Accelerated PhD program in molecular biology at a premier research laboratory on Long Island.
The school offers a single doctoral program: a PhD in molecular biology designed as an accelerated program with a target completion time of four years. The curriculum is embedded within Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's research environment, providing students with direct access to cutting-edge biological sciences research and faculty mentorship.
The school maintains a small, selective student body of approximately 50 students, with roughly half coming from international backgrounds. The suburban campus is located on Long Island in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, providing an intimate research-focused community.
Founded in 1998 and opened in 1999, the school was originally named the Watson School of Biological Sciences after James Watson, co-discoverer of DNA's structure and then-president of the laboratory. In July 2020, the board of trustees voted to return the school to its original name, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences. The founding dean was Winship Herr.