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Application Procedure

The Department of Biology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.

Applicants to the graduate program in the Department of Biology should have a strong background in the biological sciences including coursework in general biology, genetics, ecology or physiology, chemistry, and mathematics. However, applicants missing coursework in one or more of these areas may be admitted conditionally (for example, on the condition that they take a course in genetics during their first semester of enrollment). For regular Fall (August) admission, application materials must be received by January 15th. Applications received after this time will only be considered if spaces are available (see below). For Spring (January) admission, application materials must be received by October 15.

Graduate students are admitted to the Department of Biology in one of four categories, and students should clearly indicate the category to which they are applying in their Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions.

  1. Ph.D. student with a specific Major Advisor
  2. Ph.D. student on rotation system (no initial Major Advisor)
  3. M.S. student with a specific Major Advisor (thesis track)
  4. M.S. student with a specific Major Advisor (non-thesis track)

Ph.D. student with a specific Major Advisor

This category is for potential Ph.D. students who have identified a member of the graduate faculty to be their Major Advisor, who will become their Dissertation Director. Applicants should have a specific research area in mind and must contact Biology faculty who could potentially serve as their Major Advisor before submitting an application. The applicant should clearly identify that Major Advisor in bold, in the first sentence of their submitted Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions. The prospective Major Advisor is responsible for placing a letter of support in the applicant’s file, describing why the student should be admitted into the program, how the student’s research will relate to that of the Major Advisor’s current laboratory/research group, and expectations for the student’s success in the Graduate Program.

Ph.D. student on rotation system (no initial Major Advisor)

Ph.D. students admitted to the graduate program on the rotation system should expect to be involved in the research of three different labs during their first year in the program, with the requirement of having a Major Advisor in place by the end of their first year. Applicants must contact potential rotation faculty before applying and identify at least three Biology faculty for their rotation in their Statement of Purpose. Applicants should be aware that some faculty may not be available to participate in the rotation system. The Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) will only review applications from rotation students who have agreements from at least three Biology faculty for lab rotations. The applicant should clearly identify those three Biology faculty in bold, in the first sentence of their submitted Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions.

If admitted, the Graduate Program Coordinator will serve as the student’s temporary advisor for their first year and will establish a rotation plan in consultation with the student, the Graduate Studies Committee and individual faculty.

Students should expect to start their first rotation immediately, and to complete all three rotations by the end of the first semester. At the completion of each rotation, students are required to write a brief report describing their experience, which is submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator and GSC. Following the completion of all rotations, the student will write a brief summary of their entire rotational experience, which also describes their preferred choice of permanent Major Advisor as well as alternates. While the GSC will endeavor to place students with their preferred Major Advisor, after consultation with the faculty involved, students may be placed with alternate choices. Rotation students must have a Major Advisor in place by no later than the end of their first academic year.

M.S. student with a specific Major Advisor (thesis track)

This category is for potential M.S. students who wish to base their M.S. degree on a research thesis, and who have identified a member of the graduate faculty to be their Major Advisor, who will become their Thesis Director. Applicants should have a specific research area in mind and must contact Biology faculty who could potentially serve as their Major Advisor before submitting an application. The applicant should clearly identify that Major Advisor in bold, in the first sentence of their submitted Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions. The prospective Major Advisor is responsible for placing a letter of support in the applicant’s file, describing why the student should be admitted into the program, how the student’s research will relate to that of the Major Advisor’s current laboratory/research group, and expectations for the student’s success in the Graduate Program.

M.S. student with a specific Major Advisor (non-thesis track)

This category is for potential M.S. students who wish to base their M.S. degree mainly on coursework, with a capstone project at the end under the supervision of their Major Advisor. In this case, the applicant should attempt to identify a member of the graduate faculty to be their Major Advisor, but the Graduate Program Coordinator can also serve as the Major Advisor. The applicant should clearly state their intention to enter the non-thesis M.S. track, and identify their Major Advisor in bold, in the first sentence of their submitted Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions. The prospective Major Advisor is responsible for placing a letter of support in the applicant’s file, stating their willingness to serve as the Major Advisor if the student is admitted to the program. Please note that non-thesis M.S. students are not generally eligible for financial support from departmental teaching assistantships.

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The Graduate Studies Committee reviews applicants and makes recommendations for admission and awarding of assistantships to the Department Chair. For full consideration, applicants for Fall admission must have all of their materials submitted through the Graduate School online submission system and received by the Department of Biology by the appropriate deadline (October 15th for January admission, or January 15th for August admission). Because testing agencies, universities, and references often take 2-3 weeks to submit materials, applicants are advised to make requests for test scores, transcripts, and letters of reference well ahead of the deadline. Applications that are incomplete in the Department of Biology at the deadline will not be considered initially, and will be considered as late applications. Late applications are only considered if admission places or assistantships are still available. While we appreciate early decisions from applicants who are offered admission and/or assistantships, the Department of Biology supports the Council of Graduate Schools’ resolution to allow applicants to graduate programs up to April 15th to make decisions on offers of fall admission.

Applications for Spring admission are reviewed on a case by case basis but are usually only considered when the Graduate Studies Committee determines that the applicant would be a competitive applicant for regular Fall admission.

Applicants must submit online to the Graduate School all of the following:

    • An application.
    • A 1-2 page Statement of Background and Future Goals.
      • This statement must have the title “Statement of Background and Future Goals” at the top. In this statement, please describe any prior relevant research and/or work experience, prior relevant coursework, motivation for pursuing this graduate degree, and how it relates to your career goals.
    • A 1-2 page Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions.
      • Use this statement as an opportunity to express your future interests and ideas. This statement must have the title “Statement of Research Interests and Potential Research Questions” at the top. The applicant should clearly identify the Major Advisor or three rotation hosts in bold, in the first sentence of this statement. For PhD or thesis M.S. applicants, please explain your specific research ideas and interests. If you have a prior graduate degree, please clarify how/whether you want to continue that work or go in a different direction. If you’ve discussed potential projects with your prospective advisor, please discuss. If you’re applying to the rotation program, please express your goals for the rotation process, and any potential ideas or interests you might want to pursue. Non-thesis M.S. applicants do not need to discuss research ideas per se, but should write at least one paragraph describing their desired coursework emphases, and at least one idea for a topic they might want to explore in a capstone synthesis project.
    • A CV or resume.
    • Two letters of recommendation, preferably from individuals who can comment on the applicant’s research experience and/or potential for conducting research in the life sciences; or, for non-thesis M.S. applicants, who can comment on the applicant’s potential to succeed in graduate-level coursework.
    • Official transcripts of all prior undergraduate and graduate work (See the Graduate School’s FAQ page for the address to which official transcripts must be mailed.  Keep in mind that mailed applications can take 2-3 weeks to be received by the Graduate School and forwarded to the Department of Biology).
    • International applicants must also submit English language proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-A) as per University policy.
    • The Department of Biology does not require or review GRE scores as part of the graduate application process

Applicants are only admitted if there is evidence of financial support for their graduate studies. This can be provided in the form of departmental graduate assistantships, which are awarded on a competitive basis (only to PhD and thesis-track M.S. students) and include a tuition waiver, subsidized health insurance, and stipend support. Graduate students can also choose to support themselves from sources outside the department; this intention should be clearly stated in the application materials. All components of the application (statements, letters of recommendation, GPA, and letter of support from Major Advisor) are used by the Graduate Studies Committee to determine eligibility for assistantships. These assistantships are competitive and the Department of Biology recommends that applicants have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), and a strong research background to qualify. Applicants may also be eligible for additional fellowships and scholarships that are available through the Graduate School.

Admission into the Biology graduate program is based on the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee who will assess all of the application material and make a recommendation to the Chair of the Department of Biology.

Application Fee Waiver: The Graduate School’s $60 application fee can not be waived. However, if you are unable to pay the fee due to economic challenges, your potential Major Advisor may be willing to pay the fee for you (you can inquire with them).