Department: Biology

The Biology Department offers programs of courses and research leading to the Master of Arts degree at Queens College. It also offers programs of courses and research leading to the PhD at the CUNY Graduate Center in the subprograms of cellular, molecular, and developmental biology; evolution, ecology, and behavior; physiology and neurosciences; and plant sciences. Refer to the Bulletin of the Graduate Center for application, financial aid, and course information for the PhD program. Opportunities for specialization in applied and basic research are included below in the listing of the supervising faculty. 

The department offers a variety of graduate courses appropriate for master’s-level students in education. Students should meet with the department’s graduate advisor for guidance in the selection of biology courses. It also offers an accelerated graduate track that allows qualifying students to apply credit for advanced courses taken as undergraduates to both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees.  

In addition to the program of courses described above, students are encouraged to participate in the extensive research programs of the biology faculty. Their research activities have recently been funded by various agencies, including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and a number of private foundations, including the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. Participation in research is one of the best ways for students to learn biology first-hand, and to appreciate how scientific methodology is used to answer important biological questions. A description of current faculty research can be found below. 

Opportunities are enhanced by affiliation with other city institutions and cooperative efforts with other divisions of the City University of New York and the American Museum of Natural History. 

Office Location: Science Building D346

Office Phone Number: (718) 997-3400

Office Email: biology.qc.cuny.edu

Chair: Cathy Savage-Dunn

Doctoral Studies Advisor: John Dennehy

MA Program Advisor: David Lahti