Students

Prospective Students

Before you Apply

• Browse ECU Grad School website
• Contact Faculty Member(s)
  • In Biology, the research mentor is either selected during the application process by 1)  identifying a potential mentor based on similarity of research interests, and  communicating with the faculty member to ascertain the availability of research opportunities, or 2) by participating in a rotation through faculty labs during the student’s first two semesters in their program.  Applicants must indicate their preferred means of mentor selection in their Statement of Purpose.
  • In Biomedicine, the mentor is determined following rotation through faculty research labs during the student’s first year in the program.
  • In Chemistry, research mentors are determined following the student’s visitation and discussion with faculty during their first semester.
  • Faculty research interests (by concentration)

Admissions Criteria

• Visit Graduate School Prospective Students
• Contact IDPBBCsupport@ecu.edu for program-specific inquiries.

How to Apply

• Application review will begin January 15th. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete their online application by January 15th and no later than March 1st in order to allow sufficient time to compile all components of the application. Features of the successful applicant include an appropriate background and training for the program, demonstrated research experience, strong quantitative and computational skills, and strong oral and written communication skills.
• Application review will begin January 15th.
• The following materials are required for a complete application:
  • Step 1:  Complete application form.
    • Go to Graduate School Application
  • Step 2:  An official transcript from each college or university previously attended.
  • Step 3:  Statement of Purpose (= Statement of Intent). After submitting application fee, obtain Statement of Purpose form via the online application site. Your Statement of Purpose an important part of the application package because it contains information that may not necessarily be well represented by the other application materials, and helps us to determine if your professional interests can be served by our curriculum and our faculty. Your Statement of Purpose should describe (i) why you want to go to graduate school, (ii) why you wish to pursue graduate studies at ECU, (iii) your research interests, and (iv) the experiences and training you have acquired that will help you to successfully pursue your graduate degree.
  • Step 4:  Letters of Recommendation:  After submitting application fee, obtain Letter of Recommendation form via the online application site. Three letters of recommendation from individuals in a professionally relevant field who can assess your promise as a graduate student.
  • Step 5:  Non-refundable application fee ($75)
  • Step 6 (for international students):  TOEFL or IELTS scores. If you are an international applicant and have received your baccalaureate degree from a university outside the USA where English is not the official language. We prefer TOEFL scores of at least 100 (no less than 20 per section) for the IBT exam, 550 for the paper-based exam, or 213 for the computer-based exam.  The minimum IELTS score is 6.5.
  • NOTE: The GRE is no longer required for a complete application.
• Financial Support
  • Biology & Chemistry Concentrations
    • Institutional Scholarships.  Scholarships cover tuition and health insurance, and offer a stipend of at least $28,000 per calendar year (as of Fall 2022).
    • Graduate Assistantships.
      • A Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) covers tuition and health insurance, and provides a stipend of at least $28,000 per calendar year.  GTA’s teach 2 or 3 labs during a semester, depending upon the course.  Duties include assisting in lab preparation, instruction, and administering and grading lab problem sets, quizzes, practicals, or other assignments.
      • A Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) covers tuition and health insurance, and provides a stipend of at least $28,000 per calendar year.  GRAs may be provided if the student’s mentor has received external funding through a grant or contract. The nature of the research, and the student’s duties and responsibilities are determined by the mentor. Research Assistantship awards are typically competitive with that of a Teaching Assistantship.
    • IDPBBC students are guaranteed 5 years of support.
    • IDPBBC students who have advanced to candidacy and have a serious interest in education also have the opportunity to serve as instructors for Distance Education (DE) courses, or face-to-face courses.
  • Biomedicine Concentration
    • A Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) covers tuition and health insurance, and provides a stipend of at least $28,000 per calendar year. The concentration and Brody School of Medicine provides 3 years of guaranteed support with subsequent support coming from the mentor or department.

Current Students

Proposed Timeline for IDPBBC Students

The table presented below describes the annual program and research goals for IDPBBC students assuming a 5-year timeline for completion of all degree requirements. Note that forming the dissertation committee is recommended to occur during the first year, with annual meetings thereafter to keep the committee abreast of progress toward completing the degree. The teaching requirement consists of two semesters as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and it is recommended this requirement be satisfied during the final 3 years of the program. The defense of the dissertation proposal (year 2) and the comprehensive exam are separate events in the process of advancement to doctoral candidacy. The format of the comprehensive exam is at the discretion of the dissertation committee (=Student Advisory Committee), but an oral format has been the most common, with the dissertation proposal and the dissertation representing the written portions of the comprehensive assessment. Students are strongly encouraged to publicize their research findings (e.g. publishing and presenting at professional meetings) early in their training, and to apply for fellowship/dissertation improvement awards during their participation in the program.

Core Curriculum

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biology, Biomedicine, and Chemistry, PhD brings together students and faculty from multiple disciplines to study a broad variety of interesting biochemical and biological phenomena. The interdisciplinary program requirements include 11-12 s.h. from the general core curricula, at least 48 s.h. from the research core, and at least 18 s.h. from a specific concentration. The program offers concentrations in biology, biomedical sciences, and chemistry. Link to catalog HERE.

Other appropriate graduate-level courses may be added by agreement of the research advisor, graduate program director, and the doctoral advisory committee.

For graduate catalog 2023-2024, the degree requires a minimum of 77 s.h. as follows:

1. General core – 11-12 s.h.

Helpful links for

• New students
• Current students
• International students