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Ph.D. program
Ecologists and evolutionary biologists seek to understand the origin and complex interactions of the earth's biodiversity and ecosystems. Faculty and graduate students within the EEB Department include ecologists, evolutionary biologists, organismal biologists and systematists who analyze such topics as behavior, biogeochemistry, population dynamics, community structure, environmental physiology, disease ecology, biogeography, life history evolution, selection, speciation, species interactions, and phylogenetics. Their techniques include comparative and experimental approaches in ecology, ethology, genetics, molecular biology, morphology, paleontology, physiology, biochemistry and cytology. Many members of this group are specialists on particular groups of organisms.
The field of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is currently undergoing a dynamic phase of intellectual growth, with the emergence of multiple new fields and novel opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. The University of Michigan’s Ph.D. Program is designed to capitalize upon this vibrant intellectual environment, providing a rigorous, integrative academic experience that encourages the development and exploration of individual research goals.
General program description
Completion of a dissertation research project under the guidance of a major advisor is the primary goal of your EEB doctoral studies. Several milestones mark progress through the anticipated five year program.
During your first year you will take several courses and seminars while exploring faculty research interests through reading courses or laboratory rotations. During your second year, in consultation with your research advisor, you will identify a research problem, and lay the groundwork for your dissertation project. You will also complete the Qualifying Examination, which consists of a faculty evaluation of a review article that you have written, a research seminar presentation, and an oral examination. After passing all portions of the qualifying examination, you will select your dissertation committee members, write your dissertation proposal, and meet with your committee for a “Candidacy Exam” during the end of Winter Term of your second year. If your proposal is accepted, you will be recommended for advancement to candidacy.
As a Ph.D. candidate, you will complete your dissertation research under the guidance of your advisor and committee. In your final year, as your research and writing are completed, you will apply to defend your dissertation. Successful passage of your defense, and submission and acceptance of your dissertation by the Rackham Graduate School are the final steps in completion of the EEB doctoral program.
Profile of a current doctoral student: Sarah Cobey |
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Sarah Cobey gets excited about infectious diseases, especially rapidly evolving ones that cause epidemics. Don’t get the wrong idea. This doctoral student of ecology and evolutionary biology doesn’t take pleasure in the illness of others. Well, maybe a little pleasure, but only insofar as their illness provides insights into disease dynamics that may help develop more effective vaccinations.
While browsing a citation database using one of her favorite keywords, “influenza,” Cobey happened across a paper in a Russian scientific journal summarizing broad trends in the prevalence of influenza among hospitalized patients in St. Petersburg from 1968-2000.
“The flu time series from Russia are the only data set I know of this kind,” said EEB Professor Mercedes Pascual, Cobey’s advisor. “They provide a unique opportunity to address cross-immunity between subtypes, an important open question in flu.”
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Cross-immunity means that having one type (like type B) or subtype of flu (such as H1N1) provides immunity or at least some protection from other types or subtypes of flu.
The data focuses on Influenza B, which has circulated in humans for centuries; H3N2, which appeared in 1968; and H1N1, which reappeared in humans in 1977 after a 20-year absence. Cobey is trying to understand whether there is competition between the types or subtypes of influenza, and if there is, how it affects the dynamics of flu as well as how immunity to these types builds in different age groups. Cobey translated the text from Russian and arranged to collaborate with Dr. Lyudmila Karpova, first author of the study and her colleague Dr. Ivan Marinich.
Cobey is using statistical methods developed by EEB Professor Aaron King, Carlos Breto, a former graduate student in statistics and Ed Ionides, professor of statistics at U-M. Cobey, King and Pascual are working on an ecological model to help her decipher the data.
“It’s really exciting,” said Cobey. “If we find evidence of competition, there’s a better chance of being able to predict what type or subtype will be dominant in the next season.”
New vaccines have to be developed each year for influenza because it is a rapidly evolving pathogen, which enables it to foil immunity. There are already models for infectious diseases that don’t evolve, such as measles. But there aren’t many models for fast evolving pathogens that compete with one another – yet. This type of model could help take much of the current guesswork out of developing vaccines. And that would get Cobey really excited.
From the spring 2008 newsletter.
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Research areas
EEB embraces education and research on virtually all aspects of biodiversity, including the origins and history of species ranging from bacteria to humans, the processes by which this diversity has evolved, and the ecological context in which this evolution takes place. This research can be applied to some of the aspects weighing most heavily on our minds, such as global climate change, sustainable agriculture, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases, invasive and exotic species, conservation biology, natural resource management, and evolution of pesticide and antibiotic resistance.
These are our main research areas:
- Comparative biology and systematics is concerned with the inference of phylogenetic (genealogical) relationships among species, which in turn provide a foundation for many inferences about the history of changes in their characteristics.
- Ecology embraces all aspects of the relationships between organisms and their environment, which includes both biotic and abiotic components.
- Evolutionary processes include the study of the causes of genetic change and the resulting organization of genes into genomes, genetic variation within and between populations, and understanding how genetic changes lead to changes in phenotype.
- Paleobiology includes the study of how long-term physical changes of ancient global geography and climate have affected the evolution of plants and animals, how ecosystems have responded to these changes, and how these responses have affected today’s patterns of biodiversity.
- Organismal biology involves the analysis of physiology, morphology, and behavior of individuals, how these characteristics interact with the environment, and how they differ among organisms within a species and among species.
More information about the research conducted by faculty in our department, interdisciplinary linkages in the department, and research facilities can be found by following these links or by exploring the entire research section of this website.
 Research facilities
University of Michigan’s natural history research museums are among the preeminent university museums in the United States and many faculty in EEB are jointly appointed with one of these units. The organismal and genetic materials in these collections are a significant part of the global record of life on Earth, providing a crucial resource for research and teaching about biodiversity, now and into the future. The museum units are responsible for conducting research and teaching on all aspects of biodiversity, developing and maintaining the collections, developing biodiversity databases based on the collections, loaning specimens, making identifications, collaborating with state, federal and international agencies in regard to conservation, taxonomy, and other concerns and answering questions from the public.
The university owns and maintains a number of field sites in Michigan for research and education; these are described below. In addition, many EEB faculty and graduate students conduct research at field sites around the U.S. and the entire world, using a rich array of national and international resources. See individual faculty pages for descriptions of these resources.
In addition to the outstanding facilities in individual faculty research laboratories, faculty and students in EEB have access to a number of shared-use laboratory facilities on the Ann Arbor campus, including the DNA Sequencing Core Facility and the Genomic Diversity Laboratory.
For more information about specific research museums, field sites, and laboratories that would be at your disposal, take a look at our research facilities webpage.
The Ph.D. funding package
EEB provides an outstanding support package to doctoral students, with a guarantee of five years of full funding, provided satisfactory progress is made. This package typically includes academic year and summer support through a combination of fellowships, Graduate Student Research Assistantships (GSRA) and Graduate Student Instructorships (GSI). Currently the funding package comprises a full tuition waiver, health insurance eligibilty for yourself and your family, and an annual stipend of at least $20,000 for five years.
In addition to departmental funding, Rackham Graduate School fellowships and International Institute funding opportunities are also available to students.
Additional funding opportunities can be found on our funding page.
The Admissions Committee makes suggestions to the department chair for other types of funding; separate application is not necessary. Applications for all forms of university support may be made by marking the appropriate section on the general application.
 Departmental funding:
GSI appointments provide the primary means of support for EEB Ph.D. students. GSIs teach small introductory classes, facilitate discussions in small sections connected to large lecture courses and run laboratory sections. The typical GSI has a 50% appointment, working between 16.5 and 20 hours per week during the eight-month academic year. During the 2008-2009 academic year, the median half-time GSI salary will be $16,070, approximately $8,035 per term. A full tuition waver is included, and as University employees, health and dental benefits are provide for GSIs and their dependents. EEB Ph.D. students are expected to teach in the Fall and Winter terms of their first year, and for four additional terms during their five years of supported study. For additional information on GSI appointments please see the Center for Research and Teaching’s Web site.
GSRA appointments provide Ph.D. students with funding support while conducting their own research or assisting others with research relevant to their own academic goals. GSRA appointments are generally provided through an advisor’s externally funded grant or contract. GSRA stipend amounts are consistent with those announced annually for the Office of Academic Human Resources. Tuition waivers generally accompany GSRA appointments, as does health and dental insurance coverage program. Faculty advisors are required to provide each of their Ph.D. students with GSRA appointment funding through one Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer term. For additional information on GSRA Appointments, see the Academic Human Resources website. GSRA funding is provided in an amount commensurate with GSI rates.
Department fellowship support includes a one-term fellowship available during the pre-candidacy period, and a one-term fellowship available after candidacy status has been attained. In addition, five summers of department fellowship funding are guaranteed. Department fellowships include a full tuition waver and benefits eligibility. Additional EEB fellowship funding opportunities are described below. Academic year department fellowship funding is provided in an amount commensurate with GSI rates. During the 2008 Spring/Summer Term Department fellowship support was $5,250.
GradCare is the medical insurance plan available exclusively to GSIs, GSRAs, and benefit-eligible fellowship holders. GradCare is administered by Blue Care Network and the provider network in Ann Arbor includes University Health Service, the University of Michigan Health System, and participating community pediatricians. There are no deductibles to meet before the plan begins and outpatient services are covered with a co-pay. In-patient hospital services are covered in full for medically-necessary conditions. Prescription drug coverage is also provided. For more information, visit the UM Benefits Office website or Gradcare information.
Supplemental funding is available to EEB Ph.D. students through a variety of departmental sources including Block Grant programs and awards, and department-administered scholarships. These are listed on the funding page along with other university and external funding sources.
Frequently asked questions:
What if my interests change after I begin my studies?
The EEB graduate program focuses on developing students as independent scientific researchers, and the program can be flexible. Students are initially matched by mutual consent with an advisor based on shared research interests. However, students can change advisors if their interests shift significantly as they proceed through the program. Students interested in changing advisors should meet with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies to discuss this matter.
 Why is teaching required as part of the Doctoral Program?
The EEB Ph.D. program requires two terms of teaching as part of the curriculum. Through teaching, you will gain experience organizing and presenting scientific material to diverse student audiences. This teaching experience is critical for anyone who chooses a scientific career and especially for those who remain in academic positions at colleges or universities.
Is there a foreign language requirement?
There is no foreign language requirement associated with the EEB Ph.D. program.
For general regulations regarding foreign language requirements within the Rackham School of Graduate Studies, see the Graduate Student Handbook.
Are international students required to take English Language training?
Incoming international students must successfully complete the English Language Institute (ELI) Graduate Student Instructor workshop, a month-long course offered in July and August. At the end of the workshop, they must take and pass the Oral English Test in order to be allowed to accept a GSI teaching position. If students do not pass, they must take additional courses recommended by ELI and re-take the exam at the end of Fall Term. This continues each term until the student is successful. If an international student is not able to teach during their first term because of failure to pass the OET, they can be funded by the one-term of pre-candidate EEB fellowship or as a GSRA (Graduate Student Research Assistantship) by the advisor.
Can EEB Ph.D. students earn a M.Sc. degree in EEB?
Students must complete 4 hours of graduate-level cognate coursework (this could be four 1-credit seminars, one 4-credit course, etc.). The cognate must be offered by a department other than EEB, or cross-listed with an EEB course listing, and be approved for graduate credit. Students should have the course(s) approved by their faculty advisor before registering. The Department will accept up to 12 credits of relevant non-EEB Department graduate credits that have been earned at the University of Michigan while studying for the doctoral degree (this includes research-related credits other than 990 & 995, and courses such as SNRE 438, CMB 630, etc.). Thus, to earn a M.Sc. in EEB, at least 12 credits must be earned through the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology course offerings.
Please note: if the student already has a relevant Master’s degree, then it is not possible to get an “embedded” Master’s degree while in the Ph.D. program. Students who are leaving the Ph.D. program and wish to earn a Master of Science degree in EEB must fulfill the requirements of the Traditional Master's program.
How many years does a Ph.D student have to complete their degree?
The general progress of individual students in graduate work is monitored annually by the Graduate Chair and the Graduate Affairs Committee. A student must complete all doctoral work within seven consecutive years from the date of first enrollment in the Rackham degree program. It should be noted however that funding is only guaranteed by the department for five full years.
Application information
 Are you interested in applying to an EEB program?
Deadline information
Application materials need to be sent to both EEB and Rackham Graduate School. A complete departmental application is due December 1.
All application materials should arrive by this date to be considered for the following fall term. Students are admitted to the doctoral program only in the fall term, which begins in September. Applications that arrive after the deadline, or remain incomplete beyond the deadline will be at a competitive disadvantage during the admissions process.
For more information about our recommendations and requirements for applying to our programs, take a look at our application information webpage.
Correspondence and information
For general inquiries about the Ph.D. program, or applying to graduate school in EEB, please contact:
Graduate Coordinator
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
2019 Natural Science Building
830 N. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
Phone: (734) 764-1443
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