PhD Degree: First Semester
Form an Advisory Committee
Graduate students should work with their advisor to assemble a graduate advisory committee. A Ph.D. committee consists of at least four UAF-approved faculty. Members of the committee are usually selected based on their complementary expertise in areas of direct relevance to student's research project.
At least two faculty on the committee, including the major advisor or a co-advisor, must be members of the Biology and Wildlife Department. For PhD students in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Wildlife Biology and Conservation, at least one committee member must be a wildlife biologist.
Once the graduate committee has been formed, the student should submit the form entitled Appointment of Graduate Advisory Committee, available through the Graduate School web site.
Collaborating Faculty - Collaborating faculty are faculty employed by another unit of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (e.g., Fisheries or the Geophysical Institute). Collaborating faculty may serve as a graduate advisory committee members or co-chairs alongside a Biology and Wildlife faculty member. A collaborating faculty member may request to serve as the sole chair of a Biology and Wildlife graduate committee. Such requests are reviewed by the Research Scientist and Affiliate Faculty Committee (RSAFC) and the department chair. Criteria include a Ph.D. in a biology-related discipline and a record of success mentoring graduate students. Previous experience successfully co-chairing the advisory committee of a Biology and Wildlife graduate student is desirable.
Affiliated Faculty - Affiliated faculty are not currently employed as faculty by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Affiliates must be reviewed and approved to serve on the graduate advisory committee of a Biology and Wildlife Department student.
Requests to confer affiliate faculty status for service on a graduate committee should be made by the chair of the student's committee in an email to the graduate coordinator (raelmer@alaska.edu) with cc to the department chair (dwagner10@alaska.edu). The email should include:
- Text indicating the unique expertise that the proposed affiliate will contribute to the student’s program of study, and
- The proposed affiliate's current curriculum vitae (CV)
The request will be reviewed by the Research Scientist and Affiliate Faculty Committee (RSAFC) and the department chair. The affiliation with CNSM is renewed annually until the student completes their degree.
Students without an MS Degree - PhD Qualifying Exam for students under catalog years 2022-23 and earlier*
Graduate students who entered the program without an MS degree, and who fall under catalog years 2022-23 and earlier, must take the "Ph.D. Qualifying Exam" to demonstrate competence in biology. This requirement was dropped for students matriculating in Fall 2023 and later.
The qualifying exam consists of both a written and an oral portion. You will be tested in three of the four following categories (to be selected by you when you take the written exam):
- genetics and evolution
- cellular biology and physiology
- ecology and behavior
- research design and statistics
Contact uaf.bw.grad@alaska.edu at the start of the semester to let us know you intend to take the exam. Previous test questions are available.
The written exam will take place late in fall semester on a date of the Comprehensive Exam Committee's choosing; the oral exam is conducted during the following week. Two members of the Comprehensive Exam Committee, the graduate advisory committee chair, and one other committee member will be present.
Possible results of the exam are Pass, Conditional Pass, and Fail. A "Report on Comprehensive Exam" form (available from the Grad School website) must be completed and signed by the examination committee members present, then submitted to the Graduate Student Coordinator for processing. A conditional pass can require that the student complete additional course work, obtain lab or teaching experience, or acquire other training. Once conditions are met, a new "Report on Comprehensive Exam" form must be completed, signed and submitted as above. Students failing the exam may retake and pass the exam the following semester.
For further details see the UAF Graduate School website or contact the B&W Graduate Coordinator (uaf.bw.grad@alaska.edu).
* Students may drop this requirement by adopting a more recent catalog year. To do this, send an email request to the registrar's office (uaf-registrar@alaska.edu). Be sure to use the alaska.edu email address and include the UA ID#.
Start coursework
Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and awardees of certain scholarships and fellowships must be registered as full-time students (6 credits minimum, 9 credits to be a "full time student"; any number of which may be thesis credits, F699).