Introduction
About this Handbook
This handbook is a resource, to be used in conjunction with the Graduate Catalog, to guide you through your entire program of study, beginning with orientation until graduation. It also serves as a resource for faculty, to ensure familiarity with program and university requirements. All efforts are made to keep this handbook current; it is the student’s responsibility to stay informed of due dates and changes in policies.
Boise State
Located at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills in Idaho’s capital city, Boise State University is the largest institution of higher education in the state. Boise State has over 26,000 students enrolled and encompasses 175 acres just south of downtown Boise. Located along the Boise River and nestled against foothills, Boise offers many outdoor activities within a short distance such as backpacking and skiing in the high country, mountain biking, boating, or fishing in pristine waters.
Our University has a focus on providing solid education in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) areas, and promoting innovation, creativity and research. We have a reputation as an emerging metropolitan research university and a key economic engine in the region. We pride ourselves in fostering an environment where research and creativity thrive, which is shown in the significant research opportunities for graduate students.
About the Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs
The Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program represents a highly interdisciplinary research program that offers students the opportunity to combine studies from traditional science disciplines to solve important problems at the interface of contemporary fields in the biomolecular sciences.
Our Mission Statement
The Biomolecular Sciences Ph.D. Program fuses biological, chemical and physical sciences into a single curriculum, removing traditional barriers to interdisciplinary scientific thinking and education, to prepare the next generation scientists for success in cross-disciplinary research and development.
In our program, you will work closely with faculty to make cutting-edge research contributions in the biomolecular sciences, engage in multidisciplinary education, establish collaborations across the program’s science departments, and have the potential to interact with local industry partners. With course offerings assembled from various departments, coupled with a core curriculum focusing on fundamental concepts in biomolecular sciences, you can develop a degree plan that supports your research and career interests.  By the end of your degree, you should possess the skills and knowledge necessary to develop a successful career, whether it is in academia, the private sector, or government agencies.
Program Description
This interdisciplinary program provides training in areas including biochemistry, bioinformatics, biophysics, cell biology, molecular modeling, and molecular biology to foster an integrated and quantitative approach to biomolecular studies. The three courses of the core sequence will be taught by faculty in the departments of Biological Sciences (BMOL 601), Chemistry and Biochemistry (BMOL 602), and Physics (BMOL 603), in order to expose students in the program to the perspectives of each of these fields. The goal of the program is to train scientists to conduct high-quality independent research and work as part of an interdisciplinary team to improve the understanding of the complex nature of molecules in biological systems.