Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Overview

How do organisms function at the molecular and cellular levels? The goal of Brandeis University's Molecular and Cell Biology graduate program is to train aspiring scientists interested in solving this fundamental question. Students acquire a broad knowledge about current developments in molecular and cell biology, learn to be effective scientific communicators, and are trained to perform independent scientific research. Research areas include genetics, molecular biology, developmental biology, cell biology, and neurobiology. 

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How to Apply

Application Deadlines

• MS: For fall admission: rolling through May 1; application review begins March 1. For spring admission: November 15 for domestic students, and October 15 for international students (due to time constraints in visa acquisition). Please note that the fall application may be closed earlier if the desired cohort size is reached prior to May 1; questions can be emailed to scigradoffice@brandeis.edu.
• PhD: For fall admission: December 1. Late applications may be considered, but first consideration will be given to applications received by the deadline.

Application Requirements

To apply for all programs, you need to submit:

• An online application

• An application fee

• Transcripts from all universities and colleges attended must be uploaded to your application; do not mail official transcripts to our office. For more information, visit Frequently Asked Questions.

• Letters of recommendation, submitted electronically. PhD: 3 required; Master's: 2 required (3 recommended).

• A curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé, which should include your educational history, employment experience, and other relevant information.

• A statement of purpose indicating your reasons for undertaking graduate study. In addition, please describe your qualifications for the academic program and your objectives in undertaking this program. Also, please outline your research interests and how they would complement those of our faculty.

• Program Questions: PhD applicants, please be prepared to upload a document that details your previous research experience and/or other experience you feel prepares you for graduate school. For each relevant experience, please write a short paragraph that includes the name of the company/university, name of PI/professor/supervisor, location, dates started and ended, and topic(s) studied.

• The Molecular and Cell Biology program does not require or take into consideration Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores as part of its admissions process. Please do not send your scores to Brandeis. Those that are sent will not be included in the application materials for review. 

• Additional Requirements for International Applicants: Score report from one of the following English language proficiency exams: TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Revised Paper-delivered Test, TOEFL ITP Plus for China Solution, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, or Duolingo English Test. You can arrange for the delivery of your TOEFL iBT or Revised Paper-delivered Test score report by providing ETS with our institution code, 3261 (no department code is necessary); please note that we do not accept TOEFL Essentials score reports or MyBest™ scores from ETS. Delivery of your TOEFL ITP Plus scores can be arranged via your Vericant account, delivery of your Duolingo scores can be arranged via your Duolingo account, and delivery of your PTE Academic scores can be arranged via your Pearson account. Further information about this requirement can be found on the International Students page.

For a more comprehensive description of application requirements, please visit Frequently Asked Questions.