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Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology

Graduate Programs

Why Study Molecular and Cell Biology?

UMBC’s Ph.D. program in Biological Sciences offers students interdepartmental access to faculty and research facilities and intense training in molecular and cell biology.

Join our challenging Ph.D. program and hone your analytical skills as you delve into advanced-level courses in molecular and cell biology and develop and conduct a research project (dissertation). With the support of experienced faculty and advisors, you’ll build both a strong conceptual and technical foundation that can prepare you for leadership positions in the field.

At a Glance

Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology

Terms of Admission:
Fall

Campus Locations:
Catonsville

Schedule:
Full-time

Department:
Department of Biological Sciences

College:
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences

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What Are My Career Options Studying Molecular and Cell Biology?

Molecular And Cell Biology

Based on real UMBC graduates*

11 Graduates
$79,376 Median Salary
Data shown for graduates 2011–2026.

Top Job Titles

  • GRADUATE ASSISTANT
    1
    Graduates
    $39k
    Median Salary
  • TEAM LEADER
    1
    Graduates
    $68k
    Median Salary
  • RESEARCH SCIENTIST
    1
    Graduates
    $107k
    Median Salary
  • GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT
    1
    Graduates
    $35k
    Median Salary
  • VP STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND CLINICAL AFFAIRS
    1
    Graduates
    N/A
    Median Salary
  • CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
    1
    Graduates
    $139k
    Median Salary
  • AREA VICE PRESIDENT MOLECULAR SCIENCE LIAISONS NORTHEAST
    1
    Graduates
    N/A
    Median Salary
  • ACTING TEAM LEADER SENIOR CLINICAL ANALYST
    1
    Graduates
    N/A
    Median Salary
  • SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
    1
    Graduates
    $63k
    Median Salary
  • SCIENTIST
    1
    Graduates
    $91k
    Median Salary

Salary Distribution

Top Employers

  1. FDA 2
  2. UMBC BOOKSTORE 1
  3. CHANGE FOODS 1
  4. UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE COUNTY 1
  5. CLARET BIOSCIENCE 1
  6. AMAZON WEB SERVICES AWS 1
  7. CARIS LIFE SCIENCES 1
  8. CELL PRESS 1
  9. HANSOH BIO 1
  10. SCALE BIOSCIENCES 1

Top Industries

Job Categories

Top Locations

  1. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 2
  2. ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND 1
  3. LOS ALTOS, CALIFORNIA 1
  4. SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND 1
  5. WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS 1

* Outcomes reflect graduates Steppingblocks could match to public career data, so totals may not represent every graduate in the program. Salary figures are based only on graduates with salary data available.

Tuition, Scholarships & Financial Aid

Find opportunities to further advance your career and academic studies.

UMBC participates in all federal and state student financial aid programs and offers scholarships and assistantships through the Graduate School, Graduate Departments and the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

2025–2026 Graduate Cost Calculator Graduate Assistantships Fellowships Funding Your Education

Ready to Apply?

1

Review Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology Requirements

GRE is waived for Spring 2027.

Undergraduate training in organic chemistry, general biology, genetics, cell biology, physics, and calculus; recommend having taken a biochemistry course; recommend undergraduate major in biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, microbiology, molecular biology, or the biological sciences.

2

Start Your Graduate Admissions Application

Please note that application decisions can take 6-8 weeks after the program’s deadline, and depend on how many applications a department receives. You will receive an email once the department processes your decision letter. You will be able to see your decision letter by logging in to the application website. Your decision letter will be where the application checklist was. You may also check your recommendation statuses to send reminders or update contact information from the user page. If you are having trouble logging back in, you can recover your account.

3

Have Questions?

Please contact the appropriate Graduate School staff member for assistance, or contact our Main Office at gradschool@umbc.edu or 410-455-2537.

Application Deadlines

Spring Semester

International Students:
Apply by September 1

Domestic Students:
Apply by December 1

UMBC Graduate School Application UMBC Grad School Admissions Info UMBC Grad School Required Documents

Contact Information

Molecular and Cell Biology Program Contacts

Main Contact

410-455-3669

Program Director

Stephen Miller
410-455-3381
stmiller@umbc.edu

Program Coordinator

Brandy Darcey
410-455-3669
bdarcey@umbc.edu

UMBC Graduate School Admissions Office Contact Information

Mailing Address

UMBC Graduate School
1000 Hilltop Circle Baltimore, MD 21250

Admissions Staff

Staff are available from
Mon - Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 410-455-2537

Request Help

Email Graduate Admissions at gradschool@umbc.edu.

Visit Official Program WebsiteView Course Catalog Entry

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