The Doctor of Philosophy in Biology degree is designed to prepare graduates for careers in the biological sciences, working in academia, industry, and government research labs.  The Ph.D. degree is offered in areas consistent with professor expertise. This degree is granted for proven ability, independent investigation, and scholarly attainment in a special field. It is primarily a research degree and is not granted solely on the completion of a certain number of credits. There is not a fixed total credit requirement for this degree. Credits for the dissertation and the research upon which it is based should comprise a substantial portion of the program and involve original work. It is understood that the research for and writing of the dissertation will require the equivalent of at least one year of full-time work.