Biochemistry and Cellular & Molecular Biology

The University of Tennessee Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) trains graduate students in the fundamentals of scientific research. The department provides an excellent graduate education with a highly diverse graduate population. The program offers: a) high-quality graduate coursework in the form of lectures, lab courses, and seminars; b) participation in high impact, fundamental research at the cutting edge of the molecular and cellular biological sciences; and c) diverse teaching opportunities with active mentoring to improve their teaching skills. The BCMB faculty is committed to fostering a strong mentoring environment for all of their students that will maximize their subsequent career opportunities in diverse career paths.

Research in BCMB covers scales from atomic to molecular to organismal and includes research on diverse experimental systems. The expertise of our faculty is varied and encompasses biochemistry, cell biology, biophysics, molecular genetics & biology, physiology and computational/mathematical biology. This diversity creates many opportunities for collaborations that span multiple disciplines. Go to the BCMB website for more information.

• Applicants must have obtained a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency, recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEEA). A non-U.S. degree must be equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from the United States and must be granted by a recognized or accredited foreign institution. 
• United States degree holders must have earned a minimum of 2.7 out of a possible 4.0 GPA or a minimum of 3.0 during the senior year of undergraduate study. If you have completed previous graduate coursework, you must have earned a minimum of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 GPA.
• Applicants with non-U.S. degrees must have earned a minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or other equivalent to a ‘B’ average. If you have completed previous graduate coursework, you must have earned a minimum of 3.3 out of a possible 4.0 GPA or other equivalent to a ‘B+’ average.
• Applicants may be required to submit standardized test scores, depending upon their program requirements.
• Applicants may be required to submit English language certification test scores.

1. Please confirm the correct name of your graduate degree or certificate program by viewing our list of programs. This will ensure that you apply for the right program when you submit your application.
2. Create your account on Slate, our online application system, and begin completing the admission application.
3. Scan and upload copies of transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate institutions you have attended.
4. Upload degree certificates (if applicable).
5. Upload departmental/program requirements as indicated in the online application system.
6. Pay the $60 non-refundable application fee by credit/debit card.