Tennessee Tech Approves New Ph.D. in Integrative Biology
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Board of Trustees at Tennessee Tech University approved a proposal for a new Ph.D. in integrative biology at its quarterly meeting on March 12, 2026. The program would be the university’s first doctoral offering in the Department of Biology and aims to launch this fall, pending final approval from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
According to the university’s written proposal, the new program “takes a systems-based approach to biological research, preparing scholars to address complex biological questions across multiple scales — spanning molecular, cellular, organismal and ecosystem levels.”
University leaders say the program will stand apart by leveraging the Upper Cumberland region’s rich biological diversity as a “living laboratory” for student exploration and research.
They also note that the program addresses key workforce needs, with employment of biological scientists and related research positions in Tennessee projected to grow by 7.2% through 2032, outpacing the state’s overall projected employment growth.
Graduates of the program would be equipped for employment as research directors, faculty members, principal investigators and senior scientists in academic institutions, government research facilities and private industry, among other roles.
The university’s proposal is backed by letters of support from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Natural Areas and others.
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