Application & Admissions

Deadline for complete applications: 1 February

ADMISSIONS STANDARDS

In addition to meeting University application requirements, applicants should submit an application form, complete transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work, and GRE scores (general and advanced biology, plus TOEFL scores for international students) to the Director of Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557. Applicants should also arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to this address by individuals able to evaluate the applicant’s academic record and research potential.

We anticipate that in order to compete successfully for admission, an applicant should meet the following requirements:

1. a cumulative grade point average of 3.00,
2. combined verbal plus quantitative GRE score of 1200 (a TOEFL score of 600 for international students),
3. course work in physical sciences (6 credits),
4. university mathematics including calculus (6 credits),
5. organic chemistry or biochemistry (6 credits),
6. biology course work (24 credits, including genetics, evolution, and ecology), or equivalent evidence of ability to succeed in a Ph.D. program in ecology, evolution and conservation biology.

APPLICATION

Please click here to download an application.

TEMPORARY ADVISOR

Each student must have a temporary advisor among the EECB faculty before they are accepted into the EECB Program. Within the first academic year, an advisory committee and major professor must be chosen, and the first committee meeting held.

ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE

The EECB Admissions Committee evaluates all student applications to the EECB Program and recommends to the EECB Faculty those students found acceptable and sources of financial support they should receive from the EECB Graduate Program. The EECB Admissions Committee evaluates and advises the Program Director on all Graduate Faculty applications. When considering general admission policies, this committee shall consult with representatives of the EECB student association.

QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

Completion of the Graduate Record Examination advanced test in Biology will constitute the Qualifying Examination for EECB. An overall score of 680 or subscores of 70 in Population Biology, 70 in Organismal Biology, and 62 in Cellular and Subcellular Biology is used as evidence of readiness to begin graduate work in the EECB Program. Students with lower scores in any of the three areas must complete an undergraduate Biology course with a grade of B or better in areas in which a low score was received.