Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

For More Information

Campus address: Norman Hackerman Building (NHB) 2.634, phone (512) 471-8490, fax (512) 232-3699; campus mail code: A6500

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin; Graduate Coordinator for Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; School of Biological Sciences; 100 E 24th Street Stop A6500, Austin TX 78712-1598

E-mail: tamra@austin.utexas.edu

URL: http://www.biosci.utexas.edu/graduate/eeb/

Areas of Study

The graduate program in ecology, evolution, and behavior encompasses a range of fields. Research ranges from the molecular level to the ecosystem, with approaches that include fieldwork, laboratory analyses, and mathematical modeling.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee in the spring semester 2015.

Jeffrey E Barrick Daniel I Bolnick Deborah A Bolnick James J Bull David Cannatella Zengjian J Chen Julia A Clarke David P Crews Molly E Cummings Michael Daniels Andrew Ellington Norma L Fowler Lee A Fuiman Lawrence E Gilbert Robin Gutell Christine V Hawkes Dean Hendrickson David M Hillis Johann Hofmann Robert K Jansen Shalene Jha Thomas E Juenger Timothy H Keitt Mark A Kirkpatrick

Mathew A Leibold Donald A Levin Craig R Linder Mikhail V Matz James D Mauseth Lauren A Meyers Ian J Molineux Nancy A Moran Ulrich G Mueller Howard Ochman Jose L Panero Camille Parmesan Steven M Phelps Eric R Pianka William H Press Timothy B Rowe Michael J Ryan Sahotra Sarkar Beryl B Simpson Michael C Singer Edward C Theriot Peter Thomas Claus O Wilke Harold H Zakon

Degree Requirements

Master of Arts

The graduate program is focused on the doctoral degree; this degree is designed for those who anticipate careers in research, possibly combined with teaching or other activities. Students seeking only the master’s degree are rarely admitted. If a master’s degree student is admitted, his or her proposed program must be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. The Master of Arts degree consists of thirty hours of coursework, including Biology 698 or 398R. The coursework must include a minor of six hours of coursework acceptable for graduate credit in another area of study.

Doctor of Philosophy

For the Doctor of Philosophy, preliminary training should have provided a working core of knowledge in general biology and the history of biology; other helpful areas are plant biology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, genetics, ecology, evolution, animal behavior, and physiology. Statistics and computational skills are also valuable.

The student must take a two-semester core course in his or her first year in the program. Students take an additional three lecture courses. At least two of these must be taught by ecology, evolution, and behavior faculty. At least one must satisfy a requirement for quantitative skills. Students must also take Biology 384L, Issues in Population Biology, and a minimum of three additional courses that may include seminars or reading courses.