Biological Sciences PhD

UAF-UAA Cooperative Biological Sciences PhD

Students who are physically located in Anchorage may pursue a PhD in Biological Sciences within a cooperative program that links the UAF and UAA campuses. The PhD degree is conferred by UAF.

  • Students who wish to apply to the cooperative program should first identify and contact putative co-advisors at UAF and UAA. Application to the PhD program should be made through the normal UAF process. Within the statement of goals, the student should clearly identify their desire to be part of the UAF-UAA cooperative program, and identify putative advisors on both campuses. Both putative advisors should provide letters stating their intent to advise the student, should the student be admitted.
  • The advisory committee should be co-chaired by faculty members from UAF and UAA. A total of at least four faculty members must serve on the graduate advisory committee of a PhD student, including the advisor(s). In the case of the cooperative PhD, at least two committee members should be UAF faculty in the Biology and Wildlife Department.
  • UAF rules and regulations on graduate studies apply to all UAF graduate students, including those pursuiing a cooperative degree. For example, the graduate advisory committee must meet at least once a year to update the Graduate Study Plan (GSP) and to review the student鈥檚 progress toward the degree. The annual progress report must be signed by all committee members and submitted to the dean of the UAF Graduate School.
  • There is no requirement for physical residency at UAF.
  • Credits taken at UAA may be transferred to UAF. Some guidelines for transferring credits follow.
    • Up to half of all degree credits approved by the committee on the graduate study plan and the advancement to candidacy forms may be transferred from UAA to UAF.
    • No more than one third of all approved credits may be transferred from outside the UA system.
    • Transferred credits must not include those used in an undergraduate degree.
    • A minimum B grade must have been earned for any transferred graduate credits.
    The student's GSP and Advancement to Candidacy forms should detail at which campus courses and credits will be taken; e.g. BIOL F699 (UAF) or BIOL A699 (UAA). This will help reviewers ensure that UAF graduate requirements are met.
  • The student鈥檚 advisory committee will administer the PhD comprehensive exam for each student. The written portion of the exam may be proctored at either university; the oral portion of the exam may be delivered via videoconference.
  • The PhD dissertation defense may conducted at the student鈥檚 home campus. The oral exam may be delivered via videoconference.