A graduate education that can change your world.
Learn more about the Molecular Biosciences graduate program and the three degree paths you can take.
Program timeline
Year one
- All students share a common core curriculum and participate in research laboratory rotations, seminars and journal clubs.
- At the end of year one, the student and their advisory committee will decide which degree program they will enter.
Year two
- At the end of year two, the student will complete a qualifier exam in a chosen field of study.
Year four
- At the end of year four, the student will defend their dissertation before their committee in order to graduate.
Sample curriculum for year one
A sample curriculum for the first year.
Please note that this is only an example. Please refer to your advisor and the University catalog for the current requirements.
Lab rotation courses are strongly recommended. All students should be rotating through a minimum of two laboratories, especially if you have not yet selected a research advisor. If you have an advisor, the rotations should be completed in the laboratory of your advisor.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Lab practicums and research rotations | n/a |
| BCH 705 Molecular Biology | 3 |
| BCH/CMB/CMPP 701 Lab practicum I | 3 |
| PHAR 725 Ethics in Research or BCH 703 Grant Writing for Molecular Biosciences | 2 |
| CMB/BCH/CMPP 790 Seminar | 1 |
Lab rotation courses are strongly recommended. All students should be rotating through a minimum of two laboratories, especially if you have not yet selected a research advisor. If you have an advisor, the rotations should be completed in the laboratory of your advisor.
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| Lab practicums/research rotations | n/a |
| CMB 710 Cell Biology | 4 |
| BCH/CMB/CMPP 702 Laboratory Practicum II | 3 |
| BCH/BIOL/CMB/CMPP 794 Colloquium | 1 |
| Statistics (if needed) | 3 |
Other courses not listed may meet program requirements. For example, Chemistry courses may be of interest to some students. Please inquire with your adviser or contact our program directors about specific courses.
Biochemistry courses
- BCH 603 Medical Molecular Genetics - 0 credits
- BCH 605 Molecular Biology - 3 credits
- BCH 610 Plant Physiology - 3 credits
- BCH 613 Molecular Biophysics - 3 credits
- BCH 617 Metabolic Regulation - 3 credits
- BCH 706 Functional Genomics - 3 credits
- BCH 707 Protein Structure and Function - 3 credits
- BCH 709 Bioinformatics - 3 credits
- BCH 718 Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology - 3 credits
- BCH 740 Enzymology - 3 credits
- BCH 793 Independent Study - 1 credit
Biology courses
- BIOL 604 Population Genetics - 3 credits
- BIOL 605 Molecular Biology - 3 credits
- BIOL 615 Evolution - 4 credits
- BIOL 654 Genomic Conflict, Epigenetics & Human Disease - 3 credits
- BIOL 656 Molecular Basis of Epigenetics - 3 credits
- BIOL 666 Developmental Biology - 3 credits
- BIOL 675 Neurobiology - 3 credits
- BIOL 677 Genes, Brain and Behavior - 3 credits
- BIOL 682 Cell Biology of Disease - 3 credits
- BIOL 705 Current topics in Cell and Molecular Biology - 3 credits
- BME 730 Introduction to Imaging & Optics - 3 credits
Cell and Molecular Biology courses
- CMB 793 Independent Study - 1-6 credits
Microbiology courses
- MICR 625 Human Virology - 3 credits
- MICR 653 Immunology - 3 credits
- MICR 670 Microbial Pathogenesis - 3 credits
- MICR 687 Problems in Infection and Immunity - 1-3 credits
- MICR 700 Biotechnology Today and Tomorrow - 3 credits
- MICR 780 Introductory Cellular Immunology - 3 credits
- MICR 793 Independent Study - 1-3 credits
Pharmacology courses
- PHAR 710 Molecular Pharmacology - 3 credits
Year two and beyond
At the end of your first year, you and your graduate committee will decide which degree path you will enter—BCH, CMB or CMPP. At this time your graduate committee should meet and approve your program of study and determine your remaining curriculum.
Program entrance requirements
The following admissions requirements are the same for all three paths of Molecular Biosciences.
Application deadlines: Dec 1 (Fall) | June 15 (Spring)
Minimum qualifications for admittance to an M.S./Ph.D. program:
- Undergraduate degree in a related area
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 for the M.S. program or 3.0 for the Ph.D. program on a 4.0 scale (transcripts will be required)
- The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is recommended, but not required
- Competitive test scores:
- If English was the primary language of instruction, then no language proficiency exam is needed.
- If English was not the primary instructional language in the country of origin:
- Completion of the following courses
- Calculus, five semester hours (or equivalent)
- Physics, six semester hours
- Organic Chemistry, eight semester hours
- Biology, eight semester hours
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- Please note that no faculty member's permission or mentorship is necessary before applying.
- Official transcripts (Applicants may submit unofficial transcripts provisionally, but official transcripts are required before formal admission into the program can be granted.)
Funding your degree program
Students admitted to the Molecular Biosciences Ph.D. programs are automatically offered research or teaching assistantship positions during the first year (a separate application for financial assistance is not required).
Currently, the assistantship carries a stipend of $26,000/yr. In addition, Ph.D. graduate assistants receive a partial tuition waiver, which is worth approximately $18,411 per year. Students on graduate assistantships at the University of Nevada, Reno are also covered by the university health insurance plan, which is worth approximately $3,404 per year.
Therefore, the total value of a Graduate Assistantship package is approximately $48,215.
Funding resources from the Graduate School
The Graduate School maintains lists of additional funding opportunities from both University and external sources.
Graduate Student Association
The Graduate Student Association provides various financial support opportunities to graduate students such as scholarships, awards, and loans.
Funding resources for international students
Information about scholarships and financial aid for international students is also available on the Office of International Students and Scholars website.
Connect with a faculty advisor and learn more about our campus
Find a faculty advisor
Your faculty advisor plays a key role in your graduate education. Visit our faculty websites, read some of their papers, and find an advisor with interests that really excite you. Contact faculty to express interest, and inquire if they are planning to accept students in the near future.
Your Gradventure awaits
Prospective students who meet criteria for program admission will be invited to visit the Molecular Biosciences graduate programs at the University for a personal interview and to meet faculty, students and postdocs in our program. Invited students will visit our campus and program early in the Spring semester.
Graduate program directors
Our program directors are active Molecular Bioscience research professors working with faculty and students across campus. Contact the program directors if you have additional questions about the program.
Associate Professor & Graduate Program Director, Biochemistry
775-682-7333
HMS
160
Associate Professor and Director, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology (CMPP) Graduate Program
(775) 784-4352
AHS
105F, Laboratory: 110
Professor, Microbiology and Immunology - Director, Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program
(775) 682-6743
Office L-211F | Lab L-212/214
How to apply
You can start your application through The Graduate School website, which provides detailed instructions on the application process.