution during the application process.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
If your college or university does not use a 4.0 Grade-Point Average scale, you may be able to estimate your GPA using the following table
GRE scores are not required, nor accepted. TOEFL or IELTS scores should be sent to the University of Pittsburgh with Institution code 2927 and Department code 0203. Our TOEFL code is 35. Duolingo English Test results should be uploaded as a PDF under ‘Additional Information’ in the online application (preferred), or by sending the test results in PDF format to the Graduate Administrator, cbarr@pitt.edu.
- Your scientific experiences (e.g., research, coursework and/or teaching) that have formed the foundation for your pursuit of a Ph.D. in biology. We will already have your CV, so you shouldn’t feel the need to talk about everything
- Any experiences or background that you could contribute to a diverse Pitt BioSci community
- Your goals as a Ph.D. student in biology and beyond, perhaps referring to specific Pitt BioSci facultyand/or opportunities
PhD Funding Coverage,
We are interested in students eager to obtain a high-quality graduate education. We believe our graduate students should be concentrating on their research and becoming accomplished scientists, not worrying about paying their rent. Therefore, our comprehensive package support students throughout their graduate careers. Features of our package include:
A competitive stipend. As of Fall 2021, the normal level of support is $31,380/year; the stipend amount typically increases by about 3-5% each year. Given Pittsburgh’s low cost of living, this is a very comfortable income. For the first two semesters, this support is provided by the Department, independent of any teaching or research commitment. After the first two semesters, the student is usually supported by their faculty research advisor. Compensation is also provided during training as a teaching assistant. Currently (Fall 2021), 47% of our graduate students are supported on fellowships, 35% are supported by faculty grants, and 18% are supported as teaching assistants, a key part of our graduate training.
Health insurance. You’re covered. The University of Pittsburgh provides excellent health insurance options, providing every student with complete medical coverage free of charge; supplementary dental and vision plans are also available. Rather than being limited to physicians at a student health service, every students is free to choose their own primary care physician. Moreover, spouses and children can be included in our medical plans at very reasonable costs.
Tuition waivers. Graduate tuition can be expensive. In our program, you will pay no fees; your tuition is paid in full each and every semester. Depending on your course load and residency status, this benefit can amount to more than $20,447 per semester.
Transportation. Who said there is no such thing as a free ride? With much thought to the future, the University of Pittsburgh offers free transportation throughout Allegheny county via the Port Authority bus system (https://www.portauthority.org). . Any bus – any time, any where – is free, including those to downtown or the airport. This benefit saves students the cost of monthly bus passes or parking permits.
Fellowship opportunities. There are many fellowship opportunities that provide for financial compensation, and make excellent additions to a glowing CV (that’s science talk for resumé). In addition, several research support awards are available to assist students in conducting research at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. As a testament to their stellar academic achievements, nearly half of our graduate students are currently supported by graduate fellowships.
Application Requirement,
- Choose Biological Sciencesas the “Department” and either Ecology and Evolution or Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology as the “Program”
- A brief personal statement(less than 3 pages), which should contain the following sections
- Motivation: A brief section communicating your motivation for graduate studies and articulating your career goals as a Ph.D student and beyond.
- Scientific Experiences: A section highlighting your scientific experiences (research, professional, coursework, and/or teaching) that form the foundation of your pursuit of a Ph.D. in biology.
- Research Goals: A brief statement of your intended research goals and the connection between those goals and faculty within our Department.
- Building a diverse BioSci Community: Describe an experience, observation, or background that will help you contribute to a culture of inclusion within our Department.
- A Curriculum Vitae(CV) that lists your research and work experiences and accomplishments, uploaded in the “Documents” section of the application
- A list of four tenured or tenure-stream faculty membersranked in order of preference with whom you would be interested in pursuing Ph.D. research. These faculty should have a primary appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences. Both EE and MCDB applicants should include four faculty, even if you are applying through a potential mentor
- Copies of your transcriptsfor all college-level institutions you’ve attended, uploaded in the “Documents” section of the application under the relevant category (Undergraduate, Graduate, Other). These may be unofficial transcripts, as long as they are legible.
- Three letters of recommendation, which should be submitted online by the recommender after you initiate the application. We employ a holistic admission evaluation that considers several different aspects of you as a candidate:
- Aptitudefor scientific research
- Background knowledgein science, being well positioned to learn more
- Community fostering(volunteering, outreach, teaching, advocacy)
- Dedication, industriousness, perseverance
- Enthusiasm and motivationto do research and pursue scientific questions It is thus important to convey strengths in as many of these criteria as possible through your personal statement, CV, and letters of recommendation.
- Graduate Record Examination scores ARE NOT REQUIREDfor application or admission to the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Program. Please do not submit scores as we will not use them in our evaluation. (Note that this may not be the case for other Ph.D. programs at the University of Pittsburgh)
- An application feeof $75 applies to domestic applications (all US citizens and current US residents) or international applications.
- In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Kenneth P. Dietrich Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offers application fee waivers ( https://www.asgraduate.pitt.edu/admissions/application-fee-waivers). Please note that fee waivers are approved on a case-by-case basis and not all fee waiver requests will be granted. All requests received will be reviewed and responded to within 48 hours during normal business hours: Monday – Friday 8:30a.m. to 5:00p.m. EST. To be considered for a fee waiver, please complete the following fee waiver survey for review:https://pitt.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cD38CmmjcOT3Tvw. Faculty reviewing your application will be unaware of whether or not you have requested a waiver.
- We are dedicated to recruiting and supporting a diverse graduate student population that represents a broad spectrum of social identities, including different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, sexual orientations, gender expressions, religions, nationalities, and socioeconomic statuses.
International Applicants: If you are not a US citizen or current US resident, English language proficiency demonstrated by including one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences requires a minimum TOEFL score of 90, with a minimum score of 22 in each section
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Minimum score of 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 in each section
- Duolingo English Test: Minimum score of 120
Application Deadline,
Nov 15, 2024
Application Fee,
- An application feeof $75 applies to domestic applications (all US citizens and current US residents) or international applications.
