How do I begin?

The Animal Behavior Graduate Group (commonly referred to as ANB or ABGG) accepts applications for fall quarter admission only. ANB accepts applications for the Ph.D. program only. 

If you are interested in applying to our program, here are a few good first steps to get you started:

  • Step 1: Review the the application requirements listed below. This will help you get a sense of what documents, statements, and letters of recommendation you should start preparing to complete your application.
  • Step 2: Review the Degrees Offered page on the website to review more about the program and required pre-requisite coursework for entering the program. While it isn't required to have all pre-requisite courses complete at the time of admission, the more areas of discourse that you have covered, the stronger your application is. If you aren't sure if your previous coursework will count towards the pre-requisite requirements, work with your home institutions academic advisor to cross reference course descriptions of the coursework you have completed with the descriptions of the UC Davis Catalog course descriptions.  
  • Step 3: Research potential faculty advisors and current research projects via the faculty profile page. Students who enter the program must be paired with faculty mentor. Often, students will join the faculty mentors lab as a graduate student. The best way to learn more about if your research interest aligns with a faculty member's current research objectives is to reach out to them directly!
  • Step 4: Check out our Application FAQ page to review frequently asked questions about the admission process, degrees offered, financial support, and recruitment timelines.
  • Step 5: If you still have questions that aren't answered in the resources above, you can reach out! The Graduate Studies Admission team can answer general questions regarding application materials and requirements. The programs graduate program coordinator can ask more specific questions about the program and the program's requirements. Note: These support teams receive hundreds of emails each year from applicants requesting information. Due to this volume of interest, admission team members and the graduate program coordinator may not be able to meet with you directly. The best mode of contact is to send an email with your specific questions. 

Fall 2026 Animal Behavior Graduate Group Seminar Series

Animal Behavior Graduate Group Seminar Series (Fall 2026)

Fridays at 9:30AM in Green Hall 1022

Graduate students: ANB 290 CRN: 20811

Undergraduate students: NPB 190C: 38603

For questions, contact Felicity Muth ([email protected])

Date of SeminarSpeakerSpeaker InstitutionTitle of Talk
September 25, 2026Dr. Sarah KocherUC BerkeleyRepeated evolution of sociality in sweat bees provides new insights into the evolution of social behavior
October 2, 2026Dr. Ashley MensingUC DavisRevisiting the aggression-boldness syndrome in a cognitively complex primate
October 9, 2026Dr. Jonas HenskeUC DavisChemical Communication in Orchid Bees
October 16, 2026Dr. Laura SteinUniversity of OklahomaIt's All in the Family: Parents, stress, and plasticity's role in evolution
October 23, 2026Dr. Jenna HulkeTexas Biomedical Research InstituteCauses and Consequences of doing it with oneself: our current understanding of neodermatan hermaphroditic mating systems
October 30, 2026Dr. Anaid Cárdenas-NavarreteUC DavisBehavioral flexibility and resilience to disturbed and novel environments in primates
November 6, 2026Dr. Cathy MarlerUniversity of Wisconsin - MadisonDo Hormones Just Turn Behavior On or Off or is Context Important? 
November 13, 2026Dr. Becca YoungUT AustinNeurotranscriptomic Insights into the Evolution and Development of Complex Behavior
November 20, 2026Dr. Hannah JustenUC DavisWhen tadpoles fight: How early-life experiences shape behavior and the brain in the long-term
November 27, 2026NO SEMINAR  
December 4, 2026Jacob JohnsonUC Davis - Exit SeminarUncovering Bird Behavior in Postfire and Urban Environments
This is an image of the ABGG Friday Seminar Speaker Schedule. The schedule can also be found in text above.