University of Minnesota

Program Information

Degree Offered

Ph.D.; M.D./Ph.D.; Ph.D./J.D.

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The University of Minnesota Graduate Programs in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics (BMBB) and in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics (MCDBG) have merged their first year graduate training into a combined Graduate Studies in Molecular, Cellular and Structural Biology (MCSB) curriculum. These two exceptionally strong graduate programs provide advanced training in disciplines leading to a Ph.D. degree either in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics or in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics. Upon application, you will be considered for both programs and, when admitted, be able to explore the offerings of both programs for the first academic year before deciding on which one you would like to enter. Thus, you will make your major academic career choice once you have had a close look at the array of opportunities open to you. Graduate studies in Molecular, Cellular and Structural Biology is flexible enough to accommodate students with a wide variety of educational backgrounds. The curriculum encompasses over 110 faculty with appointments in various departments in The College of Biological Sciences, Medical School, The Institute of Technology, The College of Agriculture, and The School of Veterinary Medicine. Faculty interests are exceptionally broad and range from the genetics of populations to analysis of the three-dimensional structure of complex molecules.

The Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics Graduate Program (MCDB&G) is a broad-based interdisciplinary graduate program with 80 faculty members. The program emphasizes basic research in the fields of genetics, cell biology and development through the use of model organisms such as yeast, Chlamydomonas, Arabidopsis, C. elegans, Drosophila, Dictyostelium, zebrafish and mice. There is also a strong group of faculty that study human genetic diseases including cancer, ataxia, muscular dystrophy, and immunologic deficiencies. Faculty members have appointments in various departments in The College of Biological Sciences, The Medical School, The Institute of Technology, The College of Agriculture, and The School of Veterinary Medicine.

Students begin their training in the Molecular, Cellular, Structural Biology (MCSB) program, a joint first-year program between MCDB&G and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics (BMBB). Students are able to explore the offerings of both programs for the first academic year before deciding on which program they would like to enter.

MCDB&G graduate students undertake state-of-the-art research and publish their research in prestigious journals. In 2008 – 2009 seven MCDB&G students won nationally competitive pre-doctoral fellowships from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the American Heart Association.

Accreditation:

The University of Minnesota has been accredited since 1913.

Eligibility Requirements:

The MCDB&G Program is also part of the Joint Degree Program in Law, Health and the Life Sciences. This unique program at the University of Minnesota is designed for students interested in combining a Law degree with one of a broad range of graduate degrees in the health and life sciences. The Joint Degree in Molecular Biology and Genomics allows students to combine a Law degree with a Ph.D. or Master’s degree in MCDB&G.

Admission to the Joint Degree in Law and MCDB&G requires separate admissions to both the MCDB&G Graduate Program and to the Law School.

Application deadline is December 15.

International Student Requirements:

International Students - TOEFL scores of 625 (paper), 263 (computer), or 106-108 (internet, with writing subsection 25 and reading subsection 25 or higher) or IELTS score of 7.0 or higher. These are recommended scores, not an absolute minimum.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Fringe Rural Area

Size & Settings: 10,000 - 19,999