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Minimum Admission Requirements

  • A bachelor's degree or its foreign equivalent in a physical, chemical or biological science or engineering
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale) preferred.
  • General examination GRE scores. Only rarely, under extenuating circumstances, will students be considered for admission without GRE scores.

Additional Recommended Experience

  • At least two courses each in calculus, chemistry, and physics, and one course in the biological sciences.
  • Computer-literateracy (i.e. knowledge of basic computing skills)
  • Competency in statistics (generally a 5000-level statistics course is taken as a supporting program course)
  • Stronger preparation in certain subjects is expected for students intending to focus in some areas of the program. For example, students wishing to focus on quantitative hydrology should have a math background that includes differential equations.

The academic background of entering students is reviewed by a faculty admissions committee and the Director of Graduate Studies, who may recommend additional coursework for students deemed admissible but having deficiencies in specific subjects. Students who do not have a master's degree in a related subject are admitted to the M.S. program first, even if their long-term goal is a Ph.D. degree. Availability of funding and willingness of a member of the graduate faculty to serve as an advisor are important criteria for admission to the Ph.D. program.