The Department of Biology offers three Master's and four interdisciplinary Doctoral programs in the biological sciences. Graduate students have access to the University's leading faculty across disciplines, including the Department of Biology's tenure-track faculty, lecturers, research faculty and postdoctoral scholars.

Biology graduate degree programs

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Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, M.S. and Ph.D.

Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) is an interdisciplinary graduate program bringing together faculty and students from multiple departments and institutions at the University of Nevada, Reno, the Desert Research Institute and the Great Basin Institute. Build an in-depth understanding of ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them and help shape policies that respect these natural wonders. Among the program's research strengths are behavioral ecology, genomics and molecular ecology, limnology, plant-animal interactions and more.

Learn more about the EECB program
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Integrative Neuroscience, M.S. and Ph.D.

This highly collaborative interdisciplinary group of researchers seeking to tackle big questions in neuroscience while preparing students for a career in this exciting field. Neuroscience research faculty have expertise in molecular genetics, behavioral analysis, developmental biology, electrophysiology, optogenetics, human psychophysics, virtual reality and functional MRI and EEG.

Learn more about Neuroscience programs
Image of a population of Caenorhabditis elegans taken through a stereomicroscope.

Cell and Molecular Biology, M.S. and Ph.D.

Part of the interdisciplinary Molecular Biosciences program, the Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) prepare students for careers in biological and biomedical research, industry, and teaching. This highly interactive program offers a supportive environment for a large graduate student body with excellent research opportunities in a broad range of areas including biochemistry, cancer biology, immunology, plant molecular genetics and more.

Learn more about the CMB program
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Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Ph.D.

Part of the interdisciplinary Molecular Biosciences program, the Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology (CMPP) program is dedicated to advancing the understanding of the human body and the ways medicine can combat illnesses within it. The program supports areas of research such as molecular pharmacology, molecular biology of ion channels, cell physiology, cardiovascular pharmacology, autonomic pharmacology and neuropharmacology.

Learn more about the CMPP program
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Biology, M.S.

The Department of Biology participates in two Master's degree programs in which students may select from three areas of concentrations aligned with the department's doctoral programs: Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) or general biology.

Learn more about the Biology M.S. program

Interdisciplinary Graduate Training Program

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Chemistry of Biological Interactions

The Chemistry of Biological Interactions is an interdisciplinary graduate training program that incorporates new approaches to education and research through the use of advancements in chemistry, genomics, ecology, chemical biology and science communication. The program provides supplementary training in addition to degree programs in Chemistry and EECB.

Learn more about the CBI graduate training program