Welcome to the Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB)! The campus EEB community is strongly committed to fostering a diversity of outlooks, backgrounds and cultures among our graduate students. The community already engages in activities to foster belonging, and EEB students will play an important leadership role in this community.
UW Madison is a premier research institution that prides itself on graduate study – learn more about the graduate student experience here. On campus, you will find a home in an interdisciplinary network of researchers studying all aspects of EEB across the huge breadth of the diversity of life. There are many current opportunities for graduate students to study EEB in labs distributed across campus, but the goal of the EEB program is to bring students together into an engaged cohort. Students come together through shared coursework, events such as the Evolution Seminar Series, the CEE Symposia, and the annual poster event, as well as social outings including biweekly happy hours, trivia nights, and welcome back events.
The EEB program uses direct admission, which involves admission under the sponsorship of a faculty member who has agreed to provide mentorship and financial support. If you are considering studying EEB at UW-Madison, take a look at possible advisors (see the Faculty Directory) and then contact them. Plan to do this well in advance of the admissions deadline (December 1st). Be sure to carefully vet the lab you are considering – you should contact current graduate students from the lab for a student perspective.
The EEB Program requirements emphasize foundational coursework and then additional courses tailored to each student’s professional objectives. This allows students to have flexibility while developing a strong focus on research.
Curriculum
The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) graduate program curriculum will emphasize foundational training and integration of both ecology and evolutionary biology disciplines, with greater depth and research contributions expected in one discipline of specialization. Students will complete at least 51 credits in the program, with at least half at the graduate level, and a minimum of 32 credits in residence at UW-Madison.
The official resource for the curricular and program requirements is available on the EEB Guide page.
Student Learning Outcomes and Program Objectives
The proposed interdisciplinary program would create a setting for graduate students to gain expertise in ecology and evolutionary biology and prepare for a range of careers. EEB graduates will be at an advantage among peers in pursuing academic and business careers (the two largest sectors for Ph.D. graduates), but career paths are diverse and include biotechnology, natural resource management, agriculture, conservation, environmental consulting, education, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies, among others.
Graduates of the proposed program will be able to:
- Evaluate major theories and research approaches in ecology and evolutionary biology
- Integrate knowledge of ecological and evolutionary processes to interpret patterns across multiple temporal and spatial scales
- Apply quantitative skills, while using insight and creativity to conduct rigorous original research in one or both fields
- Demonstrate professional skills, ethical responsibility, and effective communication while teaching or conducting outreach in the fields of ecology and evolution
Program Requirements and Curriculum
As prerequisites for admission, students will have completed at least one course from four of following five areas (12 credits): ecology; evolution; genetics, cellular, molecular, or developmental biology; organismal biology, systematics or biodiversity; and quantitative analytical skills. A list of equivalent UW-Madison courses will be developed and maintained by the program committee. The admissions committee will be charged with determining whether a student may be permitted to fulfill prerequisites while in the program.
Students will begin their training through a cohort-based model, where all students will be required to complete Foundations of Evolution (2 credits) and Foundations of Ecology (2 credits) in their first year. Students will complete one additional graduate course integrating ecology and evolutionary processes (3 credits), and graduate seminar courses providing advanced knowledge in a relevant subfield (4 credits, with at least two taken prior to dissertator status).
All students will be expected to pursue multidisciplinary training through additional teaching and/or outreach activities, with the requirement of one semester of teaching or the equivalent in sustained outreach activities (e.g. 1 year of service on the executive committee of the Center for Ecology and the Environment, or the J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution). Lastly, all students will be required to complete training based on the advice of their dissertation committee that contributes to their professional development (e.g. additional coursework, internships, workshops, service, etc.).
Outreach
We recommend that students make an effort to get involved in outreach efforts. There are many ways to do this through the labs you join, but also through the Wisconsin Evolution and the Center for Ecology and the Environment. There are also opportunities to participate in events organized by Science Expeditions, or WISCIENCE, or event in local community groups in Madison.
Outreach activities include engaging in K-12 education, as well as events geared to educating the general public, as supported by some 15 years’ experience organizing Darwin Day outreach events each February and presenting workshops at the National Science Teachers Association. Outreach is particularly challenging and important given widespread misconceptions about science, as well as socioeconomic and geographic disparities in the quality of natural science education and access to natural areas. Engagement in outreach activities will ensure that the EEB program will have a significant impact on the broader community.