Department website: https://ils.utexas.edu/cmb/

The Interdisciplinary Life Sciences Graduate Programs, a research unit housed in the College of Natural Sciences, provides the support and infrastructure for the Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) graduate program at The University of Texas at Austin. The CMB graduate program is supported by more than 130 faculty members from four colleges and over 10 academic departments.

The program offers students training in seven different research tracks: bioinformatics and computational biology, biomolecular structure and function, cell and developmental biology, chemical biology and drug discovery, molecular genetics, neurobiology, and plant molecular biology. Each of the tracks provides specialized courses and training for the graduate student beyond the basic core curriculum of genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology.

Graduate Handbook

Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.

Admission 

Applicants must provide evidence of strong accomplishment in the natural sciences, documented by undergraduate grades and a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in an area such as one of the biological sciences, chemistry, or physics. Preparation should include at least one semester each of cell biology and molecular biology, and one year each of calculus, organic chemistry, and general physics. Coursework in genetics and biochemistry is also required. Deficiencies in undergraduate work should be corrected before application to the program.

Because the graduate program is focused on the doctoral degree, students seeking only the master’s degree are not admitted.

Total Hours Required: 30

Requirements

The doctoral degree program requires the student to accomplish creative, independent research and to document the research in a scholarly dissertation. In preparation, the student must acquire a strong foundation in biochemistry, molecular genetics, and cell biology, and a working knowledge of the area of biology in which the student intends to conduct research. This preparation is provided by the core courses and electives required for the master’s degree. The student must earn a grade of at least B in each core course. To be admitted to candidacy for the degree, the student must formulate a feasible research program and pass a qualifying examination.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
All students must also follow the requirements and policies below:
Graduate Natural Sciences Requirements
Graduate University Requirements