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San Diego State University
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and
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University of California Riverside
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Overview / Degree Requirements / Requirements / Admission / Cost of Study and Support
(Revised 10 December 2009)
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NEW! The current status of our joint doctoral program in Evolutionary Biology with UC Riverside is "Pending Expected Systemwide Approval." It is our expectation that final approval will be granted in January 2010. In anticipation of approval, prospective students should plan to provide the following items as soon as the program is approved: CV, Statement of Purpose, 3 Letters of Reference, Official Transcripts, and GRE scores (subject GRE suggested but not required). We will notify you immediately when our JD EB program is available on CSU Mentor.
The principal objective of the Joint Doctoral Program in Evolutionary Biology (JDPEB) is to allow talented students to pursue graduate work in integrative evolutionary studies towards a doctoral degree jointly administered by UCR and SDSU.
The joint nature of the doctoral program offers many advantages. Students benefit from contact and expertise in and outside the classroom with faculty members at two strong, complementary evolutionary biology programs. Students also have the opportunity to access facilities and field sites from both institutions that are located throughout southern California and adjacent regions.
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At SDSU and UCR, students may study a broad range of topics in evolutionary biology including systematics, paleontology, molecular population biology, and organismal/biodiversity biology. The Ph.D. degree is jointly awarded by both institutions after successful defense of the dissertation.
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After formal admission to the joint doctoral program, students must spend at least one academic year in full time residence on each of the two campuses. For most students, SDSU is likely to be the primary campus.
JDPEB students must take Theory of Evolution (UCR Biol 216) and at least two disciplinary courses, at least one of which must be taken at UCR. Students will also enroll in a current research topics seminar during each UCR quarter or SDSU semester of residence.
The majority of required coursework will be completed prior to the Written Qualifying Exam, which is taken at the end of the second year. Upon passing this exam, students are required to take an Oral Qualifying Exam to gauge the student’s readiness for advancement to candidacy. The Oral Qualifying Examination Committee consists of 2 UCR EEOB faculty, 1 UCR outside committee member, and a minimum of 2 SDSU EB faculty.
More important than the required course work, students formulate and carry out a significant research project that results in a dissertation. The final step to completing the degree is submission of a thesis to the student’s Joint Dissertation Committee and a thesis defense.
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Admission eligibility is based on evidence of adequate preparation and capacity for advance work in evolutionary biology. Preparation should include a strong background in biology. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Acceptance of students into the joint program by each institution is required. Admission depends on meeting the standards of admission for the respective institutions, the interest of a potential major professor at each institution, and the availability of facilities for research and instruction.
There are two critical steps in the admission process:
1. Find a faculty advisor. Students must have an SDSU faculty member in the EB Joint Doctoral program willing to accept them into their lab as a condition of acceptance into the program. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty whose research interests are compatible with their own to determine if these faculty are accepting students, and, if so, to arrange a visit to campus. Most faculty will request to see a curriculum vitae and a statement of research interests from prospective students.
2. Submit an application. Interested students should contact Annalisa Berta for further details.
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The Department of Biology at SDSU endeavors to provide adequate support for all students so that full time can be devoted to research training and study. Support provided by SDSU includes tuition, a stipend, and funds for research supplies. The current stipend is $20,000 for the academic year. Graduate students in the program also receive a benefits package that includes comprehensive health coverage. Once admitted, fees for California residents are paid by the Graduate Office for up to 6 units at both SDSU and UCR. Students typically will receive support for 5 years, as long as they are making satisfactory progress and are satisfactorily meeting other responsibilities related to the stipend.
All JD students are required to obtain teaching experience, which is normally accomplished by appointment as a graduate teaching associate for at least two semesters at SDSU. The teaching load for students receiving these stipends is one laboratory section per semester plus grading and preparation of assignments.
Joint doctoral students may also be offered support from research assistantships (RA) funded by extramural contracts or grants.
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