Prospective Students
The Walter S. and Lucienne Driskill Graduate Program in Life Sciences offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary PhD program that trains students in biomedical sciences while giving them the flexibility to pursue a variety of research interests, dual degrees and specialized tracks.
The program has approximately 275 pre-doctoral students who share courses and labs with members of other life science programs at Northwestern. Typically, graduates go on to postdoctoral work to continue their training in preparation for careers in research at universities or in industry. However, several students choose less traditional career paths, including business, teaching, law, medicine, consulting and scientific writing.
Degree Options
In addition to the PhD program, students can choose a dual-degree program.
Master of Science in Clinical Investigation/PhD Program
Students in this dual-degree program earn both the PhD and the MSCI degrees simultaneously. Application to the program is done during the first year of PhD study. Graduates are trained to work in multidisciplinary teams in academic, corporate or government positions to accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries that improve human health.
Master of Public Health/PhD Program
Students in this dual-degree program earn both the PhD and the MPH degrees simultaneously. Admission to the program is done at the time of application. Graduates will be trained to take leadership roles in academia, industry and government institutions by acquiring expertise in molecular, cellular and biochemical approaches to population-based health questions.
