Graduate
Our programs encourage individual research and scholarship, in collaboration with diverse faculty areas of expertise.
The Department of Integrative Biology offers a Master of Science (MS) in Biology and a doctoral program (PHD) in Integrative and Systems Biology. Our program faculty represent various campus departments and community affiliates. Students have access to unique opportunities and resources at both the Downtown Denver and Anschutz Medical Campuses. Prospective students should visit with our Graduate Program Faculty to determine research availability in specific fields of specialization.
For up to date information about our Graduate Programs please see the Current Graduate Handbook
For the Master's Program Learning Goals and Outcomes, please click here.
For the Doctoral Program's Learning Goals and Outcomes, please click here.
To apply to our program, access the CU Denver Slate Application Portal here.
- If you are applying to the MS program - select "Biology - MS" from the application menu.
- If you are applying to the PhD program - select "Integrative & Systems Biology - PhD" from the application menu.
Our application deadline is DECEMBER 1, 2022, with the online application available now.
The Department of Integrative Biology's graduate programs are research-based. Potential students are required to identify and contact an available faculty advisor for research mentoring & financial support, prior to application.
- A BA/BS from an accredited institution, awarded in the past 10 years
- Minimum undergraduate 3.0 GPA
- TOEFL: required for international applicants from countries in which English is not the official language
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- A letter of support from your identified faculty mentor
- NOTE: the Biology graduate programs NO LONGER require GRE scores as part of admission
- Prerequisite courses required:
- One year of general biology (lecture and laboratory)
- One year of any combination of chemistry, physics, or mathematics
- One course in applied or biological statistics (through regression and ANOVA)
- Additional prerequisite requirements may be set by individual faculty
- A BA/BS or MS from an accredited institution awarded in the past 10 years
- Minimum undergraduate 3.0 GPA
- TOEFL: required for international applicants from countries in which English is not the official language
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Official transcripts from all attended institutions
- A letter of support from your identified faculty mentor
- NOTE: the Biology graduate programs NO LONGER require GRE scores as part of admission
- Prerequisite courses required:
- One year of general biology is preferred; supplementary courses or reading programs may be designed to provide background information of sufficient depth for the program curriculum
- One course in applied or biological statistics (through regression and ANOVA)
- Additional prerequisite requirements may be set by individual faculty
Both the MS in Biology and PhD in Integrative and Systems Biology are research-based programs with a goal to provide advanced training in the current concepts, theories, debates, and methods for modern biology from a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and communication through a series of seminars and research-oriented courses that are specifically tailored to student research programs. Students are required to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in both programs.
The master's degree requires a minimum of 30 credits. A maximum of 12 hours of graduate-level courses may be transferred and counted toward the degree. Students must form an advisory committee and orally deliver & defend written work before this committee. This defense constitutes the final examination for the program as required by the Graduate School.
- Writing coursework/curriculum plan*
- Completing 30 credits including 3-6 thesis (BIOL 6950)
- At least 2 semesters of full-time scholarship (5 coursework credits or 1 thesis/candidate credit)
- Forming and meeting regularly with an advisory committee
- Writing and defending research proposal*
- Writing and defending research thesis (including 1 or more publishable units)*
*Paperwork required, see all graduate forms at the University of Colorado Graduate School.
The PhD degree requires the completion of six phases. Students must first complete a minimum of 60 credits. Up to 30 graduate-level courses from other graduate programs may be transferred and counted toward the degree. Students must also pass the Preliminary Exam, form an Advisory Committee and an Examination Committee, meet the academic residency requirement, pass the comprehensive exam, and write and orally defend a dissertation.
- Writing coursework/curriculum plan*
- Completing 60 credits including 30 of dissertation (BIOL 8990)
- Meeting minimum academic residency requirements
- At least 4 semesters of full-time scholarship if the student holds MS degree
- At least 6 semesters of full-time scholarship if the student does not hold MS degree
- Passing the Preliminary Exam in the first year*
- Forming Advisory and Examination committees
- Writing and defending research proposal (Comprehensive Exam in second or third year)*
- Meeting annually with Advisory committee
- Writing and defending dissertation (including 2 or more publishable units)*
*Paperwork required, see all graduate forms at the University of Colorado Graduate School.
Graduate student support comes through a combination of research grants, fellowships, and teaching assistantships (GTA). Graduate students may obtain student loans and other support through the University of Colorado Financial Aid Office .
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) are awarded to MS and PhD students on a competitive basis. GTAs are considered full-time student employment and provide $15,000 per academic year (9 months). Any student awarded a GTA position must enroll in BIOL 6002 "Pedagogy" during their first semester of teaching. PhD students may apply for a GTA in all years. PhD students are eligible for additional support, paid in the form of stipend and tuition. PhD students may apply for competitive merit scholarships, once the comprehensive examination is passed.
The Department, the Graduate School, and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences all offer additional academic support through travel grants, awarded on a competitive basis. These grants are used for travel to present research at professional meetings and conferences. Contact Dr. Mike Wunder for details.