Biological Sciences Graduate Program

Associate Professor and Coordinator of Fordham’s Conservation Biology program, J. Alan Clark, Ph.D., and students study Bird Migration.

William Haffey, an ecology graduate student at Fordham University, cradled the nervous clump of gray and yellow feathers in his hands and carefully released it into a long, dark tunnel. At the far end were the adjacent glass panels, illuminated by a daylight simulator. The tunnel tests, conducted on the grounds of the Bronx Zoo, are helping conservationists and ornithologists understand and, they hope, ultimately prevent the widespread deaths of migratory birds as a result of building crashes.

New York City Audubon, the American Bird Conservancy, and Fordham University are collaborating on the research, which is focused on various types of glass and their ability to deter birds.

Congratulations to Dustin Partridge, a doctoral candidate in biology at Fordham University. He is featured in the National Wildlife Magazine discussing his dissertation research about how New York City’s green roofs attract large numbers of migratory birds and their insect prey.

The graduate program in the department of biological sciences at Fordham offers courses and research opportunities leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in biology. The goal of the program is to ensure a broad education in biology and specialized training for those pursuing careers in research or teaching. There are two areas of specialization: (1) cell and molecular biology and (2) ecology.

Prerequisites for Admission

Applicants must:

1. hold a bachelor's degree in the biological sciences or related major
2. have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (out of 4.0)
3. have an acceptable combined GRE score