Graduate Program Admission Requirements
Submission of application materials on time is an important requirement for full consideration. To be considered for teaching and research assistantships in the Department of Zoology, you must have all materials in our hands by December 1st. Additional financial awards (recruiting fellowships, etc) are also available from the College of Natural Science and the University. To determine whether all components of your application have been received or for additional information, please make inquiries to:
The Graduate Secretary |
(517) 355-4642 |
Your application will not be reviewed by the department’s Graduate Affairs Committee until all of the following components have been received:
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University Application Form: You must complete the University application form (Application for Admission to Graduate Study) provided by the University’s Office of Admissions and Scholarships (OAS). More information about admission to MSU can be found at the Graduate School website.
Question #17 on the OAS (University) application form asks you to specify a “major code” and “major name”. Here you should select among the following three options, and answer question #17 accordingly:
Major Code Major Name 3889 Zoology PhD 3887 Zoology MS 3941 Zoology & Environmental Toxicology joint PhD If you are interested in the University’s interdisciplinary program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior. Note that admission to the EEBB program requires you to fill out yet another brief application form to be submitted directly to:
Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior Program
103 Giltner Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
48824-1115
(517) 432-1359
eebb@msu.edu
http://www.msu.edu/~eebb -
A complete CV (Curriculum Vitae) containing at least the following elements:
- Address & contact information
- Social security number
- Education: Institutions attended after high school and GPA from each one
- Publications (if any)
- Oral & poster presentations made at scientific meetings (if any)
- Awards, fellowships, and other honors received
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Transcripts: A complete set of official transcripts of all prior university-level academic work. The university Admisssion Office requies we receive a transciprt from any institution listed on the application.
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GRE scores: An official report of your GRE scores sent directly from the Educational Testing Service. Since your application for graduate study in Zoology will not be reviewed until your GRE scores have been received by the department, it is important to take the examination early enough so that your application folder will be complete by the December 1st deadline. The Educational Testing Service instutution code for MSU is 1465. The departmental code for Zoology is 0220. For help or more information regarding standardized testing, please visit the MSU Counseling Center test information website
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Letters of recommendation: We require three letters of recommendation from individuals qualified to assess your promise of success in a graduate program (e.g. college or university faculty, individuals at research or other scholarly institutions, teaching assistants, etc.). Ask your referees to send their letters directly to the Graduate Secretary, Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824-1115. No special forms required. If you wish to sign a waiver of access to your recommendation, there is a "Recommendation for Admission Form" (PDF) as part of the University application that you may provide your referees.
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Completed application form from the Department of Zoology:
Although some information will be the same as was given on the University's on-line application, there are portions of the Zoology Department application that provides specific information for Zoology.
Download Application (PDF, Requires Adobe Reader)
Please send materials listed under items 1 - 6, to:
The Graduate Secretary
Department of Zoology
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1115
Undergraduate Preparation
Prospective students are advised that the following undergraduate preparation in mathematics, chemistry and physics is required:
- Mathematics through 1st semester calculus plus either a second calculus class or a statistics course
- Chemistry through 1st semester organic chem plus either second-semester organic chemistry or biochemistry
- Two semesters of college physics
Should a student matriculate at Michigan State University without this preparation, it will be necessary to correct shortcomings while here. Be advised that courses taken to correct shortcomings might of necessity be at the undergraduate level and not earn graduate credit. Every effort should be made to be completely prepared prior to matriculation.
Supplementary application materials:
If English is not your first language:
All Zoology graduate students at Michigan State University for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate that their English language skills are adequate for their assignment as teaching assistants. Most foreign applicants from non-English-speaking countries are able to take the TOEFL exam sufficiently early in the year to have their TOEFL scores forwarded to MSU by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). However, this may not be the case with respect to the SPEAK/ITAOI test. We urge all those for whom English is not their first language to take the SPEAK/ITAOI test as early as possible to facilitate their evaluation by the Graduate Affairs Committee in the Department of Zoology. If SPEAK/ITAOI test scores are unavailable when admissions decisions are made, applicants cannot be considered for departmental financial support during their first year in the graduate program. For help or more information regarding standardized testing, please visit the MSU Counseling Center test information website.