This program falls under the pre-requisites category. Here, you can take a number of pre-reqs for graduate school. Although they say that it is intended for those who want to enter the health sciences, I don't see why it wouldn't work for anyone else. They recommend checking with programs you want to apply to beforehand to make sure the courses will be accepted, although many health programs will accept them. So you should probably check with any non-health graduate program you're interested in too. The biggest pluses for me are Organic Chemistry I & II and Microbiology.
All courses are designed to be completed in 16 weeks. And they do have labs! The labs are virtual, using a software program, so you don't have to live anywhere near Maine in order to take the lab part, and you don't have to work with anyone else (including the instructor!) to do your labs! Each course is pretty expensive, but if you were to attend a regular school, you'd have to take filler courses just to get financial aid in order to be a full-time student. These other schools would also charge more than base tuition and fees so that you'd be looking at $11,000 and up just to get your pre-reqs for grad school. (And of course, that's only for one year.) That's the other great thing about these courses--they are completely self-paced, so you can take up to a year to complete them. Total costs for each course comes out to around $1340.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Illinois Institute of Technology: Biology (Online)
This program doesn't sound too bad, but without on-campus labs or a thesis project, I don't see how it could be all that useful, especially at the high cost of attendance.
Application Deadline: Dec. 15 , May 10, Aug. 1
Application Cost: $40
Degrees Offered: PSM (Professional Science Masters)
Min. GPA: 3.0
Min. GRE: required of international students, students with GPA between 2.5 and 3.0, or at request of admissions committee; in any of the aforementioned cases a min. score of 1100 combined is required.
Subject GRE: Not required
Pre-requisites:
Bachelor's in Biology
Recommendend courses: genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry
Interesting Courses: Medical Microbiology, Virology, Toxicology, Advanced Microbiology
Areas of Emphasis: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell and Molecular Biology
Total Cost of Attendance: $32,013 (This is for full-time, on-campus; I couldn't find anything about the cost of just the online program, but maybe it's the same.)
Comprehensive exam required at the end, which may mean having to go to Chicago to do it. There is no thesis option available.
Required to take some stupid business, communication, etc. ("professional" courses--a major drawback of the program.)
Application Deadline: Dec. 15 , May 10, Aug. 1
Application Cost: $40
Degrees Offered: PSM (Professional Science Masters)
Min. GPA: 3.0
Min. GRE: required of international students, students with GPA between 2.5 and 3.0, or at request of admissions committee; in any of the aforementioned cases a min. score of 1100 combined is required.
Subject GRE: Not required
Pre-requisites:
Bachelor's in Biology
Recommendend courses: genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry
Interesting Courses: Medical Microbiology, Virology, Toxicology, Advanced Microbiology
Areas of Emphasis: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell and Molecular Biology
Total Cost of Attendance: $32,013 (This is for full-time, on-campus; I couldn't find anything about the cost of just the online program, but maybe it's the same.)
Comprehensive exam required at the end, which may mean having to go to Chicago to do it. There is no thesis option available.
Required to take some stupid business, communication, etc. ("professional" courses--a major drawback of the program.)
Monday, December 13, 2010
California State University-Chico: Environmental Science
Potential Advisors: None! All but one of these people is not a geologist (and he's an ornithologist). Sounds like the program must be geology based since it is combined with geology and has so many geologists on staff.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Prescott College-Environmental Studies
Note: This is an online program that is also available on campus.
Deadlines: April 15; Sept. 15 (but begins awarding aid in March, but these are the financial deadlines for fellowships)
Application Fee: $40
Min. GRE: Not required to submit GRE.
Subject GRE: Not required.
Min. GPA: N/A
Interesting Courses: Watershed Restoration, Advanced Readings in Conservation Biology, Advanced Readings in Carnivore Conservation and Management,
Areas of Emphasis: Conservation Ecology and Planning, Environmental Education, Sustainability Science and Practice, Social Ecology
Total Cost of Attendance: $20,946
Pre-requisites: None specified, but you should have a background in natural sciences, environmental advocacy, environmental education, alternative energies, sustainability studies, conservation biology, or resource management. Deficiencies can be made up.
Financial Aid: Graduate Fellowships awarded to students by faculty from the pool of applicants. Generous and renewable, provided you have good academic standing. TA'ing is an option if you plan to attend on campus. Pay is $6,000 per semester if teaching 20 hours/week. Otherwise, you're stuck with loans.
Drawbacks: Must attend 2 colloquia, lasting 3 days, per term (about eveyr 3 mos.)
Deadlines: April 15; Sept. 15 (but begins awarding aid in March, but these are the financial deadlines for fellowships)
Application Fee: $40
Min. GRE: Not required to submit GRE.
Subject GRE: Not required.
Min. GPA: N/A
Interesting Courses: Watershed Restoration, Advanced Readings in Conservation Biology, Advanced Readings in Carnivore Conservation and Management,
Areas of Emphasis: Conservation Ecology and Planning, Environmental Education, Sustainability Science and Practice, Social Ecology
Total Cost of Attendance: $20,946
Pre-requisites: None specified, but you should have a background in natural sciences, environmental advocacy, environmental education, alternative energies, sustainability studies, conservation biology, or resource management. Deficiencies can be made up.
Financial Aid: Graduate Fellowships awarded to students by faculty from the pool of applicants. Generous and renewable, provided you have good academic standing. TA'ing is an option if you plan to attend on campus. Pay is $6,000 per semester if teaching 20 hours/week. Otherwise, you're stuck with loans.
Drawbacks: Must attend 2 colloquia, lasting 3 days, per term (about eveyr 3 mos.)
Monday, November 1, 2010
Colorado State University-Biology (Botany and Zoology)
Application Deadlines: Jan 15, Nov 1
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Min. GPA (Generally): 3.0
GRE (Generally): above 70th percentile
Subject GRE: Not mentioned, so probably not required.
TA'ing: Not required, pays tuition (but only out-of-state for the first year); fill out form when applying
RA'ing: Generally follows the same guidelines as TA'ing; not much information about it; fill out form when applying
Both TA'ing and RA'ing come with a small health benefit IF you get on the school's health insurance. You must work a minimum of 10 hours per week and be a full-time student (at least 6 credits). Support assistantships are also available; these are in administrative offices.
Interesting Sounding Courses: Plant Identification, Poisonous Plants, Aquatic Vascular Plants, Introductory Phycology, Introductory Mycology, Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants, Global Change Ecology: Impacts and Mitigation, Molecular Ecology, Parasitology and Vector Biology, Ecological Plant Morphology, Topics in Mycology, Presenting Research in Biology, Reproductive Biology of Higher Plants, Molecular Aspects of Plant Development, Phytoremediation, Plant Metabolism, Global Environmental Change: Challenges for Ecology and Economies
Total Cost of Attendance, In-state: $22,316 ($9,164 tuition)
Total Cost of Attendance, Out-of-state: $34,604 ($20,752 tuition)
Potential Advisors: Dr. von Fischer's Webpage (interesting, but really into biogeochem and things that I don't have a background in; microbial ecology and plants affecting each other), see ecology,
No information on pre-requisites.
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
Min. GPA (Generally): 3.0
GRE (Generally): above 70th percentile
Subject GRE: Not mentioned, so probably not required.
TA'ing: Not required, pays tuition (but only out-of-state for the first year); fill out form when applying
RA'ing: Generally follows the same guidelines as TA'ing; not much information about it; fill out form when applying
Both TA'ing and RA'ing come with a small health benefit IF you get on the school's health insurance. You must work a minimum of 10 hours per week and be a full-time student (at least 6 credits). Support assistantships are also available; these are in administrative offices.
Interesting Sounding Courses: Plant Identification, Poisonous Plants, Aquatic Vascular Plants, Introductory Phycology, Introductory Mycology, Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants, Global Change Ecology: Impacts and Mitigation, Molecular Ecology, Parasitology and Vector Biology, Ecological Plant Morphology, Topics in Mycology, Presenting Research in Biology, Reproductive Biology of Higher Plants, Molecular Aspects of Plant Development, Phytoremediation, Plant Metabolism, Global Environmental Change: Challenges for Ecology and Economies
Total Cost of Attendance, In-state: $22,316 ($9,164 tuition)
Total Cost of Attendance, Out-of-state: $34,604 ($20,752 tuition)
Potential Advisors: Dr. von Fischer's Webpage (interesting, but really into biogeochem and things that I don't have a background in; microbial ecology and plants affecting each other), see ecology,
No information on pre-requisites.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Colorado School of Mines-Environmental Science and Engineering
It sounds like you don't have to be an engineer to get into this program. The acceptance rate is very high, despite the fact that it is one of the top engineering schools in the country. However, the price tag is very high--$33,000 for in-state alone--and remission of all of those fees is not guaranteed. It sounds like an interesting program, so it may be worth checking out.
Application Deadline: January 15 for Fall Semester; Oct. 1 for Spring Semester
Degrees Offered: MS (thesis and non-thesis options), PhD (does not require a Master's, but one is preferred)
Min GPA: Admitted students have an average GPA of 3.42
GRE score: Admitted students have a combined score of ~1200 (Avg: 679 Quantitative; 515 Verbal) Undergraduates who attended the school and had a GPA greater than 3.25 can have the GRE waived.
GRE subject: Not required
Areas of Emphasis: Water Treatment, Reclamation, and Reuse; Contaminant Hydrology and Water Resources; Applied Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology; Environmental Characterization and Risk Analysis; Site Remediation and Environmental Restoration; PhD students are not required to specialize in one of these areas.
Courses: Environmental Pollution: Sources, Characteristics, Transport, and Fate; Scientific Basis of Environmental Regulation; Solid Waste Minimization and Recycling; Environmental Water Chemistry; Environmental Risk Assessment; Experimental Design and Environmental Data Analysis; Environmental Radiochemistry; Chemistry of Soil/Water Interface; Microbial Process Analysis and Modeling; Aquatic Toxicology; Reclamation of Disturbed Lands; Mining and the Environment; Molecular Microbial Ecology and the Environment
Pre-requisites:
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $33,338; Out-of-state: $47, 504
TA'ing: Not required. Highly competitive to get.
Assistantships: Include a stipend depending on how many hours are worked. Also eligible for tuition, fees, and health insurance remission. But these latter are not guaranteed.
Acceptance: 82% of applicants are accepted.
Application Deadline: January 15 for Fall Semester; Oct. 1 for Spring Semester
Degrees Offered: MS (thesis and non-thesis options), PhD (does not require a Master's, but one is preferred)
Min GPA: Admitted students have an average GPA of 3.42
GRE score: Admitted students have a combined score of ~1200 (Avg: 679 Quantitative; 515 Verbal) Undergraduates who attended the school and had a GPA greater than 3.25 can have the GRE waived.
GRE subject: Not required
Areas of Emphasis: Water Treatment, Reclamation, and Reuse; Contaminant Hydrology and Water Resources; Applied Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology; Environmental Characterization and Risk Analysis; Site Remediation and Environmental Restoration; PhD students are not required to specialize in one of these areas.
Courses: Environmental Pollution: Sources, Characteristics, Transport, and Fate; Scientific Basis of Environmental Regulation; Solid Waste Minimization and Recycling; Environmental Water Chemistry; Environmental Risk Assessment; Experimental Design and Environmental Data Analysis; Environmental Radiochemistry; Chemistry of Soil/Water Interface; Microbial Process Analysis and Modeling; Aquatic Toxicology; Reclamation of Disturbed Lands; Mining and the Environment; Molecular Microbial Ecology and the Environment
Pre-requisites:
- 1 year Chemistry
- 1 semester Physics
- 1 year Calculus
- 1 semester Statistics
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $33,338; Out-of-state: $47, 504
TA'ing: Not required. Highly competitive to get.
Assistantships: Include a stipend depending on how many hours are worked. Also eligible for tuition, fees, and health insurance remission. But these latter are not guaranteed.
Acceptance: 82% of applicants are accepted.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
University of Chicago-Ecology & Evolution
The Ecology & Evolution department does not have a FAQ posted yet, so when that gets posted I should be able to update this with more relevant information. Reading the Biology Department's FAQ, I came across the obnoxious statement that they do not disclose statistics of how many applicants they receive, average scores, GPAs, etc. of accepted students, and so on. Although this is a top-ranking school, I didn't much care for it. The price is so high, for one, though theoretically this is all taken care of by assitantships. Information is hard to find because the website is so difficult to navigate, the ecology and evolutionary biology department's website is spare, and they aren't willing to give you all the info. you want and need. They seem rather unfriendly.
Application Deadline: Dec. 1.
Degrees Offered: PhD only, but you don't need a Master's to apply.
Min. GPA: None specified.
GRE scores: None specified, but you do have to take the test.
GRE subject: Not required, unless you apply for an NSF grant.
Total Cost of Attendance: $48,920 (not specified if this is in or out of state or both)
Financial Aid: The following comes directly from the biology FAQ: "The financial aid package provides you with a stipend of $26,500 per year. Your tuition costs (approximately $48,920 in 2008-2009) and health insurance fees (approximately $2,600) are also covered in the financial aid package. You will also be provided with a one time $500 supplement to aid you in relocating to attend the Division of Biological Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Chicago." Aid comes in the form of, "Predoctoral training grant appointments or research assistantships."
TA'ing: Required to TA twice! They offer a training course as well as a TA'ing handbook to help out. Areas of Emphasis: None specified.
Courses: Environmental Ecology, Natural History of North American Deserts, Prairie Ecosystems: Lessons of Sustainability in the Past, Present, and Future, Tropical Ecology: Biodiversity and Human Impacts, Biological Poisons and Toxins, Ecological Applications to Conservation Biology, Mammalian Ecology, Plant Development and Molecular Genetics, Intro. to Virology, Image Processing in Biology, Ecology and Evolution in the Southwest, Marine Ecology (Note: These are all undergrad courses. They don't seem to have a listing of grad. courses.)
Pre-requisites: While none are listed, the biology website states, "Evidence of a sound background in the candidate's intended field of study is important, as well as academic credentials suggesting that the applicant has the ability to pursue advanced study and research successfully."
US News & World Report Ranking: For all graduate ecology programs, it is ranked Number 1, as of 2007.
Application Deadline: Dec. 1.
Degrees Offered: PhD only, but you don't need a Master's to apply.
Min. GPA: None specified.
GRE scores: None specified, but you do have to take the test.
GRE subject: Not required, unless you apply for an NSF grant.
Total Cost of Attendance: $48,920 (not specified if this is in or out of state or both)
Financial Aid: The following comes directly from the biology FAQ: "The financial aid package provides you with a stipend of $26,500 per year. Your tuition costs (approximately $48,920 in 2008-2009) and health insurance fees (approximately $2,600) are also covered in the financial aid package. You will also be provided with a one time $500 supplement to aid you in relocating to attend the Division of Biological Sciences Graduate Program at the University of Chicago." Aid comes in the form of, "Predoctoral training grant appointments or research assistantships."
TA'ing: Required to TA twice! They offer a training course as well as a TA'ing handbook to help out. Areas of Emphasis: None specified.
Courses: Environmental Ecology, Natural History of North American Deserts, Prairie Ecosystems: Lessons of Sustainability in the Past, Present, and Future, Tropical Ecology: Biodiversity and Human Impacts, Biological Poisons and Toxins, Ecological Applications to Conservation Biology, Mammalian Ecology, Plant Development and Molecular Genetics, Intro. to Virology, Image Processing in Biology, Ecology and Evolution in the Southwest, Marine Ecology (Note: These are all undergrad courses. They don't seem to have a listing of grad. courses.)
Pre-requisites: While none are listed, the biology website states, "Evidence of a sound background in the candidate's intended field of study is important, as well as academic credentials suggesting that the applicant has the ability to pursue advanced study and research successfully."
US News & World Report Ranking: For all graduate ecology programs, it is ranked Number 1, as of 2007.
University of Michigan-Natural Resources and Environment
This sounds like an excellent program. However, the price is outrageous! $30,000 just for in-state alone.
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD (must have Master's to get into PhD program)
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $34,571; Out-of-state: $52,229
Prerequisites: None!
Min. GPA: None that I could see.
GRE scores: Test is required, but no min. scores are listed.
GRE subject: Not required, as far as I can tell.
TA'ing: (Called TI'ing here) Generally, includes full tuition remission, health and dental benefits, and monthly stipend
RA'ing: Tuition remission, health benefits, month stipend
The school also hires Grad Student Staff Assistants, who take care of administrative duties.
Areas of Emphasis (Master's):
Courses: Ecological Restoration, Sustainable Energy Systems, Wetland Ecology, Aquatic Entomology, Geology of the Great Lakes, Psychology of Environmental Stewardship, Soils, Woody Plants, Forest Ecology, Neotropical Plants, Biofuels Bio-Based C-Mitigation, Environmental Microbiology, Soil Ecology, Negotiation Skills in Environmental Disputes Resolutions
Potential Advisors:
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD (must have Master's to get into PhD program)
Total Cost of Attendance: In-state: $34,571; Out-of-state: $52,229
Prerequisites: None!
Min. GPA: None that I could see.
GRE scores: Test is required, but no min. scores are listed.
GRE subject: Not required, as far as I can tell.
TA'ing: (Called TI'ing here) Generally, includes full tuition remission, health and dental benefits, and monthly stipend
RA'ing: Tuition remission, health benefits, month stipend
The school also hires Grad Student Staff Assistants, who take care of administrative duties.
Areas of Emphasis (Master's):
- Aquatic Sciences: Research and Management
- Behavior, Education and Communication
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental Informatics: GIS and Modeling
- Environmental Justice
- Environmental Policy and Planning
- Sustainable Systems
- Terrestrial Ecosystems
Courses: Ecological Restoration, Sustainable Energy Systems, Wetland Ecology, Aquatic Entomology, Geology of the Great Lakes, Psychology of Environmental Stewardship, Soils, Woody Plants, Forest Ecology, Neotropical Plants, Biofuels Bio-Based C-Mitigation, Environmental Microbiology, Soil Ecology, Negotiation Skills in Environmental Disputes Resolutions
Potential Advisors:
Donald R. Zak, Ph.D. (microbial ecology)
Brad Cardinale (restoration ecology; loss of biodiversity; no publications listed)
William S. Currie: (ecosystem ecology, sustainability) Actually takes on new MS students every year, but is going to Sweden soon (for a sabbatical? I don't know.) http://www-personal.umich.edu/~wcurrie/index.html
Even has his own website about financial aid!
Inés Ibáñez, Ph.D. (plant community ecology) (PhD from Duke 2006, not very many publications)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Botany
Degrees Offered: MS, PhD
GRE subject: Highly recommended, especially for financial aid
Min. GPA: 3.0; 3.8 for fellowships
GRE scores: above 70th percentile; above 90th percentile for fellowships
No MS required before going for PhD by department, but specific professors might require it.
TAships: $11,263-14,100
RAships: $17,700
Those with fellowships or assistantships get health insurance at little to no cost. It doesn't sound like they will totally cover their grad students, especially out-of-state ones. Consider establishing residency before attending.
Total Cost of Attendance: $38, 815 for out-of-state; $23, 892 for in-state; $25,206 for Minnesota residents
Areas of Emphasis: Plant anatomy/morphology, physiology, taxonomy, cellular and molecular biology, taxonomy, mycology, phycology, ecology, lichenology (though on an obscure, hard to find page).
Courses: Algae; Fungi; Transmission Electron Microscopy Techniques for Plant and Microbial Sciences; Bryophytes; Grassland Ecology; Dendrology; Field Collections and Identification; Plant Geography; Tropical Plant Diversity; Ecological Techniques for Field Monitoring; Plant-Microbe Interactions: Molecular and Ecological Aspects; Fungal Genetics and Development; Plant Pathogenic Fungi; Mineral Nutrition of Plants; Biology and Genetics of Filamentous Fungi; Conservation Biology; Adaptive Restoration Lab; Advanced Mycology; Physiological Plant Ecology; Taxonomy and Evolution of Wild and Domesticated Grasses; Ecological Methods; Community Analysis; and other advanced courses in ecology/mycology/phycology
Potential advisors: Sara C. Hotchkiss, Linda E. Graham, Thomas J. Givnish, Joy Zedler, Paul Zedler
None are specifically looking at lichens or fungi; all seem to have something to do with ecology, however. Graham is looking at algae and bryophytes.
Pre-requisites: These are only "recommended preparation", implying that they either don't have to be made up or can easily be made up.
GRE subject: Highly recommended, especially for financial aid
Min. GPA: 3.0; 3.8 for fellowships
GRE scores: above 70th percentile; above 90th percentile for fellowships
No MS required before going for PhD by department, but specific professors might require it.
TAships: $11,263-14,100
RAships: $17,700
Those with fellowships or assistantships get health insurance at little to no cost. It doesn't sound like they will totally cover their grad students, especially out-of-state ones. Consider establishing residency before attending.
Total Cost of Attendance: $38, 815 for out-of-state; $23, 892 for in-state; $25,206 for Minnesota residents
Areas of Emphasis: Plant anatomy/morphology, physiology, taxonomy, cellular and molecular biology, taxonomy, mycology, phycology, ecology, lichenology (though on an obscure, hard to find page).
Courses: Algae; Fungi; Transmission Electron Microscopy Techniques for Plant and Microbial Sciences; Bryophytes; Grassland Ecology; Dendrology; Field Collections and Identification; Plant Geography; Tropical Plant Diversity; Ecological Techniques for Field Monitoring; Plant-Microbe Interactions: Molecular and Ecological Aspects; Fungal Genetics and Development; Plant Pathogenic Fungi; Mineral Nutrition of Plants; Biology and Genetics of Filamentous Fungi; Conservation Biology; Adaptive Restoration Lab; Advanced Mycology; Physiological Plant Ecology; Taxonomy and Evolution of Wild and Domesticated Grasses; Ecological Methods; Community Analysis; and other advanced courses in ecology/mycology/phycology
Potential advisors: Sara C. Hotchkiss, Linda E. Graham, Thomas J. Givnish, Joy Zedler, Paul Zedler
None are specifically looking at lichens or fungi; all seem to have something to do with ecology, however. Graham is looking at algae and bryophytes.
Pre-requisites: These are only "recommended preparation", implying that they either don't have to be made up or can easily be made up.
- Mathematics (up to and including one semester of calculus):
- Statistics (one semester at the college level):
- Chemistry (General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry):
- Physics (College level course including electricity and light):
- Foreign Language (two years at High School or two semesters at college):
- Biology (Strong background in the biological sciences typically including cell biology, ecology, evolution, genetics, and molecular biology).
Mental Health Care: Limit of 10 individual sessions per student per academic year or 20 individual sessions for entire academic career. All sessions are free.
Groups: Dissertation Support Group, Graduate Women's Group, Social Anxiety, Social Skills and Navigating the Dating World, Mindfulness, Meditation, and many others
Friday, February 13, 2009
Frostburg State University-Maryland (Applied Ecology & Conservation Biology; Wildlife/Fisheries Biology)
While the program sounds pretty good, there are some major problems with going to this school. The worst is the lack of financial aid. They will pay for tuition if you have an assistantship, but there are no other stipends to cover all expenses. They also don't provide an estimate of total fees on their website nor do they provide a estimate of total tuition costs. The biology website has hardly any information on it; most of the information is in the graduate school catalog. All of this makes me think it is probably not a very good school and lacks resources to help graduate students. This also suggests that the proper facilities may be lacking, though they do offer a course in electron microscopy. There is no FAQ, and information on TA'ing and the subject GRE is nowhere to be found. I cannot recommend this school because of these important details being left out.
Areas of Emphasis: Conservation Biology, Landscape and Watershed Ecology, Wildlife/Fisheries Biology
Min. GPA: 3.0
GRE: May be waived if you have a min. GPA of 3.5 and a graduate degree. If GPA is less than 3.0, a min. score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections combined is required.
Subject GRE: Not required
Degrees Offered: MS only
In-state Tuition & Fees: $528 per semester per credit hour
Out-of-state Tuition & Fees: $575 per semester per credit hour
Financial Aid: Assistantships provide tuition waivers, provided the student takes 9-12 credits per semester that are relevant to the the degree. (I don't know if this includes the pre-requisites.) A few scholarships are available. Student loans are another option.
TA'ing Required: I can't find any information on whether or not it is required, so I'm assuming no.
Appealing Courses: Environmental Toxicology, Electron Microscopy, Watershed Hydrology, Plant Disease, General Parasitology
Pre-requisites for Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology:
Areas of Emphasis: Conservation Biology, Landscape and Watershed Ecology, Wildlife/Fisheries Biology
Min. GPA: 3.0
GRE: May be waived if you have a min. GPA of 3.5 and a graduate degree. If GPA is less than 3.0, a min. score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections combined is required.
Subject GRE: Not required
Degrees Offered: MS only
In-state Tuition & Fees: $528 per semester per credit hour
Out-of-state Tuition & Fees: $575 per semester per credit hour
Financial Aid: Assistantships provide tuition waivers, provided the student takes 9-12 credits per semester that are relevant to the the degree. (I don't know if this includes the pre-requisites.) A few scholarships are available. Student loans are another option.
TA'ing Required: I can't find any information on whether or not it is required, so I'm assuming no.
Appealing Courses: Environmental Toxicology, Electron Microscopy, Watershed Hydrology, Plant Disease, General Parasitology
Pre-requisites for Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology:
- 1 yr. General Biology
- 1 yr. General Chemistry
- 1 semester Organic Chemistry
- 1 semester Statistics
- 1 semester of Genetics for Conservation Biology Emphasis
- 1 semester of Physical Science for Landscape and Watershed Ecology Emphasis
- 1 course in 3 out of 8 of the following fields: Anatomy or Morphology, Ecology, Physiology, Cellular or Molecular Biology, Evolution or Systematics, Natural Resource Management, Developmental Biology, Environmental or Earth Science
- 1 semester Organic Chemistry
- 1 yr. General Biology
- 1 yr. General Chemistry
- 1 semester Calculus
- 1 semester Statistics
- 1 course in 4 out of 8 of the following fields: Anatomy or Morphology, Cellular or Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology, Ecology, Evolution or Systematics, Genetics, Physiology, Natural Resource Management
- Natural Resource Management
- Developmental Biology
- Environmental or Earth Science
Deficiencies in either major's pre-reqs may be made up.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
University of California-Berkeley (Plant Biology)
Although Berkeley is a top school, their plant biology program doesn't sound that great. Coming from an ecological background, there isn't much offered here; it's all molecular and cellular biology. It may be better to go for Environmental Science, Policy, and Management if you want to go to Berkeley for plant ecology or a similar field of botany. Nevertheless, there are some really cool sounding courses. The GRE scores don't have to be too terribly high to get in, and they offer full funding, which is promising since it is so expensive for out-of-state students. TA'ing may be a hard requirement to get waived, and their pre-requisites may be difficult to meet if you don't have a background in botany. Overall, I can't recommend this school for this program, unless you are insterested in doing something with plants that involves the molecular and cellular side of them.
Areas of Emphasis: Basic Plant Research, Development of Biotechnologies, Molecular, Cellular, Genetic, Biochemical, Physiological, Developmental, Structural, Plant Microbe Interactions
Degrees offered: PhD only
Min. GPA: 3.0
GRE: No min. score required, but current enrolled students have an average of 620 on the verbal and 700 on the quantitative portions of the test.
Subject GRE: Not required, but recommended
Appealing Courses: Diversity of Plants and Fungi, Biology of Fungi, California Mushrooms, Biology of Algae, Environmental Plant Biology, Digital Imaging for Biologists, Plant Biochemistry, Plant Molecular Genetics, Plant Cell Biology, Grant Writing and Research
Total in-state Costs: $31,702
Total out-of-state Costs: $46,708
Financial Aid: Guaranteed support of approx. $25,500 stipend. (All students are completely funded, currently, with all students having health insurance.) Research Assistantships or TA positions support students during the second year and on. Out-of-state fees are covered as well for the first year, after which time students are expected to have gained California residency. Fellowships are also available.
TAing Requirements: Required for 2 semesters; no information on whether or not it can be waived.
Pre-requisites: They say that you should have an undergraduate curriculum that is, "Roughly equivalent to undergrad program in Genetics and Plant Biology." The requirements for this major are listed below. They do not indicate if you can make up deficiencies or not.
Areas of Emphasis: Basic Plant Research, Development of Biotechnologies, Molecular, Cellular, Genetic, Biochemical, Physiological, Developmental, Structural, Plant Microbe Interactions
Degrees offered: PhD only
Min. GPA: 3.0
GRE: No min. score required, but current enrolled students have an average of 620 on the verbal and 700 on the quantitative portions of the test.
Subject GRE: Not required, but recommended
Appealing Courses: Diversity of Plants and Fungi, Biology of Fungi, California Mushrooms, Biology of Algae, Environmental Plant Biology, Digital Imaging for Biologists, Plant Biochemistry, Plant Molecular Genetics, Plant Cell Biology, Grant Writing and Research
Total in-state Costs: $31,702
Total out-of-state Costs: $46,708
Financial Aid: Guaranteed support of approx. $25,500 stipend. (All students are completely funded, currently, with all students having health insurance.) Research Assistantships or TA positions support students during the second year and on. Out-of-state fees are covered as well for the first year, after which time students are expected to have gained California residency. Fellowships are also available.
TAing Requirements: Required for 2 semesters; no information on whether or not it can be waived.
Pre-requisites: They say that you should have an undergraduate curriculum that is, "Roughly equivalent to undergrad program in Genetics and Plant Biology." The requirements for this major are listed below. They do not indicate if you can make up deficiencies or not.
- Chemistry (General and Organic)
- Physics (1 semester)
- 1 yr. Calculus
- Computer Literacy Statistics
- Biology focusing on the molecular, cellular, and development side of things
- Biology focusing on ecology and evolution
- Plant Morphology
- Plant Developmental Genetics
- Cell and Developmental Plant Biology
- Physiology and Biochemsitry of Plants
- Several Upper Division Plant, Chemistry, or Biology Courses
US News & World Report Ranking: 2/152
Sunday, January 11, 2009
University of California-Berkeley: Molecular and Cell Biology
This program sounds intimidating to me, perhaps because I have no background in molecular or cellular biology but also because of the entrance requirements. It is a top school, so it would stand to reason that it would have more rigorous admissions policies. For all science programs at Berkeley, it seems you can only earn a doctorate. While they encourage students from all science disciplines to apply, strong applicants are those who have not only 2 semesters of calculus and 2-3 of chemistry, but also have lots of advanced coursework in genetics, biochem, and other aspects of cell and molecular biology. Plus, to get admitted, the subject GRE is strongly recommended, and the lowest score they tend to accept for the general is the 80th percentile! The costs of attendance are also high, especially for out-of-state students, and although they claim to fully-fund their students, I find it hard to believe that they would provide the full $46,000 for the first year. With such high standards, the program itself is probably highly demanding and terrifying as well, but if you have the background, go for it. I don't think I would unless I first had a master's in cellular and molecular biology, so if you're like me, you might want to find an easier program.
Areas of Emphasis: Neurobiology; Genetics, Genomics, & Development; Cell & Developmental Biology; Immunology & Pathogenesis; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Degrees offered: PhD only
min. GPA: 3.0
min. GRE: 80th percentile overall or in all subjects (they don't specify)
Subject GRE: Not required, but strongly recommended
Appealing Courses: Microbial Diversity Workshop, Advanced Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, other stem cell courses, Cancer and Immunobiology, Principles of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology of Animal Viruses Workshop, Dietary Determinants of Cancer, Heart Disease, and Ageing
Total In-state Costs: $31,702
Total Out-of-state Costs: $46,708
Financial Aid: All students receive full funding for 5.5 yrs, after which time you can apply for another semester of funding. This includes health insurance and out-of-state tuition and fees, and averages at around $27,000 a year. However, funding is competitive. NIH Training Grants are available as are fellowships. They expect students to gain residency as quickly as possible.
TAing Requirement: Yes. I can't find any information on getting the requirement waived.
US News & World Report Ranking: 2/152
Pre-requisites:
Areas of Emphasis: Neurobiology; Genetics, Genomics, & Development; Cell & Developmental Biology; Immunology & Pathogenesis; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Degrees offered: PhD only
min. GPA: 3.0
min. GRE: 80th percentile overall or in all subjects (they don't specify)
Subject GRE: Not required, but strongly recommended
Appealing Courses: Microbial Diversity Workshop, Advanced Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, other stem cell courses, Cancer and Immunobiology, Principles of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology of Animal Viruses Workshop, Dietary Determinants of Cancer, Heart Disease, and Ageing
Total In-state Costs: $31,702
Total Out-of-state Costs: $46,708
Financial Aid: All students receive full funding for 5.5 yrs, after which time you can apply for another semester of funding. This includes health insurance and out-of-state tuition and fees, and averages at around $27,000 a year. However, funding is competitive. NIH Training Grants are available as are fellowships. They expect students to gain residency as quickly as possible.
TAing Requirement: Yes. I can't find any information on getting the requirement waived.
US News & World Report Ranking: 2/152
Pre-requisites:
- 1 yr. Calculus
- 1 yr. Physics
- 1 yr. General Biology
- 2-3 semesters of chemistry, including general, organic, and physical
- Advanced coursework in such areas as: Biochemistry, Biophysics, Cell Biology, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Neurobiology.
Friday, January 9, 2009
University of Alberta-Biology
The University of Alberta doesn't sound like it's a bad place to attend school. There are many options of where to go in biology, and it also sounds like if you want, you can take a more interdisciplinary approach without specializing in one aspect of biology. TA'ing, while not required, is a common source of funding, so it may be necessary. International students pay significantly more than Canadian students, so this is a major drawback for non-Canadians.
They have a higher GPA requirement than other schools, suggesting a more rigorous program. One thing that is really nice is that the GRE isn't required, though it is preferred. The number and variety of courses is amazing. This is my favourite thing about this school. Most courses are for undergrads, but I don't see why graduate students couldn't take them, especially if you need to make up deficiencies. I don't like that they don't list pre-reqs anywhere. They also seem to have lots of research areas nearby, such as a mycology herbarium at the Botanic Gardens. Overall, I recommend this school for those interested in any aspect of biology.
Areas of Emphasis: Ecology, Microbiology & Biotechnology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Physiology and Cell Biology, Plant Biology, Systematics & Evolution
Degrees Offered: MSc, PhD Students typically must have a master's before going for the doctorate. However, exceptional students can get admitted, and after beginning the master's one can get admitted for the doctorate.
Appealing Courses: Advanced Mycology; Advanced Comparative Immunology; Environmental Microbiology, Advanced Parasitology; Advanced Molecular Plant Physiology; Wetland Ecology & Management; Global Biogeochemistry; Conservation Biology; People, Pollution, and the Environment; The Ecology of Below-Ground Communities; Experimental Parasitology, Wildlife Disease; Microbial Physiology; Marine Phycology; Basic Virology; Plant Genetics; Medical and Veterinary Entomology; Lake and Peatland Development; Plant Biochemistry; Biology of Bryophytes; and many, many more.
NOTE: All costs are in Canadian Dollars.
Canadian Students Total Costs: $14, 037
International Students Total Costs: $26, 170
Financial Aid: Students going for their MSc get $22,686/yr. with a TAship; PhD students get $23,332/yr. with a TAship. (First year students only get about $15,000/yr for TA'ing.) International students also receive $3590/yr. to help pay for the international student fee. There is also a $500 TA scholarship available that covers one year. About half of students get funding via a TAship. Other awards and scholarships require TA'ing. There are also Research Assistantships available. Support is provided for 2.6 yrs for MSc students, and 5 yrs for PhD students.
TA'ing required: No
Pre-requisites: None specified
min. GPA: 3.3; may be higher, depending on what other applicants have
min. GRE: The General test is preferred, but not required.
Subject GRE required: No
They have a higher GPA requirement than other schools, suggesting a more rigorous program. One thing that is really nice is that the GRE isn't required, though it is preferred. The number and variety of courses is amazing. This is my favourite thing about this school. Most courses are for undergrads, but I don't see why graduate students couldn't take them, especially if you need to make up deficiencies. I don't like that they don't list pre-reqs anywhere. They also seem to have lots of research areas nearby, such as a mycology herbarium at the Botanic Gardens. Overall, I recommend this school for those interested in any aspect of biology.
Areas of Emphasis: Ecology, Microbiology & Biotechnology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Physiology and Cell Biology, Plant Biology, Systematics & Evolution
Degrees Offered: MSc, PhD Students typically must have a master's before going for the doctorate. However, exceptional students can get admitted, and after beginning the master's one can get admitted for the doctorate.
Appealing Courses: Advanced Mycology; Advanced Comparative Immunology; Environmental Microbiology, Advanced Parasitology; Advanced Molecular Plant Physiology; Wetland Ecology & Management; Global Biogeochemistry; Conservation Biology; People, Pollution, and the Environment; The Ecology of Below-Ground Communities; Experimental Parasitology, Wildlife Disease; Microbial Physiology; Marine Phycology; Basic Virology; Plant Genetics; Medical and Veterinary Entomology; Lake and Peatland Development; Plant Biochemistry; Biology of Bryophytes; and many, many more.
NOTE: All costs are in Canadian Dollars.
Canadian Students Total Costs: $14, 037
International Students Total Costs: $26, 170
Financial Aid: Students going for their MSc get $22,686/yr. with a TAship; PhD students get $23,332/yr. with a TAship. (First year students only get about $15,000/yr for TA'ing.) International students also receive $3590/yr. to help pay for the international student fee. There is also a $500 TA scholarship available that covers one year. About half of students get funding via a TAship. Other awards and scholarships require TA'ing. There are also Research Assistantships available. Support is provided for 2.6 yrs for MSc students, and 5 yrs for PhD students.
TA'ing required: No
Pre-requisites: None specified
min. GPA: 3.3; may be higher, depending on what other applicants have
min. GRE: The General test is preferred, but not required.
Subject GRE required: No
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
University of Idaho-Environmental Science
Areas of Emphasis: Physical Science, Natural Resource Management, Ecology, Earth Science/Hydrology, Waste Management, Policy/Law, and Environmental Health/Toxicology.
I am not particulary impressed by this college. Their course selection is fairly limited, but not too bad. The online master's program is nice, but likely requires you to have a background in environmental science. It is hard to find information on the program; they don't seem to have much information at all. The program is interdisciplinary. They also don't give much information on financial aid. I cannot recommend this program based on the info. on their website, unless perhaps, you want to take the online option.
They offer an MS and PhD degree. Unlike many other schools, you must have a master's in order to apply for a PhD. They also offer an online MS degree for students who live in other states. They also offer a combined MS/Law degree.
Interesting-sounding courses include Microbial Ecology, Physiological Ecology, Fire Ecology, Soil Mineralogy, Environmental Water Quality, Principles of Environmental Toxicology, Plant Environmental Biophysics, Conservation Biology, and many others that are web-based.
In-state total costs are $21, 050. Out-of-state is about $10,000 more at $31,130. They claim to provide full-funding for all grad students. Fellowships and assistantships are available. TA'ing is required for PhD students.
Pre-requisites:
General GRE scores: No minimum score provided.
The subject test is not required.
minimum GPA: 2.8 (3.48 avg. for students entering program in 2001)
The school isn't listed on PhDs.org for environmental sciences/studies, and of course, US News & World Report does not rank environmental science programs.
I am not particulary impressed by this college. Their course selection is fairly limited, but not too bad. The online master's program is nice, but likely requires you to have a background in environmental science. It is hard to find information on the program; they don't seem to have much information at all. The program is interdisciplinary. They also don't give much information on financial aid. I cannot recommend this program based on the info. on their website, unless perhaps, you want to take the online option.
They offer an MS and PhD degree. Unlike many other schools, you must have a master's in order to apply for a PhD. They also offer an online MS degree for students who live in other states. They also offer a combined MS/Law degree.
Interesting-sounding courses include Microbial Ecology, Physiological Ecology, Fire Ecology, Soil Mineralogy, Environmental Water Quality, Principles of Environmental Toxicology, Plant Environmental Biophysics, Conservation Biology, and many others that are web-based.
In-state total costs are $21, 050. Out-of-state is about $10,000 more at $31,130. They claim to provide full-funding for all grad students. Fellowships and assistantships are available. TA'ing is required for PhD students.
Pre-requisites:
- Chemistry or Physics
- Physical Geography or Geology
- Biology (2 courses)
- Social Science (2 courses)
- Statistics
- Math
- English
General GRE scores: No minimum score provided.
The subject test is not required.
minimum GPA: 2.8 (3.48 avg. for students entering program in 2001)
The school isn't listed on PhDs.org for environmental sciences/studies, and of course, US News & World Report does not rank environmental science programs.
Friday, January 2, 2009
University of Colorado-Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Areas of Emphasis: Molecular Biology of RNA and DNA, Molecular Genetics, Cell Motility and Cytoskeleton, Cell Membranes, Developmental Genetics, Astrobiology, Control of the Cell Cycle, Signal Transduction, and Control of Gene Expression
I went to CU for my undergrad. degree in Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology. I love Boulder, but there wouldn't be anything left to take if I went there for my grad in the same program. It sounds like MCDB (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology) would be a good option for those wanting an advanced degree in those areas. There are quite a few cool-sounding classes in the catalog. However, CU is not known for actually updating their catalog, so some of these may no longer be available. The campus is beautiful, and if you have time to go anywhere and do anything, Boulder can be lots of fun. It should be relatively easy to get into the school, especially if you have all the pre-reqs. It sounds like it isn't too expensive either, especially with tuition remission. Plus, it has strong rankings at PhDs.org and in US News & World Report.
They only offer a PhD.
Possibly interesting courses: Plagues, People, and Microorganisms; Biological Electron Microscopy: Principles and Recent Advances; Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Microbial Diversity and the Biosphere; Molecular Neurobiology; Bacterial Disease Mechanisms; and Biology of Stem Cells
It is definitely worth it to get in-state status if you can because out-of-state total costs figure around $37,606 vs. $21,786 for in-state students. Fortunately, much of this should be taken care of by doing well because they claim that graduate students are fully-funded. First years get about $24,282, primarily from TA'ing. But they do provide remission of tuition & fees plus a stipend. Unfortunately, TA'ing is required for two semesters! It is possible to get the requirement waived. Fellowships, Research Assistantships, and departmental training grants provide the support for the rest of the student's program of study.
Pre-requisites:
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE score: No min. required given. However, see below for an idea.
Subject test is optional.
For Fall 2008, the following average stastics for entering grad students are provided:
I went to CU for my undergrad. degree in Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology. I love Boulder, but there wouldn't be anything left to take if I went there for my grad in the same program. It sounds like MCDB (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology) would be a good option for those wanting an advanced degree in those areas. There are quite a few cool-sounding classes in the catalog. However, CU is not known for actually updating their catalog, so some of these may no longer be available. The campus is beautiful, and if you have time to go anywhere and do anything, Boulder can be lots of fun. It should be relatively easy to get into the school, especially if you have all the pre-reqs. It sounds like it isn't too expensive either, especially with tuition remission. Plus, it has strong rankings at PhDs.org and in US News & World Report.
They only offer a PhD.
Possibly interesting courses: Plagues, People, and Microorganisms; Biological Electron Microscopy: Principles and Recent Advances; Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Microbial Diversity and the Biosphere; Molecular Neurobiology; Bacterial Disease Mechanisms; and Biology of Stem Cells
It is definitely worth it to get in-state status if you can because out-of-state total costs figure around $37,606 vs. $21,786 for in-state students. Fortunately, much of this should be taken care of by doing well because they claim that graduate students are fully-funded. First years get about $24,282, primarily from TA'ing. But they do provide remission of tuition & fees plus a stipend. Unfortunately, TA'ing is required for two semesters! It is possible to get the requirement waived. Fellowships, Research Assistantships, and departmental training grants provide the support for the rest of the student's program of study.
Pre-requisites:
- Ochem
- Biochem
- Calculus
- General Biology
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Minimum GPA: 3.0
General GRE score: No min. required given. However, see below for an idea.
Subject test is optional.
For Fall 2008, the following average stastics for entering grad students are provided:
Verb: 598
Quant: 701
Anal Writ: 4.6
Undergrad GPA: 3.55
US News & World Report Ranking: 33/152
From PhDs.org:
Reputation of the Department: 3.4 (Reasonably Effective)
Percent that find jobs immediately after graduating: 70%
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Washington State University-Botany
Areas of Emphasis: Ecology & Evolution, Physiology, Molecular Biology, and Systematics
Washington State University doesn't offer much about their program on their website. They claim to have excellent research facilities, but I couldn't find anything that really made them stand out. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this school for botany. Their ranking is relatively low in US News & World Report, and they don't offer that many unique plant classes, except, maybe in physiology. However, they could be a good choice for students concerned about costs because they claim to provide all their grad students with complete funding, including waiving out-of-state fees for the first year.
The school offers both masters and doctoral programs.
Interesting-sounding courses: Experimental Plant Ecology, Plant Ecophysiology, Molecular Ecology and Phylogeography, Angiosperm Families of the World, Plant Metabolism, Special Projects in Electron Microscopy
They offer lots of physiology courses.
Tuition & Fees In-State: $22,708
Tuition & Fees Out-of-State: $34, 316
Although these expenses are rather high, especially for out-of-state students, the school offers waivers of out-of-state costs. However, these are only available for the first year, and are limited, so they encourage and expect students to establish residency within their first year, implying that the process is relatively easy. Also, they claim that, "All of our graduate students are fully funded." (PhDs.org claims that the average tuition remission is 83%.) However, most students get TAships, but some receive Research Assistantships and fellowships. There are a good number of fellowships and awards available to botany students. Although TAing isn't required, they do require all graduate students to take the following course: Preparation for College Teaching, which doesn't sound so bad or scary.
Pre-requisites:
General GRE: Minimum score not provided.
Subject GRE recommended
Minimum GPA: 3.0
US News and World Report Ranking: 77/152
Percent Undergrads admitted: 76%
Potenial Advisors: very limited, not very many plant ecologists
Al Black: Plant Phyisological Ecology (http://sbs.wsu.edu/faculty/?faculty/6)
R. David Evans: Ecosystem Ecology, response of soil compounds to climate change, including research with microbes (http://www.isotopes.wsu.edu/)
Cheryl Schultz: Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology (http://directory.vancouver.wsu.edu/people/cheryl-schultz)
Washington State University doesn't offer much about their program on their website. They claim to have excellent research facilities, but I couldn't find anything that really made them stand out. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this school for botany. Their ranking is relatively low in US News & World Report, and they don't offer that many unique plant classes, except, maybe in physiology. However, they could be a good choice for students concerned about costs because they claim to provide all their grad students with complete funding, including waiving out-of-state fees for the first year.
The school offers both masters and doctoral programs.
Interesting-sounding courses: Experimental Plant Ecology, Plant Ecophysiology, Molecular Ecology and Phylogeography, Angiosperm Families of the World, Plant Metabolism, Special Projects in Electron Microscopy
They offer lots of physiology courses.
Tuition & Fees In-State: $22,708
Tuition & Fees Out-of-State: $34, 316
Although these expenses are rather high, especially for out-of-state students, the school offers waivers of out-of-state costs. However, these are only available for the first year, and are limited, so they encourage and expect students to establish residency within their first year, implying that the process is relatively easy. Also, they claim that, "All of our graduate students are fully funded." (PhDs.org claims that the average tuition remission is 83%.) However, most students get TAships, but some receive Research Assistantships and fellowships. There are a good number of fellowships and awards available to botany students. Although TAing isn't required, they do require all graduate students to take the following course: Preparation for College Teaching, which doesn't sound so bad or scary.
Pre-requisites:
- Organic Chemistry
- Calculus
General GRE: Minimum score not provided.
Subject GRE recommended
Minimum GPA: 3.0
US News and World Report Ranking: 77/152
Percent Undergrads admitted: 76%
Potenial Advisors: very limited, not very many plant ecologists
Al Black: Plant Phyisological Ecology (http://sbs.wsu.edu/faculty/?faculty/6)
R. David Evans: Ecosystem Ecology, response of soil compounds to climate change, including research with microbes (http://www.isotopes.wsu.edu/)
Cheryl Schultz: Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology (http://directory.vancouver.wsu.edu/people/cheryl-schultz)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Indiana University-Bloomington: Environmental Science
Areas of Emphasis: Policy and Law (in the works), Biology, Physical Sciences
Indiana University seems like a good choice for those interested in environmental science. The course selection is excellent, the program is highly interdisciplinary, and there are many areas on which one can focus. However, for those with backgrounds in anything other than science and even those who have a science background in an area different from what they want to pursue in environmental science, may have a hard time getting accepted.
The school offers a variety of MS degrees as well as a PhD. Specific concentrations include Applied Ecology, Water Resources, Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology, and a student-chosen combined emphases program for the MS degree. The PhD program is more interdisciplinary and sounds difficult to get into, but it may be easier to get into after one has been working towards a master's for awhile.
Overall, the school offers a wide variety and good selection of courses. Interesting-sounding courses include Wetlands Biology and Regulation, Forest Ecology and Management, Environmental Toxicology, and Lake and Watershed Management. For chemistry there are many cool-sounding courses, such as Chromatography, Hydrology, Biological Chemistry, Subsurface Microbiology and Bioremediation, Fate of Organic Contaminates in the Environment, and Soil Mechanics and Science.
Tuition and fees for out-of-state students total around $32,514. For in-state students, the amount is about $23,582.
Financial Aid includes stipends, tuition remission, assistantships, and internships. These awards are competitve; only 56% of the previous year's incoming students received such aid. However, the university claims that students who didn't receive aid often receive it their second semester or year. Those who receive assistantships working at least 15 hrs/week also receive free health insurance. Scholarships, need-based aid, and fellowships are also available. No estimates of the costs covered by such awards are given. It appears that TA'ing is not a requirement.
Pre-requisites:
This is perhaps the most disheartening of the things about this school. For admission to the PhD program, one MUST have all of the pre-reqs (the school doesn't tell us what they are) made up. For the MS, they require an undegrad. degree with courses relevant to the area of emphasis chosen by the student. Students interested in research need to have, "an adequate background in quantitative natural science subjects (e.g., math, chemistry, or biology)." Although they don't say there are exceptions to these requirements, they imply that there are not. I recommend contacting them for further information.
General GRE: There is not minimum required score. However, admitted students average around 600 on each section (verbal and quantitative). The subject GRE is not required.
GPA: Information not available.
PhDs.org states that 73% of PhD graduates in Agriculutral and Natural Sciences find jobs immediately after graduating.
Indiana University seems like a good choice for those interested in environmental science. The course selection is excellent, the program is highly interdisciplinary, and there are many areas on which one can focus. However, for those with backgrounds in anything other than science and even those who have a science background in an area different from what they want to pursue in environmental science, may have a hard time getting accepted.
The school offers a variety of MS degrees as well as a PhD. Specific concentrations include Applied Ecology, Water Resources, Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology, and a student-chosen combined emphases program for the MS degree. The PhD program is more interdisciplinary and sounds difficult to get into, but it may be easier to get into after one has been working towards a master's for awhile.
Overall, the school offers a wide variety and good selection of courses. Interesting-sounding courses include Wetlands Biology and Regulation, Forest Ecology and Management, Environmental Toxicology, and Lake and Watershed Management. For chemistry there are many cool-sounding courses, such as Chromatography, Hydrology, Biological Chemistry, Subsurface Microbiology and Bioremediation, Fate of Organic Contaminates in the Environment, and Soil Mechanics and Science.
Tuition and fees for out-of-state students total around $32,514. For in-state students, the amount is about $23,582.
Financial Aid includes stipends, tuition remission, assistantships, and internships. These awards are competitve; only 56% of the previous year's incoming students received such aid. However, the university claims that students who didn't receive aid often receive it their second semester or year. Those who receive assistantships working at least 15 hrs/week also receive free health insurance. Scholarships, need-based aid, and fellowships are also available. No estimates of the costs covered by such awards are given. It appears that TA'ing is not a requirement.
Pre-requisites:
This is perhaps the most disheartening of the things about this school. For admission to the PhD program, one MUST have all of the pre-reqs (the school doesn't tell us what they are) made up. For the MS, they require an undegrad. degree with courses relevant to the area of emphasis chosen by the student. Students interested in research need to have, "an adequate background in quantitative natural science subjects (e.g., math, chemistry, or biology)." Although they don't say there are exceptions to these requirements, they imply that there are not. I recommend contacting them for further information.
General GRE: There is not minimum required score. However, admitted students average around 600 on each section (verbal and quantitative). The subject GRE is not required.
GPA: Information not available.
PhDs.org states that 73% of PhD graduates in Agriculutral and Natural Sciences find jobs immediately after graduating.
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