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Departmental Option of Molecular Evolutionary Biology
Molecular Evolutionary Biology is one of
the options for specialization that are offered in the
Biological Doctoral
Program. This option has associated with a selection of courses from
which a minimum of 6 to 9 credits must be successfully completed, plus a
thesis directed by a Biology faculty member in the option. Additional
information can be obtained from the director of the graduate programs
in the Department of Biology.
Molecular Evolutionary Biology option is concerned with the study of
evolution at the molecular level to understand the mechanisms of
evolutionary change and to clarify the evolutionary history of
organisms. It is a multidisciplinary science that integrates molecular
biology, developmental biology, and population biology.
Penn State has a strong reputation in
the field of evolutionary genetics through both the Institute of
Molecular Evolutionary Genetics and the
Intercollege Graduate Program in
Genetics, many members of which belong to the
Department of Biology.
The requirements are as follows:
1. The student must meet the criteria for the M.S. or Ph.D. in
Biology.
2. The student's research adviser must be a member of the Biology
program and/or a full member of the Institute of Molecular Evolutionary
Genetics. Other committee members may be chosen as needed providing that
a majority of the committee is associated with the IMEG.
3. In addition to the normal Biology program requirements, the
student must take (for both an M.S. or Ph.D. in Biology) 3 credits of
course work in BIOL 591; 9 credits from among
the following courses (to be selected in consultation with the student's
committee): BIOL405, 422, 427, 428, 514, 530, (ENT;WILDL) 542, 531, 524,
533, 590, BMB 514.
4. Any other course work or training deemed appropriate by the
student's committee.
Courses offered in this area of
specialization include: Molecular Evolution, Advanced Genetics,
Evolution, Population Genetics, Topics in Evolution, Ecological
Genetics, Systematics, Molecular Basis of Plant Development, Seminar in
Genetics, Problems in Genetics, Molecular Biology and Cellular
Regulation, and Statistical Methods in Evolutionary Genetics. |
