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The aim of doctoral education is to prepare the student for a research career or for a career in other demanding expert and development positions and international cooperation. The core learning outcomes include thorough knowledge in the field of research, ethical responsibility, readiness to apply scientific research methods independently and critically and to produce new scientific knowledge, as well as to have versatile communication, interaction and cooperation skills.

All full time doctoral students are expected to graduate within four years of enrolment to the programme.

Additional information:

Doctoral programme website: /en/science/bioenv/research

Faculty website: /science/en/research/doctoral-studies

In addition to the doctoral dissertation which is examined in public, 30 ECTS credits of doctoral studies (specialisation in Biological and Environmental Science specialisation) or 60 credits (specialisation in Clinical Cell Biology) must be completed. Please note that the specialisation in Clinical Cell Biology (in Finnish, sairaalasolubiologin opintosuunta) is only offered in Finnish.

Form for the coursework plan (study plan), Doctoral Programme in Biological and Environmental Science

What can I study - teaching schedules for doctoral studies

Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ dissertation requirements from 1.1.2025 onwards: /en/for-students/instructions-for-doctoral-students/dissertation-and-dissertation-research/dissertation-requirements-from-112025

Our department is an active and visible operator both regionally and nationally and is in high demand internationally as a cooperation partner.

The department's research is divided into three broad areas of strength: biological nanoscience, evolutionary research and sustainable use of natural resources. Many research groups operate in several focus areas, utilizing their special expertise for various issues. Our research activities are characterized by an open-minded combination of different fields of biology and an emphasis on empirical research. The department's research is connected by an experimental approach to biological and environmental science questions, which is complemented by theoretical and statistical modeling. The research is carried out both in the laboratory and in the field, and the longitudinal data collected from the field research is used as the basis of mathematical modeling. Basic and applied research also naturally go hand in hand, good examples of which are research on the structure and function of antiviral molecules found in nature, utilizing the possibilities of phage therapy in fish farming and as substitutes for antibiotics, or utilizing artificial intelligence and citizen science in research on changes in the distribution of migratory bird species.

Research at the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences: /en/science/bioenv/research

In research, we are brave and open-minded, and we value wide-ranging interdisciplinary cooperation. The department's researchers conduct interdisciplinary research in cooperation with various stakeholders, such as in business and business life and with the public sector (e.g. Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE, Metsähallitus, Finnish Environment Institute SYKE), offering comprehensive and versatile expertise in natural science. The department's researchers are also actively involved in the JYU.Wisdom and JYU.Well network.

Research activities of the Department of Biological and Environmental Science are wide-ranging, aiming at understanding the basic mechanisms of biological natural phenomena from the molecular and cellular level to the functioning of living communities and ecosystems. In addition to basic research questions, research in the department aims to find out the effects of human activity on natural environments and to think about solutions for the sustainable use of natural resources and to reduce harmful effects of human activity. Teaching is based on the research carried out at the department, and it overlaps a theoretical approach with practical training in both field and laboratory courses. The department educates researchers and specialists in the broad fields of cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as water and environmental sciences, who contribute to building a sustainable society of the future.

Please note that the specialisation in Clinical Cell Biology (in Finnish, sairaalasolubiologin opintosuunta) is only offered in Finnish.

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy gives graduates the competence for an international research career and challenging specialist assignments in society, including diverse jobs in industry and education.