About the Program

Integrative Biology admits students to the PhD program only. Occasionally a student's academic goal changes and they may petition for a master's degree.

Biological phenomena occur at various levels of structural organization, ranging from molecules to organisms, and from populations to the global ecosystem. Integrative Biology takes a whole-organism approach, extending from the genome and proteome through organismal traits (phenotypes), to communities and ecosystems. Through the coordinated study of multiple levels of biological organization over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, Integrative Biology offers a unique approach to understanding fundamental questions concerning the evolution and maintenance of biological diversity, including organismal form and function, and ecological and ecosystem processes. This multidimensional approach underpins our graduate program, where students combine observational, experimental, and comparative approaches with the development of theory, and apply concepts and techniques from the biological sciences and other disciplines.

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Admissions

Admission to the University

Uniform minimum requirements for admission

The following minimum requirements apply to all programs and will be verified by the Graduate Division:

1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;
2. A minimum grade-point average of B or better (3.0);
3. If the applicant comes from a country or political entity (e.g. Quebec) where English is not the official language, adequate proficiency in English to do graduate work, as evidenced by a TOEFL score of at least 570 on the paper-and-pencil test, 230 on the computer-based test, 90 on the iBT test, or an IELTS Band score of at least 7 (note that individual programs may set higher levels for any of these); and
4. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in the given field.

Applicants who already hold a graduate degree

The Graduate Council views academic degrees as evidence of broad research training, not as vocational training certificates; therefore, applicants who already have academic graduate degrees should be able to take up new subject matter on a serious level without undertaking a graduate program, unless the fields are completely dissimilar.

Programs may consider students for an additional academic master’s or professional master’s degree if the additional degree is in a distinctly different field.

Applicants admitted to a doctoral program that requires a master’s degree to be earned at Berkeley as a prerequisite (even though the applicant already has a master’s degree from another institution in the same or a closely allied field of study) will be permitted to undertake the second master’s degree, despite the overlap in field.

The Graduate Division will admit students for a second doctoral degree only if they meet the following guidelines:

1. Applicants with doctoral degrees may be admitted for an additional doctoral degree only if that degree program is in a general area of knowledge distinctly different from the field in which they earned their original degree. For example, a physics PhD could be admitted to a doctoral degree program in music or history; however, a student with a doctoral degree in mathematics would not be permitted to add a PhD in statistics.
2. Applicants who hold the PhD degree may be admitted to a professional doctorate or professional master’s degree program if there is no duplication of training involved.

Applicants may only apply to one single degree program or one concurrent degree program per admission cycle.

Any applicant who was previously registered at Berkeley as a graduate student, no matter how briefly, must apply for readmission, not admission, even if the new application is to a different program.

Required documents for admissions applications

1. Transcripts:  Upload unofficial transcripts with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcripts of all college-level work will be required if admitted. Official transcripts must be in sealed envelopes as issued by the school(s) you have attended. Request a current transcript from every post-secondary school that you have attended, including community colleges, summer sessions, and extension programs.
   If you have attended Berkeley, upload unofficial transcript with the application for the departmental initial review. Official transcript with evidence of degree conferral will not be required if admitted.
2. Letters of recommendation: Applicants can request online letters of recommendation through the online application system. Hard copies of recommendation letters must be sent directly to the program, not the Graduate Division.
3. Evidence of English language proficiency: All applicants from countries in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency. This requirement applies to applicants from Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Latin America, the Middle East, the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and most European countries. However, applicants who, at the time of application, have already completed at least one year of full-time academic course work with grades of B or better at a U.S. university may submit an official transcript from the U.S. university to fulfill this requirement. The following courses will not fulfill this requirement: 1) courses in English as a Second Language, 2) courses conducted in a language other than English, 3) courses that will be completed after the application is submitted, and 4) courses of a non-academic nature. If applicants have previously been denied admission to Berkeley on the basis of their English language proficiency, they must submit new test scores that meet the current minimum from one of the standardized tests.

Admission to the Program

Deadline: December 2, 2014 (for Fall 2015 admission)

The Department reviews application for admission to our graduate program once a year. We accept applications for fall only.

The online application will be available early September. The completed application must be submitted online  and fee paid by the deadline. We accept on-line applications only.

Admissions Criteria

Initiating contact with faculty members; coursework; GRE general scores; letters of recommendation; degree of preparedness for graduate school; and your statement of purpose are all important factors in our review of your application.

Contact IB Faculty

It is required that you list on your application at least one faculty member in our department whose research is of interest to you. It is highly recommended that you contact them to discuss your interest in working with them. This contact is the first step in broadly defining areas of potential research focus and should be elaborated on in your statement of purpose.

Bachelor's Degree

Students admitted to the program typically have a bachelor's degree in one of the life sciences or physical sciences. However, promising students with other academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply if they have a undergraduate grounding in biology.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

Upper division or graduate GPA of 3.4 or higher is preferred. A minimum GPA of 3.0 (courses taken after the first two years) is required by the Graduate Division.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and TOEFL

All applicants must take the GRE general test; GRE subject test in biology or subject tests in other relevant disciplines highly recommended, but not required. No minimum GRE scores required for consideration. We will accept GRE scores taken within the last ten years. Older scores will be considered on a case by case basis. GRE Institution Code: 4833; Department Code: 0203.

For international students from countries in which the official language is not English, results of the TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language) are required. TOEFL exams taken before June 1, 2011 will not be accepted even if your score was reported to Berkeley.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation from faculty or other persons who have known you in an academic or research capacity. 

Statement of Purpose

Describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you.

The statement should reflect serious intent, focus, maturity, motivation, and the ability to organize and articulate your thoughts on complex subjects.

There is no page limit restrictions although statements are typically one to two pages in length.

Personal History Statement

Please note that the Personal History Statement should not duplicate the Statement of Purpose.

Describe how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a graduate degree. Please include information on how you have overcome barriers to access opportunities in higher education, evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others, evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education, evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality, or evidence of your leadership among such groups.

Research Experience

Research experience is preferred. It helps to define interest and focus, and proven success with research is a positive indicator for success in the program.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Normative Time Requirements

• An advanced course in evolutionary biology is the only specific course required of all graduate students. It must be taken for a letter grade during the graduate program if it was not completed during the student's undergraduate education. A student's supervisory committee may suggest courses as well.
• Four semesters of residency as required by the Graduate Division. This means you must be registered for a minimum of 4 semesters. There are no departmental unit requirements for the PhD program.
• Students are required to be a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)  for at least two semesters and must complete INTEGBI 375 Teaching Colloquium: Graduate Student Instructor Training.
• A student in the PhD program must take a three hour oral Qualifying Examination (QE)  on fields specified by their QE Committee.
• PhD candidates are required to write a dissertation  based on original and independent research carried out by the student.
• You are encouraged (but not required) to enroll in seminars in your field of specialization and present topics. Effective participation in seminars is a useful introduction to your field of specialization and may give you valuable direction for advanced study, particularly if you have not begun research activities.​

Time to Advancement

Curriculum

Courses

Integrative Biology

Faculty

Professors

David D Ackerly, Professor. California biodiversity, climate change, adaptation.
Research Profile

Anthony D. Barnosky, Professor. Conservation biology, ecology, climate change, paleontology, paleobiology, paleoecology, evolution, macroecology, global change, mammals, extinction, biogeography.
Research Profile

George A. Brooks, Professor. Aging, biology, exercise & environmental physiology, metabolism, lactate shuttle, crossover concept, lactic acidosis, obesity, diabetes, isotope tracer technology, arterial-venous difference measurements, clamp technology, muscle biopsies, cell culture, mitochondrial biogenesis, energy substrate partitioning, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, fatty acid reesterification, menopause.
Research Profile

Roy L. Caldwell, Professor. Ecology, evolution, Invertebrates, animal behavior, behavioral ecology, marine biology, stomatopods, crustaceans, cephalopods, octopus, mating systems, communication, sensory ecology, aggressive behavior, coral reef restoration.
Research Profile

Todd E. Dawson, PhD, Professor. Physiological plant ecology, evolutionary plant ecology, ecosystem processes, adaptations of plants, carbon, water, nitrogen.
Research Profile

Robert Dudley, Professor. Metabolism, biomechanics, butterflies, energetics, flight, gliding, hummingbirds, insects, paleophysiology.
Research Profile

Robert J. Full, Professor. Energetics, comparative biomechanics, arthropod, adhesion, comparative physiology, locomotion, neuromechanics, biomimicry, biological inspiration, reptile, gecko, amphibian, robots, artificial muscles.
Research Profile

Tyrone Hayes, Professor. Genetics, amphibians, developmental endocrinology, steroid hormones, metamorphosis, sex differentiation, hormonal differentiation, African clawed frog, Japnanes Kajika, Pine Barrens treefrog.
Research Profile

John P. Huelsenbeck, Professor. Computational biology, evolutionary biology, phylogenetics.
Research Profile

Patrick V. Kirch, Professor. Historical anthropology, Oceania, ethnoarchaeology, Melanesia, Polynesia, environmental archaeology, prehistoric agricultural systems, paleoenvironmentalism, ethnobotany.
Research Profile

Mimi A. R. Koehl, Professor. Biomechanics, insects, invertebrate functional morphology, fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, marine animals, filtration, gliding vertebrates.
Research Profile

Steven L. Lehman, Professor. Motor control, stroke patients, cells, muscles, muscle fatigue, repetitive motion disorders.
Research Profile

David R. Lindberg, Professor. Developmental biology, evolutionary biology, ecology, comparative morphology, phylogenetic studies, molecular techniques, patellogastropoda, evolution in patellacean faunas, California land snail taxa, gastropoda.
Research Profile

Charles Marshall, Professor.

Brent D Mishler, Professor. Evolutionary biology, development, ecology, systematics, phylogeny, comparative genomics, green plants, bryophytes, mosses, reproductive biology, phylogenetics, chloroplast DNA, classification, species concepts, biodiversity, Darwin.
Research Profile

Craig Moritz, Professor. Ecology, demography, molecular evolution, diversity of faunas, rainforest biotas, northeastern Australia, western North America, eastern South America.
Research Profile

Michael Nachman, Professor.

Rasmus Nielsen, Professor. Statistical and computational aspects of evolutionary theory and genetics.
Research Profile

Kevin Padian, Professor. Evolutionary biology, paleontology, systematics, functional morphology, Mesozoic vertebrate paleontology, terrestrial vertebrate fauna, pterosaurs, Mesozoic era, bones of extinct reptiles.
Research Profile

Mary E. Power, Professor. Freshwater ecology, food webs, trophic dynamics, northern California rivers, watersheds, acid mine drainage.
Research Profile

Ellen L. Simms, Professor. Evolution, plant ecology, microbial ecology, ecological genetics, symbiosis, herbivores, pathogens, mutualists.
Research Profile

Montgomery Slatkin, Professor. Evolutionary theory, genetic evolution, natural populations of plants and animals populations, human populations, natural selection structure genomes.
Research Profile

Wayne Sousa, Professor. Community ecology, estuarine host-parasite interactions, canopy gaps, Caribbean coast of Panama.
Research Profile

Associate Professors

Doris Bachtrog, Associate Professor. Evolution of sex and recombination, Y degeneration, dosage compensation, sexually antagonistic variation.
Research Profile

George Bentley, Associate Professor. Hormones and behavior, neuroendocrinology of reproduction.
Research Profile

Rauri C. K. Bowie, Associate Professor.

Leslea Hlusko, Associate Professor. Primate evolution, paleontology, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, mammalian evolution, quantitative genetics, dental evolution, tooth development.
Research Profile

Daniela Kaufer, Associate Professor. Neuroscience, stress, stem cells, splicing, blood brain barrier, neuroendocrinilogy, epilepsy.
Research Profile

Eileen A. Lacey, Associate Professor. Evolutionary biology, population, mammals, behavioral ecology, vertebrates, molecular genetics, subterranean rodents, Argentina, Chile.
Research Profile

Jimmy A Mcguire, PhD, Associate Professor. Historical biogeography, evolutionary biology, Southeast Asia, population genetics, hummingbirds, functional morphology, vertebrate systematics, phylogenetic analysis, life history evolution, Bayesian methods, Southeast Asian flying lizards.
Research Profile

Assistant Professors

Paul Van Antwerp Fine, PhD, Assistant Professor. Speciation, plant ecology, plant evolutionary biology, floristics and phytogeography.
Research Profile

Seth Finnegan, Assistant Professor.

Cynthia Looy, PhD, Assistant Professor. Paleoecology, paleobotany, palynology.
Research Profile

Michael Shapira, Assistant Professor. Molecular biology, aging, host-pathogen interactions.
Research Profile

Adjunct Faculty

Jeffrey L. Boore, Adjunct Faculty. Molecular biology, genetics, biology, conservation biology, genomics, evolution, genomes, DNA sequencing, systematics, population genetics, phylogeny.
Research Profile

Ivo Duijnstee, Adjunct Faculty.

Jonathon H Stillman, PhD, Adjunct Faculty. Marine environmental physiology, global change biology, functional genomics.
Research Profile

Lecturers

Thomas J Carlson, Lecturer. Molecular biology, ethnobotany, Africa, North America, ecology, medicine, systematics, evolution of human disease, ethnoecology, ethnoepidemiology, Asia, Pacific Islands, South America, nutritional ethnobotany, pharmacology, ecosystem management.
Research Profile