Mission and Learning Outcomes

The Natural Sciences Ph.D. program reflects our commitment to providing tailored education that meets the specific professional goals and academic needs of each student. By refining our offerings, we aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their chosen fields, whether in private or public sectors, academia, or impactful industries. Students in the program develop the ability to integrate principles and theories from across disciplines, using approaches, methods, ethical principles, and tools to pursue a research line of inquiry, with a primary focus on their primary discipline.

Our program maintains its dedication to academic excellence and scholarly inquiry, offering a methodical approach to research and problem-solving. With a renewed focus on individualized pathways, students receive personalized academic training designed to support their unique goals and aspirations.

Through a blend of rigorous academic study and practical application, our program ensures that students develop a comprehensive understanding of their chosen fields. By emphasizing collaboration and multidisciplinary perspectives, we prepare graduates to thrive in diverse professional environments.

Moreover, by prioritizing the acquisition of transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, and project management, our program equips students with the tools necessary to navigate complex career landscapes and adapt to evolving professional demands with confidence and adaptability.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from this program will:

• Apply knowledge in the discipline(s) to answer a research question
• Apply proper investigation techniques for the discipline(s)
• Use oral and written forms of communication to convey innovative ideas effectively

Program Description

Applicants to UMKC's Natural Sciences Ph.D. program must meet both general and discipline-specific criteria for admission, as endorsed by faculty review groups within the chosen discipline(s). Upon approval by the graduate dean, students are admitted to the School of Graduate Studies, which oversees their progress, enforces program regulations, and facilitates communication.

Each student collaborates with UMKC doctoral faculty to develop a tailored program of study that aligns with their professional goals and research interests, satisfying specific requirements within their discipline(s).

The program aims to equip students with:

• A solid foundation in their chosen field(s);
• Effective communication skills for research;
• Research proficiency in various approaches, methods, ethics, and tools; and
• The capability to investigate innovative research endeavors.

Admission is competitive, and enrollment is limited to students committed to advanced study and scholarship. Guided by their supervisory committee, students must develop a Plan of Study within the first year and fulfill a residency requirement within two years. The final phases of the program entail significant innovative research, completion of a written dissertation, and a successful oral defense of the research work.

Program Structure

Total Credits Required for Graduation: 42*
Residency requirements: Ph.D. students must satisfy the doctoral residency requirement by satisfactory completion of at least 18 credits in no more than 24 consecutive months. When satisfying the residency requirement, all Ph.D. students are subject to the following restrictions:

• The doctoral residency requirement must be satisfied no later than the end of the semester in which the student completes his or her comprehensive examinations.
• Students must achieve a cumulative graduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 in all courses counted toward satisfying the residency requirement. 

* Specific disciplines may require more credit hours for graduation. See discipline specific coursework requirements for more information on total credit hours required for graduation.

Program Requirements

The coursework requirements encompass: 

• A minimum of 12 credit hours of coursework within the primary area, accompanied by at least 12 dissertation hours. The primary disciplines retain the flexibility to potentially request more than the minimum credit hours. 
• A minimum of 9 credit hours outside the primary discipline, decided in consultation between the student and advisor. This can be comprised of coursework entirely within a designated secondary discipline in the Natural Sciences, or may be coursework from multiple disciplines.
• A minimum of 30 classroom credits is required beyond the baccalaureate, including fundamental and advanced courses along with seminars. 
• Any primary discipline can be combined with any secondary discipline among the participating disciplines.

Participating Disciplines

Participating disciplines encompass a range of fields, including:

• Biomedical and Health Informatics
• Cell Biology and Biophysics
• Chemistry
• Geosciences
• Mathematics
• Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
• Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Science
• Pharmacology
• Physics 

Program Administration

Program oversight is primarily conducted by designated faculty within each discipline, who are certified by the University of Missouri-Kansas City to chair and serve on doctoral supervisory committees. These faculty members are responsible for developing and implementing students' doctoral plans of study and evaluating their qualifications for the Ph.D. degree. The School of Graduate Studies and the UMKC Graduate Council provide assistance and support in this process.

The Discipline Coordinators, chaired by the Ph.D. Program Director, govern the Natural Sciences Ph.D. program. This committee collaborates to establish policies governing the program, ensuring representation from various academic areas. This collaborative effort allows for the review and refinement of program goals, procedures, and policies, with any significant changes requiring approval from the doctoral faculty.

Doctoral Faculty Participation in the Natural Sciences Ph.D. Program

Major responsibility for assessment of Doctoral Faculty qualifications rests at the departmental level, where nominations for membership are initiated. Doctoral Faculty must be duly nominated and approved regular (tenured or tenure-track) members of the faculty with the rank of assistant professor or higher. In UMKC's Natural Sciences Ph.D. program, the primary advisor must hold doctoral faculty status within the primary discipline area.

There are three classifications of Graduate Faculty membership at UMKC: (a) Graduate Faculty, (b) Ex-officio graduate faculty, and (c) Adjunct Graduate Faculty. The Graduate Dean approves these appointments on an annual basis.

The supervisory committee shall be composed of at least four members, including a primary advisor with doctoral faculty status in the primary discipline. The remaining members of each committee can hold doctoral, graduate, or adjunct graduate faculty status. Final approval of the composition of each supervisory committee shall be obtained in writing by the primary advisor/committee chair from the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Where graduate or adjunct graduate faculty are included, the advisor shall provide a strong justification for their inclusion.

To be eligible to participate as a discipline in the Natural Sciences Ph.D. program, a discipline must have at least four regular doctoral faculty members.

Continuing doctoral faculty are reviewed for five-year reappointment and nominations for new appointments are considered throughout the academic year. Consequently, the list of doctoral faculty is dynamic and subject to change. Updated lists are available online from the School of Graduate Studies.

Discipline-Specific Requirements

All Ph.D. applicants and students must first meet the general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies for admission and retention in the Ph.D. program. In addition to the general academic regulations that have been outlined in previous sections of the general catalog, disciplines may set more stringent discipline-specific requirements that take priority over the general requirements. Discipline-specific requirements for disciplines eligible to participate in the Natural Sciences Ph.D. program are listed in alphabetical order by the name of the discipline. These guidelines are subject to ongoing review and revision, and the doctoral faculty reserves the right to make judicious changes in discipline-specific requirements. The student is referred to the Coordinators in the disciplines for the most current information.

The Natural Sciences Ph.D. program requires the designation of a primary discipline at the time of admission. A secondary discipline may be designated from the participating disciplines, if a student will be completed the required coursework for that secondary discipline. However, students are not required to designate a secondary discipline, if instead they will be completing coursework in multiple areas outside their primary discipline. This coursework will be chosen in consultation with the primary advisor.

Satisfactory Progress Policy

The UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations establish the maximum timeline for academic progress (see policy KC-ACA-3786) and ineligibility due to unsatisfactory progress or performance (see policy KC-ACA-3741). The satisfactory progress of doctoral students in the Natural Sciences Ph.D. program is assessed annually by a student's primary doctoral advisor, discipline Coordinator, supervisory committee (when appropriate) and the Ph.D. program director on the basis of academic performance, as well as by meeting the various deadlines for language examinations, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, dissertation proposal defense, and any other discipline-specified requirements.

A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress will be advised in writing by the Discipline Coordinator and the Ph.D. Program Director of the corrective steps needed, the timeline for meeting those steps, and apprised of the consequences of failing to take those steps. Failure to satisfactorily take corrective action by the established timeline could result in a recommendation by the Ph.D. Program Director to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for a program dismissal and ineligibility for further graduate study. A student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress may also lose eligibility for financial aid or funding (e.g., assistantship, fellowship).

A student can be classified as "not making satisfactory progress" and recommended for possible dismissal at any point in their academic training, regardless of whether they are within the maximum time constraints outlined in the UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations.

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress and are consequently recommended for dismissal and ineligibility for further study have the right to submit documentation to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for review and consideration when determining the student's eligibility status. Per the UMKC Graduate Academic Regulations, students have the right to appeal the Graduate Dean's decision to the Provost.