Degree Title and Name:  Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular and Cellular Biology

Program Name and Number:

MCB Plant Biology – PH6949

MCB Biological Sciences – PH6947

MCB Chemistry/Biochemistry – PH6946

Department/Unit:  College of Arts and Sciences

Delivery Mode:  Athens Campus

Term(s) of Entry:  Fall (interdepartmental transfers considered Fall and Spring)

Program Overview:  This is an interdisciplinary program committed to providing students with one-on-one faculty mentoring and cutting-edge scientific, education, and research opportunities in molecular and cellular biology.

The program offers the Ph.D. in a broad range of areas in molecular and cellular biology catered to student and faculty interests. A core curriculum has been developed with course offerings in MCB, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Plant Biology, and Computer Science, with access to world-class research facilities. MCB graduate students are also eligible to earn a graduate certificate in Bioinformatics during their study at Ohio University.

The MCB doctorate is a full-time program. Normative time to completion is five academic years.

Program Learning Outcomes:  Students will be able to:

• Follow professional standards of scientific inquiry and responsible conduct in their research and professional interactions.
• Provide detailed explanations of topics within their research area of concentration.
• Explain key concepts across the breadth of the field of molecular and cellular biology.
• Design and perform experiments to test hypotheses, both independently and in collaborative research teams.
• Collect, analyze and interpret results from biological data.
• Perform statistical analysis, as necessary, to interpret datasets.
• Write competitive research proposals.
• Present scientific knowledge in both written and oral forms to both scientific and lay audiences.

Link to Program:  https://www.ohio.edu/mcb/

Link to Program Handbook:  The Memorandum of Understanding outlining detailed processes and requirements can be found at https://www.ohio.edu/mcb/curriculum/index.cfm.

Graduation Requirements:  Complete 90 credit hours (30 graded credits of course work), with no grade below a C. A student entering the program with an earned M.S. degree is required to complete a minimum of 24 graded credit hours of graduate coursework.

Required core curriculum for MCB students:

• Biochemistry - CHEM 5901 (4 credits) and CHEM 5902 (4 credits)
• Biological Research and Science Ethics – PBIO 5170 (1 credit)
• Molecular Biology - MCB 7200 (3 credits)
• Bioinformatics – Genomics Laboratory – MCB 5280 (3 credits) or Problem Solving with Bioinformatics Tools – MCB 5160 (3 credits)
• Advanced Cell Biology - MCB 7600 (3 credits)
• Writing in the Life Sciences - PBIO 5180 (3 credits)
• Seminar in Molecular and Cellular Biology - MCB 7410 (1 credit)

Culminating Experience:  Students will complete a written dissertation and oral defense of the dissertation.

Admission Requirements:  Applications meeting the following criteria are reviewed for admission to the PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology program:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in biology or related discipline
• GPA (or equivalent) of 3.0 out of 4.0
• GRE scores: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical Writing scores are required. The GRE subject test is not required.
• For international students: Minimum TOEFL iBT score of 95 (or 260 on the Ohio University-administered TOEFL)
• 3 letters of recommendation from current or prior professors.
• Resume or Curriculum Vita (CV) with employment and research experience, including part-time and / or unpaid volunteer or internship experiences.
• Personal Statement which includes: autobiographical sketch and statement of intent. 
• A list of 2-3 MCB faculty members whose research you find especially interesting and would consider as potential mentors.

International Students:  This program permits full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 may be issued based on admission to this program.