A-234 Langley Hall

412-624-4268

http://www.biology.pitt.edu/

cbarr@pitt.edu

The Department of Biological Sciences is a community of faculty, students and staff studying an expansive spectrum of the living world from macromolecular structure to ecology and much of the natural work in between. We offer programs of study leading to the PhD degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB), and in Ecology and Evolution (EE). Our goal is to train independent scientists that are: knowledgeable in all areas of EE or MCDB and are experts one specific area; competent to independently design, execute and interpret experiments in biology; able to effectively communicate scientific findings in writing and orally; effective teachers; and well prepared to find a position in academia or industry utilizing the skills learnt in our graduate programs. The course of study varies depending upon the program and the student. Four graduate classes (8 credits) are taken within the first two years, which emphasize critical thinking in specialized areas of study. Seminar classes widen students’ specialized knowledge and improve their interpretation of experimental data, and workshops in preparing grants and papers hone communications skills. Students also explore scientific opportunities by attending departmental symposia, including a retreat at the department's field station, and by rotating through two (EE) or three (MCDB) laboratories in their first year. Once an area of specialization is chosen after these rotations, the major effort is on the student's dissertation research. Students and faculty interact with neighboring scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh Genetics Institute, Graduate School of Public Health, Carnegie Mellon University, and Carnegie Museum, providing additional breadth to the program.