Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree / Master of Science (MS) Degree / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

BA/MS/PhD Accelerated Degree Program in field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

BA in Biosciences Requirements

All of a BA Degree with a Major in Biosciences 

• and a Major Concentration in Biochemistry,⁵ or
• and a Major Concentration in Cell Biology and Genetics,⁵ or 
• and a Major Concentration in Integrative Biology⁵

are required for BA/MS/PhD accelerated program. 

MS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology Requirements

BA/MS/PhD Committee will advise students pursuing BA/MS completion and will approve their formal course program during their final two years in BA/MS program. Students who wish to pursue BA/MS program must select MS thesis advisor by end of their second year, when they declare their major, to provide opportunity to begin a project that will form basis of MS thesis.

Course MS degree include:

Footnotes and Additional Information

Students will be responsible for content of these courses in their MS defense (which also serves as Admission to PhD Candidacy examination). 

Progress reviews with MS thesis committee occur at end of junior year and early spring of senior year. Students who wish to continue to PhD after MS should include a section on their proposed PhD research project in senior year progress review, indicating their future goals and aims. This future work section should also be included in MS thesis and may be part of discussion with thesis committee following defense. MS thesis will be submitted and public oral defense will occur in summer following graduation at end of senior year with completion of BA requirements. MS candidates continuing to PhD must maintain a GPA ≥ 3.00, complete a thesis, and make a public oral defense that includes a private examination by their MS thesis committee. Students who complete MS requirements with a GPA ≥ 2.67 but less than 3.00 must defend their thesis to complete MS degree, but will not be admitted to PhD program. 

PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology Requirements

following are required for admission to PhD portion of BA/MS/PhD accelerated program: Successful completion of MS thesis and oral defense, which will serve as admission to candidacy examination for all PhD candidates in this program, an overall GPA ≥ 3.00 for BA-MS degree courses. Students who are in good academic standing in BA/MS portion and have passed their MS final oral examination may begin their doctoral studies summer following graduation with approval of their PhD mentor and Department Chair. 

Course completion of PhD studies within accelerated BA/MS/PhD program include all of required courses taken during MS studies and following:

Footnotes and Additional Information

Evaluation of Progress in PhD Phase of BA/MS/PhD Program

Graduate Advisory Committee evaluates each student's record and recommends any further coursework based on requirements and on interests of student. Thesis advisors may require additional courses. At end of each semester, department chair, in consultation with faculty, reviews student performance in formal coursework. Students must maintain at least a B grade average (GPA ≥ 3.00), perform satisfactorily in their research efforts, and demonstrate outstanding motivation and potential for research.

Evaluation during PhD phase of program includes: 

• MS thesis and its oral defense constitute admission to candidacy examination
• Ongoing review of research progress by thesis advisor; satisfactory research progress will be indicated by a grade of "S" in BIOS 800 each semester 
• A yearly research progress assessment by student’s Research Progress Review Committee
• Presentation of research progress at least once a year in seminar format (BIOS 585 or BIOS 582) starting in first year of PhD study and continuing until submission of doctoral thesis
• Defense of PhD thesis research and text in a final public seminar presentation and oral examination attended by student’s Thesis Committee 

The English Language Proficiency Requirement may be waived for an international student who received a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of communication. Contact the admitting program for more information.

The following language proficiency tests are accepted by Rice graduate programs and will be used to assess English language proficiency. Please note the below scores are the minimum requirement, though some program requirements will be higher.

• The TOEFL IBT Home. A minimum score of 90 is required
• IELTS Indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.
• Duolingo. A minimum score of 115 is required.

1. Find your graduate program(s) of interest and submit an interest form. Click here for a listing of schools and departments.
2. Research the cost of study and available financial support. Qualified doctoral students often receive tuition waivers and a generous stipend.
3. Look at our facts and stats on admissions, enrollment and degrees awarded.
4. Learn more about research at Rice.
5. Find out what living in Houston is like.