Program Overview

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PhD Degree Requirements

The Entomology Graduate Program at the University of Maryland is designed to accommodate the individual needs and interests of each student. Therefore, there are few course requirements and the design of each program is strongly influenced by the student, advisor, and their dissertation committee.

The Dissertation Committee

One of the first things a new graduate student should do is discuss the formation of a dissertation committee with their advisor. The advisor and dissertation committee guide the student to develop a research program, identify relevant coursework, evaluate the student's progress, administer the qualifying exam, and administer the dissertation defense at the end of the degree program.

The formation of the dissertation committee by the student and their advisor starts in the student's first year, with the composition of the dissertation committee being determined by the nature of the dissertation. Students must meet with the dissertation committee annually to discuss progress made toward completion of their degree.

Degree Requirements

Each PhD student must:

• Fulfill all requirements and meet all deadlines set forth by the Graduate School.
• Coursework Requirements: Successfully complete a minimum of 40 credits of coursework, which are broken down into 5 categories:
  • Thesis Research
    • PhD students must complete a minimum of 12 dissertation research credits (ENTM898/899).
  • Core Courses
    • PhD students must demonstrate a basic command of core areas of entomology by receiving a B or better in the following courses:
      • BSCI480: Arthropod Form & Function (4 credits) - offered spring semester of even-numbered years only.
      • BSCI481: Insect Diversity & Classification (4 credits) - beginning Fall 2022, this course will be offered every fall semester.
      • BSCI482: Insect Physiology & Molecular Biology (4 credits) - beginning fall 2024, this course will be offered every fall semester.
  • Topic Seminars
    • PhD students must take at least 5 topic seminars, which are ENTM798 courses or relevant 1 credit graduate-level (600 or above) courses in ENTM or other departments.
  • Colloquium
    • PhD students must register for ENTM788C: Special Topics - Colloquium each semester and attend each Entomology Colloquium until they have advanced to candidacy.
  • Additional Coursework Chosen with Advisor
    • Any additional elective courses will fall into this category.
• Non-coursework Requirements
  • Hold a minimum of one dissertation committee meeting per year.
  • Submit an annual progress report to the Graduate Coordinator in late August/early September.
  • Hold a pre-qualifying exam dissertation committee meeting.
  • Take a qualifying examination in order to advance to candidacy.
  • Prepare a dissertation representing a report of independent research, the subject of which is selected by the student, advisor, and dissertation committee.
  • Defend the dissertation before the advisor and dissertation committee.
  • Present research results to the department at the Entomology Colloquium or other publicly announced seminar.

Pursuing the Ph.D. Degree without an M.S. Degree

We encourage students having only a BS to complete an MS before proceeding with a PhD degree program; however, students with exceptional scientific research and coursework accomplishments may proceed directly into a PhD degree program.

Dissertation Research Proposal

For the student's dissertation committee to evaluate the dissertation topic, the student must prepare a research proposal. The format may correspond to that required for submitting proposals to the National Science Foundation or National Institutes of Health.

Pre-Qualifying Exam Meeting

A minimum of 2 months prior to the Qualifying Examination, the student must hold a pre-qualifying exam dissertation committee meeting. The objective of this meeting is for the student, advisor, and dissertation committee to identify the student's subject area of research and 2 - 3 related focal areas within the discipline of entomology.

Qualifying Examination

This examination is a departmental requirement of all students enrolled in the PhD program. It is administered orally by the student's advisor and dissertation committee. The qualifying examination should be taken within 5 years of entering the PhD program; however, the department strongly urges students to take the examination during their 4th or 5th semester.

Preparation of the Dissertation

The format of the dissertation should follow the editorial style of the journal in which publication of research is anticipated, which should be determined in consultation with the advisor.

Publishing Before the Defense

See the Graduate Catalog for information about including previously published material before the defense.

Dissertation Defense

All PhD students must defend their dissertations during an oral examination administered by their advisors and dissertation committees.

Public Presentation of the Dissertation

Before graduating, all finishing PhD students are required to present their dissertations at the Department of Entomology's weekly colloquium or an alternative publicly announced seminar.

Publication of the Dissertation

The Graduate School requires all dissertations be submitted to Proquest's University of Maryland Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) website.

Unsatisfactory Progress

A student's failure to meet one of the following graduate program requirements indicates unsatisfactory progress:

• Dissertation committee is not formed within the first year
• Dissertation committee meetings are not held annually
• Failure to submit annual progress reports
• Failure to take the qualifying exam within the required time period
• Research proposal is not prepared, filed, and defended within the required time period
• The student fails to maintain a grade point average of B or better for two consecutive semesters
• The student does not have a major advisor for more than one semester

Time Limitations

Students must complete the entire program for the doctoral degree, including the dissertation and final examination, during a four-year period after admission to candidacy, but no later than nine years after admission to the doctoral program.

Graduate Outcomes Assessment

As part of the University's evaluation of graduate programs, each PhD student in Entomology will be subject to Graduate Outcomes Assessments at the qualifying exam, dissertation defense, the yearly progress report, and 2 years after graduation.