Information

   The discipline of ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) brings together faculty who are interested in how organisms function and interact with their environments and how these interactions influence organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.  The group covers a variety of disciplines and research interests but is unified by the theme to understand how organisms survive, function, and adapt in changing ecosystems.  Understanding of the biological and physical environments (habitats, geography, geology, chemistry, hydrology, history) of focal species, populations and ecosystems provides the necessary conceptual foundation and basic sciences for ecology and evolutionary biology.   Questions emerge at the level of the molecule, gene, physiological and functional systems, individual, population, community, ecosystem and the entire globe. Environmental studies is an important applied subdiscipline which draws from and requires the conceptual and basic sciences of the larger realm of EEB.  As changes in land use and global climate accompany human progress, we need to know how environmental change impacts the world's biota and ecosystems. Consequently, the need for trained research personnel in ecology, functional morphology, physiology, animal behavior and evolutionary biology is accelerating.  

   The EEB graduate program has 16 faculty (10 in the College of Arts & Sciences and 6 in the College of Medicine) combined into one interdepartmental program housed in the Department of Biological Sciences.  The EEB group is part of  the Ohio Center for Ecology & Evolutionary Studies - a larger integrative group of ecology and evolutionary biology faculty and students from across campus.

Masters and Doctoral programs in EEB

   The guidelines for the MS and PhD programs comply with the departmental by-laws and university graduate guidelines.  However, EEB defines specific time-lines, course requirements, breadth requirements and examination formats for its students.  These guidelines were established by the EEB faculty to ensure that all students in our program receive broad-based training in ecology, morphology, and evolution.  Students should view these guidelines as a workable time schedule for  reasonable progress toward their degree.  Failure to meet the following guidelines can result in dismissal from the program.

  MASTERS     Program in EEB

  DOCTORAL Program in EEB

 Students entering the EEB program should consider themselves colleagues in the EEB focus group and take an active role as members of the program.  The EEB faculty believe that a vital component of a student’s training is the interaction and collaboration with all members of the program, including undergraduate and graduate students.  Similarly, students are encouraged to interact and collaborate with faculty and students that are not in EEB. The student’s advisor will help in the formulation of a thesis/ dissertation project, however, the student is expected to identify a topic of mutual interest appropriate for their research.  The faculty strongly believe that, with their help, students should develop an independent research program that defines them as scientists.

  A Master of Science in Environmental Studies is available as an interdisciplinary program of graduate coursework and research. The program is developed around five areas of concentration: life sciences, physical and earth sciences, environmental archaeology, environmental policy and planning, or environmental monitoring. For more information visit the MSES WEBSITE.

Application Guidelines

   Applications for admission must be received by the Department of Biological Sciences Office by 15 January of the calendar year of entrance. All applicants must have a 3.2 or better GPA (on a 4.0 scale) from the institution where they received their most recent degree (bachelor's or master's) and must score above the 50th percentile on all three areas (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) of the general Graduate Record Exam (GRE).  Non-native English speaking students must score a minimum 260 on the computerized Test of English as a Foreign Language Or, a 105 on the intenet iBT TOEFL.  All admissions are based on a hierarchal ranking of students and, if the student requires financial aid, on the availability of funding.

   Students interested in applying to the graduate program in Biological Sciences may use either the on-line application (preferred) or download a paper application to mail. You can access these new applications at: http://www.ohiou.edu/graduate/. Additional forms for letters of recommendation may be downloaded from the same page. Copies of scores from the GRE and TOEFL; three letters of reference; a short essay concerning prior training, research interest, career goals; and the names of three faculty members from our graduate faculty (whose research interests most closely match your own) should be mailed to our graduate secretary, Angie Nilsen, Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701. If you have may further questions, you may e-mail, our graduate secretary, at gradbios@ohiou.edu.

The Ohio University Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies (OCEES)

Website: http://www.ocees.ohio.edu/

   The Ohio Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies was approved by the Trustees of Ohio University in 2006 and resides in College of Arts and Sciences. The mission of the center is to advance the knowledge of ecology and evolutionary biology through an interdisciplinary learning and research community, integrating cutting-edge science and technology with undergraduate and graduate education.         

   The Center's core philosophy is that the frontiers of EEB advance by integrating diverse conceptual and methodological approaches from different academic disciplines and separate units within the University.  This interdisciplinary approach stimulates new areas of research and collaboration and increases interchange among diverse faculty and students.  Accordingly, the best preparation we can provide our students is formal engagement in research in modern integrative biology.   

   OCEES offers graduate and undergraduate programs to support and increase research experience for graduate students and superlative undergraduates and sponsors the Darwin Lecture series - a campus wide science education program.