About Us
Graduate Studies & Support (GS&S) oversees centralized student services across all graduate programs in the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, including interdepartmental gateway programs (e.g., INP, CMB). The unit provides strategic direction and operational leadership in graduate admissions and recruitment, financial support, academic progress, student employment, policy compliance, and student experience. We support programmatic consistency, equity, and excellence while ensuring alignment with university policies and broader institutional goals.
A Message from the Dean
Graduate education is the engine that drives innovation in the life sciences. As Dean — and as someone who has mentored numerous PhD students — I know firsthand the dedication it takes to push the boundaries of discovery and build a lasting impact through research.
Graduate Programs
Interdepartmental Doctoral Gateway Programs
Gateway students complete specific coursework requirements for their specific first-year program. Then, students select a thesis advisor and transfer to a department and complete remaining degree requirements.
Masters
The master’s program offers graduate students curricular flexibility and access to extensive resources at UCI. The two-year course of study consists of a combination of required coursework and a variety of elective courses and seminars that provide opportunities for departmental and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students begin the program with a provisional faculty advisor and spend the first year taking a common set of required courses. During the second year students take a combination of elective courses and seminars, and complete the program with the completion of a thesis or through a comprehensive exam and earn a Master’s of Science in Biology.
PhD
The doctoral program prepares students to excel in research, academia, industry, and governmental / non-governmental organizations. Students have access to seminars and courses on a wide range of topics. Students enter the program and begin working with a provisional faculty advisor. After completing a common set of course requirements during their first year, doctoral students focus on their research in one of our specializations
Incoming doctoral students receive five-year support packages that typically include a combination of support in the form of fellowships, graduate student researcher appointments, and teaching assistantships. Many of our continuing students are successful at earning competitive campus and extramural graduate fellowships.