Certificate Program in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior
The Certificate program is intended for graduate students who are enrolled in a degree program in a traditional department and who are interested in demonstrating additional expertise in Evolution, Ecology and Behavior. The requirements are listed below.
Curriculum
The course work part of the Certificate program is organized as a set of core courses expected of all graduate students and a set of elective courses. Graduate students who complete the requirements of the program will receive a Certificate in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior testifying to this attainment in addition to the normal degree requirements of their graduate degree.
For course descriptions, click here.
Table 1: Required Courses for EEB Certificate.
| Course | Credits | Applicable Graduate Program |
|---|---|---|
| Evolutionary Genetics (BIO 556) | 3 | Biological Sciences |
| Introduction to Evolutionary Theory (GLY 558) | 3 | Geology |
| Advanced Ecology (BIO 507) | 3 | Biological Sciences |
| Evolution Colloquium (BIO 553, GLY 555, APY 550) | 1-3* | All 3 |
| Total Credits of Required Courses | 12 |
*For certification, students must take at least 2 semesters at 1 credit per semester (additional credits can be taken for elective credit).
Additional formal courses (6 credits) leading to a total of 18 credit hours are also required. The additional courses will consist of a set of approved courses covering specific areas within EEB. Courses listed in the Table 2 are pre-approved. Other courses dealing with ecology, evolution and behavior will be considered on an individual basis by petition to the director of the certificate program.
Table 2: Elective Courses Pre-approved for Graduate Certificate in EEB
| Course | Credits | Applicable Graduate Program |
|---|---|---|
| Bioinformatics (BIO 500) | 4 | Biological Sciences |
| Tropical Marine Ecology (BIO 511) | 3 | Biological Sciences |
| Field Course in Tropical Marine Ecology (BIO 512) | 3 | Biological Sciences |
| Molecular Ecology (BIO 558) | 4 | Biological Sciences |
| Primate Social Behavior(APY 518) | 3 | Anthropology |
| Animal Communication (APY 544) | 3 | Anthropology |
| Ethology Practicum (APY 547) | 3 | Anthropology |
| Human Evolutionary Theories (APY 557) | 3 | Anthropology |
| Human Paleontology (APY 561) | 3 | Anthropology |
| Comparative Evolutionary Paleobiology (GLY 500) | 3 | Geology |
| Conservation Biogeography (GEO 515) | 3 | Geography |
Justification of Curriculum
Evolutionary and ecological principles are central to research and professional work in EEB. The one year sequence of BIO 556 and GLY 558 focus specifically on evolutionary principles, the former at a microevolutionary scale and the latter at a macroevolutionary scale. Advanced Ecology (BIO 507) is an advanced course that teaches ecological principles as well as approaches to investigating and understanding those principles. Thus, the three core courses of our proposed program will give students the knowledge base central to EEB. Evolution Colloquium (BIO 553, GLY 555, APY 550) is a lecture/discussion course that focuses on current research topics in EEB. Participation in this course will give students a better understanding of how to conduct and interpret research in EEB, as well as for what some of the "hot topics" in this area are. The remaining credits required are to come from elective courses (see pre-approved courses). These elective courses build on the basic principles introduced in the core courses, but are more specialized to particular sub-fields within EEB. Thus, this program will allow students to tailor their coursework to their own individual interests or needs. For example, students most interested in behavior might take the ethology practicum (547) and primate social behavior (APY 518), those interested in molecular evolution might take bioinformatics (BIO 500) and molecular ecology (BIO 558), and those interested in paleobiology might take comparative evolutionary paleobiology (GLY 500) and human paleontology (APY 561).
The proposed EEB curriculum is a natural compliment to the requirements for a graduate degree within the participating departments. In the Department of Geology, course plans for all graduate students are completely individualized except that they must meet the Graduate School regulations and must include a two course set that serve to develop a skill outside geology. Thus, the Geology Department courses in the EEB curriculum are courses that geology students with interests in the area will naturally take and the two Biology courses will meet their skill requirements. Course requirements in the Department of Biological Sciences are very similar, with students taking several graduate-level courses in their area of specialty; the courses proposed for the EEB program will easily fulfill these requirements (Indeed, many ecology students in the biology department already take several of the courses outlined above). The certification program will supplement the existing biology MA/MS by delineating a set of courses that will give students the necessary training in EEB; no additional coursework is necessary. Finally, within Anthropology, the EEB curriculum will be of interest primarily to students specializing in physical anthropology. During their first two years in the program, these students are required to take at least one course from the following areas: 1) morphology, 2) population biology or research methodology and 3) behavior. Courses in EEB will readily serve to both fulfill these requirements and develop special interests in evolution, ecology and behavior.