Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center

Application Procedures

 

Application Procedures for Biology Graduate Programs
associated with the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact a biology professor before submitting an application. Applicants for Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowships in Plant Conservation will need to secure admission to the Graduate Program of the Department of Biology. The deadline for applications to the graduate program is 15 December for admission in August of the following year.

Applications from International students must be reviewed by the International Student Office before they are reviewed by the Department of Biology. To facilitate the review process, we strongly recommend that applicants send a copy of all application materials to both the International Student Office and to the Department of Biology.

Files will not be released by the International Student Office until the application fee has been paid.

Applicants must submit completed application and personal data forms, three letters of recommendation from faculty members at previously attended colleges or universities, or other people qualified to assess the applicants' capabilities for graduate study, and transcripts of all post-secondary academic work. Students applying for financial support from the Biology Department also must complete the TA/RA/Fellowship Application form and submit a 1-3 page letter describing their goals for graduate study. Students wishing to be considered for a Christensen Fund Graduate Fellowship in Plant Conservation must also provide a one-page statement describing their experience, ambitions, and match with the aims of this special fellowship program. In addition, applicants to the Ph.D. program must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical). Although not required for admission to Master's programs, GRE scores are strongly recommended. Admission normally requires a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in biology and 3.0 (Ph.D.) or 2.75 (M.S.) overall, as well as an appropriate background for graduate work in biology, including courses in genetics, biochemistry, and evolution. Courses in organic chemistry, college physics, and calculus are expected, and statistics is recommended.

International students whose native language is not English and who have spent less than two of the last three years in an English-speaking country are required to submit scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination or the verbal portion of the GMAT before a decision is made on admission. A student with a total TOEFL score below 500 or a verbal GMAT score below the 30th percentile will not be admitted to the Graduate School. The student must retake the TOEFL examination and score 500 or above to gain admission to the Graduate School.

Review of applications for admission to the graduate program in biology will begin on December 1, for admission in August of the following year. Applications received after January 15 will be considered for the following year.

Please send copies of your full application to: 

Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Biology
University of Missouri-St. Louis
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63121-4499 USA
And
For International Students:

International Student Admissions
International Student Services
304 Social Sciences Building
1 Univeristy Boulevard
University of Missouri-St. Louis
St. Louis MO 63121
USA

For US Citizens:

Graduate Admissions
University of Missouri-St. Louis
1 Univerisity Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63121

To download Application Materials or apply online go to:

For US citizens:
To apply for Graduate Admission

For International Students:
To apply for Graduate Admission

Application form for Financial Support from the Department of Biology and HWEC (pdf.file)

Applicants for The Christensen Fund Fellowship in Plant Conservation must provide a one-page statement describing their experience, ambitions, and match with the aims of this special fellowship program.  

Application materials can also be obtained by mail from:

Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Biology
University of Missouri-St. Louis
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63121-4499 USA
Phone: 1-314-516-6202
Fax: 1-314-516-6233
Email: mhempen@jinx.umsl.edu

Other Useful Contact Information

Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center

Director, Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center
University of Missouri-St. Louis 
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63121-4499 
Phone: 314-516-6203 
Fax: 314-516-6233 
Email: osbornepl@umsl.edu

Graduate School, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Dean, Graduate School 
341 Woods Hall 
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63121 
Phone: 314-516-5900 
Fax: 314-516-6759 
Email: gradadm@umsl.edu

Department of Biology Graduate Program

Director of Graduate Studies 
Department of Biology 
University of Missouri-St. Louis 
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63121-4499 
Phone: 314-516-6202 
Fax: 314-516-6233 
Email: mhempen@jinx.umsl.edu

International Student Services

International Student Services
304 Social Science Building 
University of Missouri-St. Louis 
1 University Boulevard
St. Louis MO 63121 
Phone: 314-516-5229 
Fax: 314-516-5636 
Email: iss@umsl.edu