A broad range of courses are taught in most biological disciplines, although the department is focused in two major directions. Faculty in the Divisions of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCD) and Evolution, Ecology and Behavioral Biology (EEB) have research interests in environmental microbiology, population and microbial genetics, developmental biology, plant and animal physiology, metabolism, plant and animal ecology, behavioral ecology, invertebrate zoology, and community and ecosystem ecology.
Students seeking the PhD Degree in Biology traditionally have a master's degree or its equivalent; however, students may enter the program with only the baccalaureate degree. Generally, the first year or two is spent in coursework, research is begun by the second year, and the thesis/dissertation completed in the final year.