FAS - Biological Sciences
There are three programs of graduate study in the Department of Biological Sciences: Structural Biophysics (SB); Ecology and Evolution (E&E); and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). The department offers a Master of Science degree in Biological Science through the E&E program, and a PhD degree in Biological Science in all three programs. Although these programs represent different areas of study in the biological sciences, they operate with common mechanisms for admission, advice and guidance, first-year courses, teaching requirements, and dissertation research. These common aspects are described briefly below. For more detailed information, students are encouraged to read the department's publications, Graduate Program in the Biological Sciences and Handbook for Graduate Study, which can be obtained by writing to the Director of Graduate Admissions; Department of Biological Sciences; University of Pittsburgh; Pittsburgh, PA 15260.
Contact Information
- Department Chair: James M. Pipas
- Main Office: A234 Langley Hall
- Phone: (412) 624-4350
- Fax: (412) 624-4759
- Web site: http://www.pitt.edu/~biohome/main.html
Research
Research in the department covers a broad range, from systematics and plant ecology to X-ray crystallography and gene expression. Within that range, interests and expertise are concentrated in a number of areas of strength that provide corresponding communities of common interests within the department. These include cell and developmental biology, biochemistry, structural biology, computational biology, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, microbiology, and neurobiology. The complete list of activities is too extensive to reproduce here; those interested in graduate study in the department should request the publication, Graduate Study in the Biological Sciences, in which are summarized the research programs of the faculty members. The department's research activities are strongly supported (about $5.5 million annually) by various national funding agencies, particularly NIH and NSF, and a variety of private agencies such as the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the March of Dimes Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association.
Facilities
The department is located in three internally connected modern structures: Clapp, Crawford, and Langley Halls. Within the complex there are fully-equipped research laboratories, teaching laboratories, a 30,000-volume library devoted to the biological sciences, faculty and graduate student offices, and research support services (greenhouses, a machine shop, photographic suites, media preparation kitchens, controlled environment units, animal and bird housing, etc.). Provisions have been made for the large-scale culture of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and animal cells under appropriate containment conditions. Special services available within the department include an in-house DNA synthesis facility, complete X-ray crystallography facilities, a microscopy suite with scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopes, confocal microscope and associated sample preparation facilities, and a transgenic mouse facility. Nuclear magnetic resonance, peptide synthesis, and hybridoma facilities, as well as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, are available in the immediate vicinity. Elsewhere on campus there is an excellent general library, Hillman Library, other specialized libraries, and a comprehensive computer center. The University of Pittsburgh is a partner in the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.
The Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology is a field station dedicated to environmental education and ecological research. In PLE courses, direct observation and hands-on experience with living organisms under field conditions are combined with modern laboratory and computer techniques in the discovery of structure and function in ecological systems.
Pymatuning Laboratory is located on the shores of the Pymatuning Reservoir in northwestern Pennsylvania. The laboratory site overlooks the Sanctuary Lake portion of the reservoir, part of an 11,000 acre tract of water, wetlands, and forest managed as a wildlife refuge and propagation area by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. The remainder of the 14,000-acre reservoir lies within Pymatuning State Park.
Interdepartmental Programs
The Department of Biological Sciences is involved in several interdisciplinary programs with other schools of the University and with other institutions. Students interested in these programs should request complete information from the department.
Structural Biophysics
Graduate study in structural biophysics and computational biology is offered jointly with the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, and Computer Science. There are extensive research collaborations among members of these departments.
MD/PhD Program
Through the MD/PhD Program of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, exceptional students wishing to specialize in medical research may combine the curriculum at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine with the graduate curriculum at the Department of Biological Sciences. Prospective students must apply to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and to the MD/PhD Program. See Degree Options in the School of Medicine's listing in the First-Professional Schools section of this bulletin.
Admissions
All students should comply with the general regulations for admission as noted under Admissions at the start of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences section of this bulletin. The minimum requirements for admission to graduate study in the Department of Biological Sciences for all three graduate programs (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology [MCDB]; Structural Biophysics [SB]; and Ecology and Evolution [E&E]) are described here. Additional requirements may apply for any specific program; for example, identification of a research advisor is generally necessary for admission into the E&E program. The general admissions requirements for all three programs are the following:
A baccalaureate degree in chemistry, mathematics, physics, or any of the biological sciences, for example, biology, botany, zoology, biochemistry, biophysics, microbiology, cell or developmental biology.
An overall and science undergraduate performance of B or better (quality point average of at least 3.00). Exceptions to these criteria require special justification at both department and graduate school levels.
At least two courses completed in each of the following study areas: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, mathematics through calculus, plus appropriate advanced courses completed in the area of interest.
Placement at or above the 60th percentile in both the aptitude and advanced sections of the Graduate Record Examination. The advanced test may be taken in biochemistry and molecular biology, biology, chemistry, or physics. For applicants whose native language is not English, proficiency in English must be demonstrated by a score of 550 or better on the TOEFL examination.
Submission of three or more letters of reference from undergraduate faculty or laboratory supervisors who are in a position to accurately assess the applicant's qualifications for graduate training.
Submission of a statement from the applicant describing any special training, career goals, and personal motivation for attending the graduate program.
Qualified applicants who are interested in the biological sciences even though former study has not been in this field will be encouraged to obtain the necessary background while enrolled on a provisional basis. If there are specific deficiencies in the undergraduate background, these will be defined at the time of admission and must be overcome before full graduate status can be awarded.
Financial Assistance
Graduate students in the department are eligible for financial assistance, either as Teaching Assistants or as Graduate Student Researchers. Qualified students are encouraged to apply for an Andrew Mellon Predoctoral Fellowship (see Fellowships and Traineeships for details on the fellowship) and for national fellowships awarded by various agencies and foundations.
Degree Requirements
The minimal requirements established by the Graduate Faculty of the University, as described under General Academic Regulations, and any additional requirements of FAS Graduate Studies described under FAS Degree Requirements, should be read in conjunction with department-specific degree requirements described in the following sections.
Requirements for the Master's Degree
Admission for study toward a Master of Science in Biological Sciences is offered in the Ecology and Evolution program. This course of study, which requires approximately two years, provides students with an educational opportunity beyond the bachelor's degree that stresses methods of research, independent thought, and written communication of scientific results. It is an endeavor with different objectives from those of the doctoral program, and master's students are regarded as a group with legitimate aspirations and particular needs. The requirements include 12 credits of course work—10 of which must be taken for a letter grade from among the approved offerings of the department—and 18 credits of research. All candidates take a comprehensive examination within their first year and prepare and defend a thesis. Similar standards are expected of master's theses and PhD dissertations, with differences primarily involving the duration of time involved in the project and the scope of coverage.
Requirements for the PhD Degree
A PhD in Biological Sciences is offered in all three programs and normally involves four or more years of study. The three programs of graduate training have similar structures for the first-year curriculum and somewhat different structures for subsequent years. Each of the three programs offers a modular core course as a requirement for all first-year students (courses include Current Topics in Structural Biophysics; Current Topics in Ecology and Evolution; and Current Topics in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology).
Students in all three programs also take graduate seminar courses. Students in the SB and MCDB programs perform research rotations in the first year. Generally, students choose a thesis advisor by the end of the second term. Students in the E&E program usually identify a research advisor prior to entry. There is no requirement in the E&E program for research rotations, although students may elect to carry out rotations.
Advancement to the second year of study requires successful completion of all courses (with an overall average of B or better) and an appropriate intellectual attitude. Students are expected to establish their dissertation research topic during the second year. Admission to candidacy for the PhD degree is based upon a demonstration of desire and competence in research during the second year and satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination given at the end of the second year. Before admission to candidacy, there must be a meeting of the student with the proposed doctoral committee. With the advice of their research supervisors, students select courses appropriate to their research endeavors during the second and subsequent years. The PhD is awarded following successful defense of the thesis with a public seminar and satisfaction of all other University, department, and program requirements. For further details, see Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Study and Requirements for the PhD Degree in the FAS section of the bulletin.
Course Listing
- Graduate students from other departments requiring a general survey of biochemistry are advised to register for BIOSC 1000 or 1810 and 1820.
Selected Upper-division Undergraduate Courses
- BIOSC 1000 Introductory Biochemistry
- BIOSC 1130 Evolution
- BIOSC 1200 Vertebrate Morphology
- BIOSC 1210 Vertebrate Morphology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1280 Microbial Genetic Engineering
- BIOSC 1290 Experimental Genetic Engineering
- BIOSC 1320 Population Biology
- BIOSC 1350 Plant Biology
- BIOSC 1380 Global Ecology
- BIOSC 1470 Biophysical Chemistry
- BIOSC 1500 Cell Biology
- BIOSC 1510 Cell Biology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1520 Developmental Biology
- BIOSC 1530 Developmental Biology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1730 Virology
- BIOSC 1740 Virology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1750 Immunology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1760 Immunology
- BIOSC 1810 Macromolecular Structure and Function
- BIOSC 1820 Metabolic Pathways
- BIOSC 1830 Biochemistry Laboratory
- BIOSC 1850 Microbiology
- BIOSC 1860 Microbiology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1870 Animal Physiology
- BIOSC 1880 Animal Physiology Laboratory
- BIOSC 1890 Advanced Topics in Microbiology
- BIOSC 1940 Molecular Biology
- BIOSC 1950 Molecular Genetics Laboratory
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Graduate Courses
- BIOSC 2000 Research and Thesis for the Master's Degree
- BIOSC 2010 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology A
- BIOSC 2011 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 1
- BIOSC 2012 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 2
- BIOSC 2013 Current topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 3
- BIOSC 2020 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology B
- BIOSC 2021 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 4
- BIOSC 2022 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 5
- BIOSC 2023 Current Topics in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 6
- BIOSC 2030 Retrovirology
- BIOSC 2040 Seminar in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology
- BIOSC 2050 Student Research Seminar
- BIOSC 2070 Immunology
- BIOSC 2100 Advanced Topics in Cell Biology
- BIOSC 2110 Advanced Topics in Developmental Biology
- BIOSC 2120 Advanced Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- BIOSC 2130 Advanced Topics in Genetics
- BIOSC 2200 Advanced Topics in Structural Biophysics
- BIOSC 2210 Biophysics Seminar
- BIOSC 2240 Topics in Physical Biochemistry
- BIOSC 2260 Molecular Biology and Regulation
- BIOSC 2280 Molecular Biology Workshop
- BIOSC 2281 Crystallography and X-ray Diffraction
- BIOSC 2282 Crystallography and Diffraction Physics
- BIOSC 2283 Crystal Structure Determination
- BIOSC 2284 Protein Crystallography
- BIOSC 2320 Population Biology
- BIOSC 2330 Ethology
- BIOSC 2350 Evolution
- BIOSC 2360 Microbial Ecology
- BIOSC 2400 Developmental Biology Seminar
- BIOSC 2450 Biological Sciences Seminar
- BIOSC 2500 Current Topics in Ecology
- BIOSC 2510 Current Topics in Evolution
- BIOSC 2520 Special Topics in Ecology
- BIOSC 2530 Special Topics in Evolution
- BIOSC 2540 Seminar in Ecology
- BIOSC 2560 Seminar in Systematics and Evolution
- BIOSC 2580 Computer Proficiency for Biologists
- BIOSC 2770 Developmental Mechanism Seminar
- BIOSC 2780 Genetics Seminar
- BIOSC 2960 Departmental Seminar
- BIOSC 2970 Teaching of Biological Sciences
- BIOSC 2990 Independent Study
- BIOSC 3000 Research and Dissertation for the PhD Degree
- BIOSC 3400 Advanced Topics in Biological Sciences 1
- BIOSC 3410 Advanced Topics in Biological Sciences 2
- BIOSC 3420 Advanced Topics in Biological Sciences 3
- BIOSC 3902 Directed Study
Courses at Pymatuning Laboratory
Graduate work in ecology is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. A special brochure describing programs offered at this station is available upon request from the department.
- BIOSC 1040 Ecological Management
- BIOSC 1140 Behavioral Ecology
- BIOSC 1160 Forest Ecology
- BIOSC 1170 Limnology
- BIOSC 1180 Ecology of Amphibians and Reptiles
- BIOSC 1190 Aquatic Entomology
- BIOSC 1220 Ecological Field Studies
- BIOSC 1230 Ornithology
- BIOSC 1260 Aquatic Botany
- BIOSC 1270 Ecology of Fish
- BIOSC 1300 Vertebrate Community Ecology
- BIOSC 1330 Field Botany
- BIOSC 1360 Microbial Ecology: Fungi
- BIOSC 1390 Ecology of Invertebrates
- BIOSC 1410 Vertebrate Ecology
- BIOSC 1600 Stream Ecology
- BIOSC 2380 Ecological Genetics
- BIOSC 2390 Field Entomology
- BIOSC 2550 Experimental Designs in Ecology
- BIOSC 2570 Environmental Science Teacher's Workshop
- BIOSC 2590 Graduate Topics in Stream Ecology
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