The MBBE Graduate Program offers both MS and Ph.D.. degrees. This program emphasizes research and training that seek to further our knowledge and understanding of the biochemical, nutritional and molecular-biological processes that underlie growth, development, photosynthesis, and stress, especially as related to tropical agriculture, aquaculture, plant and environmental biotechnology, and biomedical sciences.Students with a previous Master's degree in the biosciences are required to take a minimum of three credits of 400-level (excluding 499) and nine credits of 600-level (excluding 699) courses from the list of approved courses (refer to the ''courses'' tab above). Students without a Master's degree are required to take an additional two courses (three credits each of 400 and 600-level). The courses must be pre-approved by the major advisor and Graduate Chair. A minimum of 12 credits of MBBE 699 (directed research) and one credit of MBBE 800 are also required of all students. MBBE 800 is taken preferably in the final semester. Students are encouraged to take one credit of seminar (MBBE 610 or equivalent) each academic year. Two seminar credits are required for the PhD degree. The dissertation proposal or defense seminar cannot be used to meet this requirement.