Entomology & Insect Science (PhD)
Minimum Credit Units: 63
Required Core Coursework: 45
Minimum credits for Major: 36
Minimum credits for Minor: 9
Minimum credits for dissertation: 18
At least half of these (23 units or more) must be taken in letter-graded courses (vs. research or independent study units). These units will include EIS courses, courses in the minor, other courses chosen from the schedule of classes and approved by the Graduate Committee, and research and independent study units. Eligible transfer courses may also be included in this tally. For policy information please reference: Graduate College policies for doctoral students
EIS PhD Required Courses:
1. At least two of three of the following core courses:
EIS 520 Insect Molecular Physiology (3 units)
EIS 544 Insect Ecology (3 units)
EIS 517 Insect Systematics (4 units)
These courses are all offered alternate years, so students will take them in their first or second year.
2. EIS 596A Current topics in Entomology & Insect Science Seminar (1 -3 units)
Course is taken four (4) times, fall & spring semester in the first and second year of the program.
3. At least two research rotations - Methods in Entomology & Insect Science EIS 792 (previously EIS 700) (3 units). One rotation needs to be completed in a laboratory other than the advisor of record.
4. EIS 920 Dissertation (18 units).
5. PhD minor consisting of at least 9 units. Minors must be in a program or department other than EIS. A member of the minor department or program must serve on the student's committee and approve the units taken for fulfillment of the minor.
Other courses that may be taken by EIS students include:
| EIS 501 | Ecological Physiology (3 units) |
| EIS 505 | Aquatic Entomology (4 units) |
| EIS 513 | Applied Biostatistics (3 units) |
| EIS 515R | Insect Biology (3 units) |
| EIS 532 | Comparative Immunology (3 units) |
| EIS 536 | Agro-ecology (3 units) |
| EIS 553 | Functional and Evolutionary Genomics (4 units) |
| EIS 557 | Medical-Veterinary Entomology (3 units) |
| EIS 588 | Principles of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (3 units) |
| EIS 597C | Controlled Environment Agriculture IPM (3 units) |
| EIS 599 | Independent Study (1 – 5 units) |
| EIS 660 | Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 units) |
| EIS 699 | Independent Study (1 – 3 units) |
| EIS 900 | Research (1 – 8 units) |
In this interdisciplinary program, we encourage students to take courses in other programs that suit their developing interests, in consultation with their graduate committees.
Some popular courses include:
| BIO 567 | Pollination Ecology-Behavior, Cognition, & Ecology of Pollinators (3 units) |
| BIOS 576A | Biostatistics in Public Health (3 units) |
| BIOS 576B | Biostatistics for Research (3 units) |
| ECOL 506R | Conservation Biology (3 units) |
| ECOL 519 | Introduction to Modeling in Biology (3 units) |
| ECOL 526 | Population Genetics (3 units) |
| ECOL 587R | Animal Behavior (3 units) |
| ECOL 597S | Topics in Social Insect Biology (2 units) |
| ECOL 600A | Fundamentals of Evolution (3 units) |
| ECOL 600B | Fundamentals of Ecology (3 units) |
| ENVS 567 | Introductory Statistics and Multivariate Statistics with R (3 units) |
| EPID 573A | Basic Principles of Epidemiology (3 units) |
| PLP 550 | Principles of Plant Microbiology (4 units) |
| PLS 575S | Physiology of Plant Production under Controlled Environment (3 units) |
Elective Coursework:
In the fall students taking the required EIS 596A seminar course will attend Program research seminars and, separately, read the literature in their own area of research, write summaries and twice per semester, present a paper relevant to their own research in the class meeting time. The spring semester EIS 596A seminar course will be a structured proposal writing workshop, with frequent peer, advisor, and course instructor review of drafts.
Additional Requirements:
PhD students must complete at least one semester of a Teaching Assistantship. They are also expected to give two research talks following completion of their comprehensive examination, at least one on campus.
Entomology & Insect Science (MS)
A minimum of 32 units total must be taken, including eight thesis units (EIS 910). At least 15 units must be completed toward the MS requirements in letter-graded courses (vs. research or independent study units). For policy information please reference: Graduate College policies for masters degrees.
EIS MS Required Courses:
1. Two of three of the following core courses:
EIS 520 Insect Molecular Physiology (3 units)
EIS 544 Insect Ecology (3 units)
EIS 517 Insect Systematics (4 units)
These courses are all offered alternate years, so students will take them in their first or second year.
2. EIS 596A Current topics in Entomology & Insect Science Seminar (1 -3 units)
Course is taken two times, fall and spring semester in the first year of the program.
3. EIS 910 Thesis (8 units).
EIS courses available to MS majors:
| EIS 501 | Ecological Physiology (3 units) |
| EIS 505 | Aquatic Entomology (4 units) |
| EIS 513 | Applied Biostatistics (3 units) |
| EIS 515R | Insect Biology (3 units) |
| EIS 532 | Comparative Immunology (3 units) |
| EIS 536 | Agro-ecology (3 units) |
| EIS 553 | Functional and Evolutionary Genomics (4 units) |
| EIS 557 | Medical-Veterinary Entomology (3 units) |
| EIS 588 | Principles of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (3 units) |
| EIS 597C | Controlled Environment Agriculture IPM (3 units) |
| EIS 599 | Independent Study (1 – 5 units) |
| EIS 660 | Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 units) |
| EIS 699 | Independent Study (1 – 3 units) |
| EIS 900 | Research (1 – 8 units) |
In this interdisciplinary program, we encourage students to take courses in other programs that suit their developing interests, in consultation with their graduate committees.
Some popular courses include:
| BIO 567 | Pollination Ecology-Behavior, Cognition, & Ecology of Pollinators (3 units) |
| BIOS 576A | Biostatistics in Public Health (3 units) |
| BIOS 576B | Biostatistics for Research (3 units) |
| ECOL 506R | Conservation Biology (3 units) |
| ECOL 519 | Introduction to Modeling in Biology (3 units) |
| ECOL 526 | Population Genetics (3 units) |
| ECOL 587R | Animal Behavior (3 units) |
| ECOL 597S | Topics in Social Insect Biology (2 units) |
| ECOL 600A | Fundamentals of Evolution (3 units) |
| ECOL 600B | Fundamentals of Ecology (3 units) |
| ENVS 567 | Introductory Statistics and Multivariate Statistics with R (3 units) |
| EPID 573A | Basic Principles of Epidemiology (3 units) |
| PLP 550 | Principles of Plant Microbiology (4 units) |
| PLS 575S | Physiology of Plant Production under Controlled Environment (3 units) |
PhD Minor in Entomology & Insect Science
The Entomology & Insect Science GIDP is proud to offer a minor for PhD students at the University of Arizona! To complete a minor in EIS, you will need to complete 9 units of courses with the EIS prefix. You will indicate the courses taken to complete the minor on your Plan of Study in GradPath.
In addition, you will need a member of the EIS faculty to serve on your comprehensive examination committee. You should contact a faculty member to ask if they would be willing to serve on your committee; a list of our faculty, along with their research interests, is available here. You will need to list this faculty member on your Comp Exam Committee Appointment Form in GradPath.
If you have any questions about the EIS PhD Minor, please contact Paula Nielsen.
