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Microbiology & Cell Science

The Microbiology & Cell Science department offers a Distance Ph.D. program with a concentration in Microbial and Cellular Data Science. This program provides a flexible higher education experience, allowing students to earn their Ph.D. via distance learning.

Program Requirements

To maintain enrollment and graduate, students are expected to:

• Complete a minimum of 60 credits beyond the M.S. degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Each student will communicate with their faculty mentor/major professor and academic advisor to determine how many credits to register for each semester
  • The estimated timeline to completion is 4-6 years for a full-time student, or 7-8 years for a part-time student
• Complete all Ph.D. Student Example Plans of Study (adjustments to course requirements can be made at the discretion of the student’s major professor and graduate committee)
• Successfully complete written and oral qualifying exams
• Complete original research documented by publications in peer-reviewed journals and in a dissertation submitted and approved by the faculty and the graduate school
• Attend the weekly departmental seminar virtually, either synchronously or asynchronously
• Attend a journal colloquy each semester to keep students informed of the latest progress in the subject areas of interest to their disciplines
• Assist their mentors in teaching for two semesters
• Communicate through multiple means on a frequent basis with their Ph.D. mentor or other collaborators
• Meet with their committees at least once per year

Faculty Mentors

Each professor will determine if they have a project available for a distance Ph.D. student. Not all professors will have relevant research projects for this program.

Admissions Requirements

To be considered for the program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• B.S. degree: Minimum 3.0 GPA, preferably with an emphasis on microbiology and/or cell biology
• M.S. degree: Minimum 3.0 GPA, preferably with an emphasis on microbiology and/or cell biology, and at least 30 credits in the life sciences
• Quantitative skills: Strong preference given to applicants with significant quantitative skills in computational biology, programming, and/or statistics
• Pre-requisite courses: Preference given to candidates with the following pre-requisite courses (or their equivalent in courses from other institutions) or demonstrated work experience:
  • Python Programming
  • R Programming
  • Bioinformatics
  • The Microbiome
  • Artificial Intelligence

Application Materials

Applicants must submit the following materials:

• Application fee of $30
• Unofficial transcripts from each school attended
• CV or resume
• Three letters of recommendation (LOR)
• Personal statement: Answer the following three prompts in a word document
  • Describe research experience, career goals, and area of research interest (limit 500 words)
  • How have you demonstrated success in a remote work or school environment? (limit 300 words)
  • Which research labs in the department interest you most and why? (limit 300 words)
• International Applicants must submit official evidence of English language proficiency

Cost and Financial Aid

• Tuition and Fees: Florida Resident tuition: $448.73 per credit plus fees, Non-Resident tuition: $600.00 per credit plus fees
• Fees: $35.75 per credit, including Capital Improvement Fund, Student Financial Aid, and Technology Fee
• Stipends: Not available from the department, but a PI may choose to provide stipend support for extraordinary candidates
• Financial Aid: Many employers offer tuition benefits or reimbursements, and the department and PIs will seek sources of external support for admitted students, but there are no guarantees, particularly during the early phases of the program
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): This program is eligible for the NSF GRFP.