Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

PhD Degree in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Upon completing the PhD degree in the field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, students will be able to:

1. Develop a comprehensive knowledge of current and past research accomplishments and techniques in biochemistry and cell biology.
2. Demonstrate independent problem solving and critical thinking skills.
3. Demonstrate effective written, oral, and visual communication skills required to articulate scientific findings and significance via publications, seminars, and a thesis describing independent research.

PhD Degree in field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

For general university requirements, please see Doctoral Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, please see All Graduate Students. Students pursuing PhD Degree in field of Biochemistry and Cell Biology must complete requirements as listed below. 

Course Requirements

Most of formal course studies will be completed in first year of residence to allow students to commence thesis research at end of their second semester at Rice. During first year, BCB Graduate Advisory Committee will advise all graduate students. This committee will determine formal course program to be taken during first year in residence. Students are required to have training in biochemistry and cell biology; training in genetics and physical chemistry or biophysics is also beneficial. Students lacking formal training in biochemistry or cell biology are required to take equivalent background courses during their first year. 

following Rice courses must be taken if students lack these prerequisites in their final undergraduate transcript: 

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.