PhD in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

The PhD program in organismic and evolutionary biology (OEB) at UMass Amherst offers broad, flexible training that can be tailored to your background and research interests.  

Beyond core courses in ecology and evolution, there are few formal course requirements. OEB provides interdepartmental training in ecology, animal behavior, organismal biology, and evolutionary biology. Graduate students, postdocs, and faculty study biological processes ranging from the molecular to the ecosystem level, often bridging the gap between basic and applied research. 

With a close-knit department of approximately 40 students, OEB provides opportunities for a range of interactions, from student-run seminars and discussion groups to our successful Science Café series designed to engage the broader community in science discourse outside university walls.  

Our students have received NSF Predoctoral Fellowships and Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants, as well as funding from the National Geographic Society, the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Lindbergh Foundation, and the Switzer Foundation.