Doctor of Philosophy in Complex Biological Systems

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Modern societal challenges in biological sciences are complex and transcend scale; they also rapidly evolve. Solutions to complex biological problems require multi level understanding, from molecular and atomic levels to populations and ecosystems, technologies that operate across these scales, and teams that cover all scales. The Complex Biological Systems Ph.D. program is use-oriented, problem-focused, and emphasizes the scales of societal problems (from molecules to ecological systems) and the connections between these scales. This program brings together interdisciplinary faculty mentors with overlapping big-picture goals and complementary skill sets, providing students with diverse cutting-edge dissertation research experiences.

Students possessing a bachelor’s degree will be required to complete a minimum of 72 semester hours of graduate-level coursework. Students possessing a master’s degree in a related field will be required to complete a minimum of 42 semester hours of graduate-level coursework beyond their master’s degree. A minimum of 30 semester hours are required from research/dissertation courses.

Program Requirements

Core Courses: 18 s.h.

CBS 01510 - Molecular Foundations of Biological Systems Credits: 3
CBS 01520 - Cellular Foundations of Biological Systems Credits: 3
CBS 01530 - Organismal Foundations of Biological Systems Credits: 3
CBS 01540 - Biological Networks and Systems Credits: 3
CBS 01570 - Computational Methods and Data Analysis in Biological Systems Credits: 3
CBS 01580 - Integrative Analysis of Biological Problems Credits: 3
CBS 01590 - Graduate Seminar Credits: 0 *

Note:

*CBS 01590 - Graduate Seminar is required for 6 semesters.

Required Research/Dissertation Courses: 30 - 48 s.h.

CBS 01550 - Thesis Research Credits: 1 to 9 **

Note:

**Students take CBS 01550 each semester, for a minimum of 30 s.h.

Restricted Electives: 6-18 s.h.

CBS 01560 - Fundamentals of Teaching for Biological Sciences Credits: 3 ***
CBS XXXXX - Any 500-level or higher course****

Note:

***CBS 01560 - Fundamentals of Teaching for Biological Sciences is required for students that recieve teaching fellowship support.

****Courses must be pre-approved by Graduate Program Coordinator and the student’s research/dissertation advisor.

Total Required Credits for the Program: 72 s.h.

Foundation Courses

None

Graduation/Exit, Benchmark, and/or Thesis Requirements:

Conferral of the doctorate will occur only after submission of a doctoral thesis and approval by the candidate’s Thesis Committee of the written thesis and oral defense. This process and all forms are regulated by Rowan University’s School of Graduate Studies and outlined in the Thesis & Dissertation Manual.

Minimum Required Grades and Cumulative GPA

The Doctor of Philosophy in Complex Biological Systems is a Category 2 program. Students must earn a B- or better in all required courses and maintain a 3.0 GPA or better overall in order to graduate.

For details regarding satisfactory academic progress and graduation requirements, please visit Academic Program Policy Categories

Program Coordinator/Advisor Contact Information
Nathaniel Nucci
856.256.4396
nucci@rowan.edu