Admission Requirements

Master of Science - Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology

In addition to the general admission requirements for all graduate programs, you are required to meet the following criteria:

  1. You must have completed the baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution of higher education (verified by an official transcript) with an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

  2. Submit GRE scores with a minimum score of 1,000 (V+Q) (for tests taken prior to August 1, 2011) or 300 (V+Q) (for tests taken on or after August 1, 2011) on the General Test of the GRE. Scores below the above criteria will be considered individually.

  3. You must ask three professionals to complete reference forms concerning your suitability for graduate study. Contact information for these references must be provided in your online application.

  4. You are to provide a resumè in your online application.

  5. You are to provide a typewritten statement that will summarize your educational goals and research interests in your online application.

  6. You must contact the department of Biology to secure a major professor that is willing to mentor and work with you as your major professor who will guide your thesis research.  Upon completion of the online application, the Office of Graduate Services will send you more information to complete this step. Your choice for major professor should be aligned with a faculty that would align with your research interests.

Special Admission Criteria

A screening committee composed of FSU biology faculty will examine your transcripts and determine if your course work meets the requirements listed below. Areas of deficiency will necessitate your taking undergraduate courses that will not be counted toward the 36 credit hours required for the degree program. You must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Your undergraduate training must have included 1 year of courses in general biology and general chemistry, and at least one semester of organic chemistry and statistics. One semester of genetics is required for the Conservation biology track and one semester of physical science is required for the landscape and watershed ecology track. Additionally, your transcripts must show that you have passed one course in at least three of these eight fields:

  • Anatomy or Morphology
  • Ecology
  • Physiology
  • Cellular or Molecular Biology
  • Evolution or Systematics
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Developmental Biology
  • Environmental or Earth Science