The doctoral program in biodefense is designed to prepare students to serve as scholars and professionals in the fields of biodefense and biosecurity. The program integrates knowledge of natural and man-made biological threats with the skills to develop and analyze policies and strategies for enhancing biosecurity. Other areas of biodefense including nonproliferation, intelligence and threat assessment, and medical and public health preparedness are integral parts of the program.
Because of the breadth of the program, students with backgrounds in science and other areas, such as international affairs, political science, law, public policy, and conflict resolution, are encouraged to apply.
Reduction of Credit
Students who enter the doctoral program with a master’s degree or other graduate credit may have their credit reduced by up to 30 credits at the discretion of the department with the approval of the dean.
Advancement to Candidacy
To advance to candidacy, students must complete all coursework required on their approved program of study. They must also successfuly pass a qualifying exam.
Degree Requirements (Catalog Year 2012-2013)
In addition to meeting the following requirements for this degree, students must meet the university requirements for all doctoral degrees.
Students are strongly encouraged to take the core courses as early as possible because they provide the foundation for the rest of the program. The courses that students plan on taking should be approved in a program of study designed by the student and their advisor during the student’s first semester. Students may take up to 12 credits of courses outside of the Biodefense Program with prior written approval of their advisor. Consult with the graduate program director or coordinator for a list of BIOD electives and approved non-BIOD electives that can be used to fulfill some of the requirements below.
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Seven required courses (21 credits): BIOD 604, 605, 609; GOVT 500, 540; PUAD 630
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One additional advanced research course (3 credits)
Must be approved by the program director. May be focused on qualitative or quantitative research. - Four courses (12 credit) in one concentration chosen from the list to the right.
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Two courses (6 credits)
Of the courses listed for the two concentrations to the right, students should select courses from the concentration that is not their chosen concentration. -
Electives (9-21)
Students complete the remaining 72 credits through additional elective courses chosen in consultation with an advisor. -
Dissertation (21-24 credits)
Once enrolled in 998, students in this degree program must maintain continuous registration in 998 or 999 each semester (excluding summers) until the dissertation is submitted to and accepted by the University Libraries. Once enrolled in 999, students must follow the university’s continuous registration policy as specified in the Academic Policies chapter of the catalog. Students who defend in the summer must be registered for at least 1 credit of 999.
Students may apply to this degree a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 credits of 998 and a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 18 credits of 999. They may apply a maximum of 24 dissertation credits (998 and 999 combined) to the degree. Because of the continuous registration policy, students may be required to register for additional credits of these courses.
Before registering in BIOD 999, students must offer a successful public defense of the dissertation proposal. Students must present the results of the dissertation research to their dissertation committee in a seminar and defend their dissertation to the university community. Successful completion of a dissertation is contingent on approval of the dissertation committee and the dean.
Total: 72 Credits
Requirements may be different for earlier catalog years. See the University Catalog archives.