Genetics and Genomics (CALS)

Program Information

Program Co-Directors: Doug Soltis and Maurice Swanson
Program Coordinator: Samantha Brooks

The University of Florida Genetics Institute is a multi-college, multi-faceted research center which offers the a degree program leading to the Ph.D. in Genetics and Genomics. Minimum requirements for this degree are available in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.

What defines the Genetics & Genomics Graduate Program is the philosophy that good geneticists are integrative geneticists, who incorporate many different subfields of genetics into their work. Accordingly, faculty interests and graduate research opportunities include a wide range of areas: advances in gene therapy, understanding the maintenance of genetic variation, understanding plant immune responses, developing improved algorithms for identifying regulatory motifs in DNA sequences, and the challenges of bioethics to strategies for controlling malaria. Due to the fundamental nature of genetics in the life sciences, our training program is distributed across several colleges at UF, including but not limited to the College of Medicine, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Agricultural and the Life Sciences, and the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Graduate Program Overview

First Year:

The first year core training is the research rotation program, in which students “rotate” through three labs in a minimum of two colleges. Rotations are critical to selecting a graduate advisor: they provide a hands-on opportunity to participate in the research being conducted in a lab, and a mutual opportunity to evaluate fit between advisor and prospective student.

Second Year:

• Individual program of courses and requirements is developed in consultation with major professor and dissertation committee

Admission Standards: Prospective students should have strong backgrounds in biology and other hard sciences. Exceptional students with other backgrounds will also be considered. The research statement required as part of the application has a particularly important part in the admissions decision. Each applicant must describe his/her research interests, so that Graduate Faculty can evaluate knowledge of the discipline, fit to the program, and ability to articulate and motivate an interesting research problem. The required Letters of Recommendation are also extremely important in helping identify applicants with exceptional aptitude for genetics, and with research experience and promise.

Contact the Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program by email, [email protected] or by phone, 352-273-8100.

For more information, visit our website: http://www.ufgi.ufl.edu.

Applicants who should complete the SSAR:

• Attended a high school regionally accredited in the United States for at least three years.
• Attended a DODEA (Department of Defense Education Activity) school.

Applicants who should not complete the SSAR:

• Attended a secondary school located outside the United States for more than one semester.
• Studied a curriculum that did not follow the standard U.S. system.

Required: At least three full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress (grades 9, 10 and 11 + senior schedule) in both the native language of instruction and a word for word certified English translation (if applicable). Unofficial transcripts are accepted electronically via the status Check Status page for the review process, while official transcripts and translations are required upon enrollment.

All applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate English proficiency. English proficiency examination results, such as TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test, are encouraged for non-native English speakers, but are not required for freshman admission. SAT or ACT results are required for all freshman applicants.

Start by exploring our more than 250 degree programs to determine the application requirements and if additional items, such as transcripts, portfolios or recommendation letters, are needed in your application. Application deadlines also vary by department, so be sure to apply before the deadline.

Pursuant to Florida Statute, your application requires inclusion of all post-high school education and employment, as well as information about ongoing international affiliations and research funding. Ensure this information is included on your curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé that is uploaded within your graduate application.

If the program of interest requires recommendation letters, these should be submitted electronically through the admissions application. You must request these recommendations prior to submitting your application. You cannot add or delete recommendations once your application has been submitted. If your recommendation is supplied by paper or PDF, check with your academic program to inquire if this will be accepted.

You can check the receipt of materials by the Office of Admissions on the Check Status page. This page will only reflect information concerning materials forwarded directly to the Office of Admissions and does not include materials that are required to be sent directly to your academic unit.

Approximately 24-48 hours after submitting your online application, your 8-digit UF Identification Number (UFID) will be available on the status of your application. Use the same username and password used to submit your CollegeNET application.

Your UFID is unique to you and should be used in all email communication and any subsequent applications submitted. If you do not use your UFID in communications and submissions, it is difficult for us to match your test scores, transcripts, and financial aid information to your academic record.