The degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the highest degree conferred by Purdue University, can be pursued in the Department of Biology at IUPUI. The doctoral degree is restricted to those scholars who have demonstrated superior ability in a recognized academic discipline. The Ph.D. degree is not awarded on the basis of time spent in residence or following the completion of any specific number of formal courses, nor is the degree granted on the basis of miscellaneous studies and research effort. The entire Ph.D. program must be rationally related, highly research-oriented, and culminate in a thesis of scholarly merit indicative of the candidate’s ability to conduct original research in a recognized field of specialization. Ph.D. programs are directed by professors who work in close association with selected graduate students.

In practice, doctoral programs are composed of formal courses, guided individual study in a chosen field or discipline, study on cognate subjects as may be required by the candidate’s advisory committee, and original research that serves as the basis of a scholarly thesis. Students graduating from the Department of Biology with Ph.D. degrees have been successful in obtaining post-doctoral research experience and have gone on to secure faculty positions at accredited institutions of higher learning or research positions in industry or government.