Graduate Programs

Faculty in the Department of Botany host and advise graduate students in several graduate programs (Botany; Ecology; Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences). Below you will find information about options for pursuing a graduate degree under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Botany.

M.S. and Ph.D. in Botany

The Department of Botany offers graduate programs leading to the M.S. and the Ph.D. degrees. As part of these programs students participate in research, teaching and coursework that lay a foundation for expertise in the broad discipline of plant biology. Our faculty have strong research programs in plant biology, in which undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students play a key role. Specific instructions for the application procedure are below ("How to Apply").

Details of the graduate program philosophy and degree requirements are given in the Botany Graduate Student Handbook. This document contains important information for prospective and current students.

Ph.D. in Ecology

Several faculty in the Department of Botany participate in the interdepartmental, doctoral Program in Ecology (PiE). Applicants to the Program in Ecology apply to a host department for admission. If you are a prospective student for the Program in Ecology, with a faculty adviser in Botany, please follow the instructions below ("How to Apply") and review the instructions for application to the Program in Ecology. Questions can be directed to ecology@uwyo.edu.

Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences
 

Three botany faculty members also participate in the interdepartmental Ph.D. program in Molecular and Cellular Life Sciences (MCLS). Students apply directly to the MCLS program, rather than to the Department of Botany. First year students rotate through four laboratories before choosing a mentor for their degree. Prospective students are encouraged to contact individual Botany faculty (Buerkle, Ward, and Weinig) and to review information about the program, including application procedures. Questions can be directed to the MCLS Program Assistant, mcls@uwyo.edu.

How to apply

The process of application and admission to the graduate programs begins by contacting a faculty member in the student's field of interest. Admission is contingent upon a faculty member agreeing to serve as a graduate adviser to a student. Consequently, if you are considering applying to our graduate programs, you are advised to correspond with our faculty.

Other components of the application include completion of a graduate program application form, a letter of interest, a curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, transcripts from all other post-secondary institutions attended, and results from the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE; Subject test is not required). International students may need to complete the TOEFL (more information).

All materials should be sent to the Department of Botany at the following address. Please note that all components of the application process are handled by the Department of Botany. Students do not need to apply formally to the Graduate School until they have been informed that they have been admitted to the Department of Botany. This saves students the Graduate School's $50 processing fee until they are admitted. Botany Graduate Program
Department of Botany, 3165
University of Wyoming
1000 E. University Avenue
Laramie WY 82071

Requirements for admission

Evidence of aptitude and likely success are required for admission. This evidence will come from various components of the application. In addition, the Graduate School requires a composite minimum score on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the GRE for admission: 900 (M.S.), 1,000 (Ph.D.) and 1,100 (interdisciplinary Ph.D.). Similarly, a minimum GPA of 3.0 on previous coursework is required for admission to the Graduate School (3.25 for Ph.D. in Ecology or MCLS).

Checklist for applicants:

  1. Correspond with a faculty member with appropriate research interests
  2. Graduate program application form
  3. Letter of interest
    Describe your background and interests, your prior communication with a faculty member in the department, and your plans for your degree.
  4. Curriculum vitae
    Describe your educational, research and relevant employment background.
  5. Three letters of recommendation
    Letters should be sent directly by a student's recommenders. Letters should be accompanied by the following form.
  6. Transcripts from all post-secondary schools you have attended
    Unofficial copies of transcripts are acceptable initially. If a student is admitted, official transcripts will be required.
  7. Results of the GRE exam
    Results from the General Test are required of all applicants. The Biology Subject Test is not required. Unofficial copies of results are acceptable initially.
  8. Results of the TOEFL (if required)
    Some international students are required to take the TOEFL (more information).
Review of applications begins February 1st.

If you have been admitted to a graduate program, you should initiate the formal application process with the Graduate Student Resources. This is the stage at which official documents are required (transcripts, GRE results). Checklists for application materials can be found online.

Financial Assistance

Teaching and Research Assistantships, including stipends and tuition, are available to support students admitted to the graduate programs. Individual faculty should be contacted for possible support from grant funds. Summer and scholarship support is often available as well.

Inquiries

Please direct inquiries about the graduate programs to a faculty member with whom you share research interests, or to the Graduate Program Officer for Botany (Dr. Alex Buerkle).

Last modified: 29 October 2008