Upon acceptance into the program, the student will be notified of their initial faculty advisor. Any questions may be addressed to the advisor, or to the Graduate Program Director of the Department of Biological Sciences. The student will be assigned an advisor whose research background is similar to the student’s stated area of interest and career goals. Students may request a specific advisor from the faculty list; however, requesting an advisor does not guarantee availability. During the first semester of study the student and advisor must complete and submit a Plan of Study to the Graduate Program Director. The Plan of Study will detail the coursework to be taken for completion of the degree and can be modified at any time during the program.