Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Graduate Degree Program

Description
The Graduate Programs in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB) provide rigorous, individualized graduate training that emphasizes innovative research, leading to the award of both Master’s and Doctoral degrees. The philosophy of the MCDB doctoral program is to provide students with a solid foundation of current knowledge, but allow flexibility so that students may choose their own path of inquiry, focusing on individual research. Thus, required coursework is kept to a reasonable minimum, and is usually completed during the first year of study. A full schedule of weekly seminars by invited speakers and an annual research retreat/meeting form the framework for scientific interactions, with a variety of interdisciplinary research efforts. A full-range of state-of-the-art facilities on campus is available to MCDB researchers, which include digital imaging and microscopy instrumentation as well as DNA sequencing and computer analysis laboratories. In addition a wide range of biochemical and biophysical instrumentation, including mass spectrometry, CD, and X-Ray crystallography facilities, are available on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus.

The approximately 25 research groups in the MCDB Department focus on a wide range of current biological problems in the areas of molecular and cellular biology. Areas of particular focus include molecular microbiology, molecular neurobiology, developmental and cellular genetics, plant molecular biology, and marine molecular biology.

The faculty in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology have earned numerous distinctions and awards, including the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator award, National Institutes of Health Merit Fellowship, American Cancer Society (ACS) Junior Faculty Fellow, and Searle and Beckman Scholar awards. UCSB is an elected member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, and was also recently ranked second in the nation among public universities for research productivity.

General Information
Website http://lifesci.ucsb.edu/MCDB/
Address Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
University of California, Santa Barbara
Life Sciences Building, Room 3314
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9625
(USA)
Phone (805) 893-8499
Email mcdb-gradasst@lifesci.ucsb.edu
Degrees Offered MA, MA/PhD, PhD
Requirements
  • Online application: https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp
  • Statement of Purpose with completed coversheets (2 copies)
  • Statement of Personal Achievements/Contributions (2 copies)
  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) (2 copies)
  • Three Letters of Recommendation (Submitted online. Note: if submitted via postal mail, please attach required coversheets)
  • Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (2 copies)
  • GRE General test scores and GRE Subject test scores (Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology or Biology or Chemistry)
  • TOEFL scores 610 Paper-Based Test (PBT), 102 Internet-Based Test (IBT) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Overall Band score of 7 or higher (if applicable)
Pre-Application Pre-Application is required for international applicants.
Deadlines Fall Only - December 15, 2009
Optional Emphases