Microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry
Doctor of Philosophy
Research to advance life
This program prepares you for a research-oriented career in which you could work in industry or academia to understand and cure diseases, develop pharmaceutical drugs, treat toxic waste, improve agriculture and more.
Research is a major component of the program. You’ll develop a research goal based on your lab work, collect and analyze data, publish your findings, and gain experience teaching undergraduate students.
The biological sciences faculty research strengths include topics related to reproductive biology, evolution and ecology, medical biosciences, neurobiology, and cellular and molecular biology.
Overview
Related Topics
From molecules to medicine
Application information
Applicants for the Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry must meet the following degree-specific admission requirements:
- Education level: Bachelor's
- GPA: 3.0
- GRE: No
- TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: 79/6.5/115 (for applicants whose education was completed in countries where English is not an official language; (TOEFL score of 92 or equivalent is required for teaching fellowship)
- Number of references: Three
- Other requirements: Indicate faculty members you would like to work with in your statement of purpose
Program availability
- Semester intake: Fall
- Deadlines: December 1 for priority consideration
Visit Graduate Admissions to learn more and start your application.
Contact information
Biological Sciences department contact: Diana Mitchell; dmitchell@uidaho.edu
Graduate Admissions contact: graduateadmissions@uidaho.edu, 208-885-4001
Find Department of Biological Sciences faculty advisor contacts.
Costs, funding and research
To learn about various ways to fund your graduate degree, check out Graduate Funding.
For detailed information about the cost of attendance, visit Financial Aid.
Beginning Fall 2026, PhD students appointed as teaching assistants will receive an annual support package that includes:
- Base stipend: $23,368.80 for the 9-month academic year
- Tuition and fees: Out-of-state tuition is waived, and the university covers resident tuition and mandatory fees (currently $5,408 per semester)
- Health insurance: Student Health Insurance Program premiums (currently ~$2,200) fully covered
- Summer support: An additional scholarship of $5,000–$8,000, depending on funding availability.
- This brings the total annual support to approximately $41,384.
Degree fit
This program could be a good fit if you:
- Have an undergraduate degree in a life or physical science
- Are interested in lab work and data collection
- Like to solve problems and think critically about some of society’s most pressing challenges
Related clubs
- Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA)
- U of I Environmental Club
Career outcomes
Current job openings
2,041 in ID, WA, OR, MT and HIPotential careers and mid-career salaries
- Natural Sciences Managers • Clinical Research Coordinators • Water Resource Specialists
$152,874 - Bioinformatics Scientists • Molecular and Cellular Biologists • Geneticists • Biologists
$90,412 - Medical Scientists
$98,169 - Biological Technicians
$49,255 - Postsecondary Biological Science Teachers
$82,694
* Career data provided by Lightcast.