The Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology (EEOB) offers a PhD program that leads to mastery of the fundamental principles in the student’s area of interest in the general realm of evolution, ecology and organismal biology. The program is planned, jointly, by the student and a member of the EEOB graduate faculty who acts as her/his research advisor so as to meet the student's individual needs and interests. The student and research advisor select an advisory committee, which may also be involved in suggesting courses and planning the graduate program of the student.

Graduate students have successfully found employment opportunities in academia, national fellowships, post-doctoral positions, in state and federal wildlife preservation divisions, and in for-profit organizations across the country.