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Graduate Program in Ecology

The Graduate Program in Ecology is a multidisciplinary, interdepartmental program of study and research leading to M.S. (with a thesis required) and Ph.D. degrees. This program brings together faculty and students, with interests in ecology, from various departments. Ecology is by nature an interdisciplinary subject that crosses departmental boundaries. The program provides students with educational experiences that reflect this interdepartmental nature, and facilitates interdepartmental collaborations and interactions among students and faculty. Assistantships are provided by the home department.

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Participating Host Departments

The Graduate Program in Ecology brings together faculty and students, with interests in ecology, from various departments. Ecology is by nature an interdisciplinary subject that crosses departmental boundaries. The program provides students with educational experiences that reflect this interdepartmental nature, and facilitates interdepartmental collaborations and interactions among students and faculty. Miami Master's and Ph.D. students can also earn a Certificate in Ecology, through the interdepartmental Graduate Program in Ecology.

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Academics

Students in the program receive their degrees from a home department but satisfy the requirements of the Graduate Program in Ecology in lieu of home department requirements. Students also earn a Certificate in Ecology. Miami also offers an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology.

Students interested in this program should review the research interests of the faculty associates. Any faculty associate in a participating department can serve as the thesis/dissertation advisor.

student collecting samples in the lake

Students who fulfill all the requirements of this program will receive a Certificate in Ecology, in addition to a graduate degree from their home department.

A. Formal Course Requirements

Students must earn 12 credit hours of formal coursework, including:

  1. BIO 671, or equivalent course in population/community ecology
  2. BIO 672, or equivalent course in ecosystem ecology
  3. one graduate course in the student's home department, not including those used to satisfy requirements 1 or 2 above
  4. one course in statistics or mathematical modeling

A formal plan of study, including courses to be taken to satisfy requirements 1-4, must be approved by the student's committee.

B. Seminars

Students must take at least two semesters of graduate seminars in ecology.

C. Professional Workshop(s)/Seminar(s)

Students must take any workshop, seminar in teaching, or other professional training required of new students by the home department.

D. Thesis

Students must complete a thesis. The thesis committee must include at least three faculty members. Two committee members must be from the student's home department and two must be Ecology Program Faculty Affiliates. The Committee Chair (Advisor) must be a member or associate of the home department.

E. Diagnostic Exams

Students must complete either a comprehensive exam, or a thesis proposal defense. The type of exam will be determined by the student's home department.

F. Other Requirements

In all other matters, such as evaluation of teaching performance, service on departmental committees, etc., students must follow the procedures set forth by the student's home department.

student and faculty member collecting readings from water tanks

Students who fulfill all the requirements of this program will receive a Certificate in Ecology, in addition to a graduate degree from their home department.

A. Formal Course Requirements

Students must earn 18 credit hours of formal coursework, including:

  1. BIO 671, or equivalent course in population/community ecology
  2. BIO 672, or equivalent course in ecosystem ecology
  3. one graduate course in the student's home department, not including those used to satisfy requirements 1 or 2 above
  4. one course in statistics or mathematical modeling

A formal plan of study, including courses to be taken to satisfy requirements 1-4, must be approved by the student's committee. Equivalent courses taken in another graduate program may satisfy course requirements, at the discretion of the student's thesis/dissertation committee. In the event that a student has not yet formed a committee, s/he can seek approval from the Ecology Program Executive Committee.

B. Seminars

Students must take at least 4 semesters of graduate seminars in ecology.

C. Professional Workshop(s)/Seminar(s)

Students must take any workshop, seminar in teaching, or other professional training required of new students by the home department.

D. Dissertation

Students must complete a dissertation. The dissertation committee must include at least 5 faculty members. Three committee members must be from the student's home department, and three must be Ecology Program Faculty Associates. The Committee Chair (Advisor) must be a member or associate of the home department.

E. Comprehensive Exams

Students must pass a comprehensive written and oral exam, given by the student's dissertation committee.

F. Other Requirements

In all other matters, such as evaluation of teaching performance, service on departmental committees, etc., students must follow the procedures set forth by the student's home department.

Graduate Program in Ecology

Hank Stevens, Ph. D.
338 Pearson Hall
Oxford, OH 45056