Programs of Study

The Department of Zoology and Physiology offers graduate study leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The graduate program is designed to provide the student with broad knowledge of zoology plus the opportunity to specialize in cell biology, animal physiology, or ecology/wildlife/fisheries biology. Graduate research can be pursued in molecular biology, cellular development and aging, cell ultrastructure, cytochemistry, cytogenetics, comparative physiology, endocrinology, neurophysiology, physiological ecology, ornithology, mammalogy, herpetology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate ecology, animal behavior, behavioral ecology, limnology, ecology of fish populations, fish physiology, fish toxicology, invertebrate population ecology, community ecology, theoretical ecology, ecological modeling, wildlife ecology, wildlife management, and assessment of the environmental impact of technological development.

A major adviser has primary responsibility for supervising the student's graduate program. Tailored to the needs of individuals, programs include course work, directed study, and research, the latter of which is under the direction of the adviser. Doctoral students must pass a comprehensive examination and conduct an oral defense of the dissertation, which must report original research and be suitable for publication in a prestigious scientific journal. Candidates for the master's degree must orally defend the thesis, which generally is suitable for publication in a scientific journal.

Research Facilities

A modern laboratory building houses the department's research facilities which include the Microscopy Facility and laboratory instruments needed for chemical, physiological, DNA, and radioisotope-labeling assays. A GIS laboratory is housed in the building. In addition, the department is well equipped for ecological and behavioral research on animals ranging from microscopic invertebrates to large mammals. The Biological Sciences Building holds climate chambers, a large animal-care facility, and an aquarium room. The Science Library adjoins this building.

The Wyoming Cooperative Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit, established in 1979, operates in close association with the department. Graduate work in the department may be directed by unit personnel and supported by unit projects. Also, the University of Wyoming–National Park Service Research Center is affiliated with the department, and additional graduate research opportunities are possible with faculty members participating in the center's program.

A few miles south of Laramie, the Department of Zoology and Physiology operates the Red Buttes Environmental Biology Laboratory, a 9,600-square-foot facility equipped to handle aquatic and terrestrial animals. An aquatic ecology and toxicology laboratory, uniquely designed to accommodate a wide range of test conditions of water flow, temperature, and composition, is available within the facility for student and faculty use. Other animal-holding and surgical rooms are specifically constructed to accommodate experimentation on small (e.g., mice, squirrels), medium (e.g., coyotes, badgers), and large (e.g., elk, bighorn sheep) terrestrial animals. Outdoor corrals and fish runs are also available on the 400-acre site. Opportunities are excellent for field research on nearby properties of the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Financial Aid

The department is able to support approximately 50 graduate students with teaching and research assistantships; these currently carry a stipend of $10,062 (MS) or $14,004(Ph.D.), plus tuition in most cases. To apply for other forms of aid, students should contact the Student Financial Aid Office, University of Wyoming, Box 3335, University Station.

Cost of Study

Cost of study (tuition, living and housing etc.) can be found on the university's website.

Student Group

Semester on-campus enrollment at the University of Wyoming is 9,854, including 1,393 graduate students. The Department of Zoology and Physiology has about 65 graduate students and 281 undergraduate majors. Out-of-state students make up about 25 percent of the student body.

Location

Laramie, with a population of approximately 28,000, is a pleasant university town, located at an altitude of 7,200 feet on a high intermountain plain. It is only 35 miles from the Medicine Bow Mountains to the west and 6 miles from the Laramie Mountains to the east. Laramie provides an interesting mixture of Western and university atmospheres. The surrounding country is spectacularly beautiful.

The University

The University of Wyoming was founded as a land-grant institution in 1886 and is Wyoming's only four-year institution of higher education. It has grown significantly in both size and stature during the past decade, with quality being the goal of its development. The University comprises eight colleges and schools, of which the College of Arts and Sciences is the largest. The Department of Zoology and Physiology is in the College of Arts and Sciences, but its graduate program is under the aegis of the Graduate School.

Applying

Applicants must file an application for admission to the Graduate School and an application for a graduate assistantship in zoology (Forms are available on Graduate School's website); the latter must be filed whether or not financial aid is sought. In addition, the department requires scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination. The GRE Subject Test (biology) may be used by some faculty members in their selection of students. To be considered for financial assistance, students must submit applications by February 1 for anticipated enrollment in the semester beginning the following August. More information can be found in the GRADUATE BULLETIN.

You can send your applications electronically through Graduate School's website or

mail to the Graduate School, P.O. Box 3108, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071-3108.  

·         Application for admission*

·         Official transcripts (one set) mailed directly from the registrar from each institution attended

·         GRE scores mailed directly from the Educational Testing Service (ETS)

Please mail to the Department of Zoology and Physiology (see address below) 

·         Application for admission*

      (Graduate School will send copy)

·         Application for a graduate assistantship*

·         Transcripts (originals or photocopies)

·         Three letters of recommendation*

·       GRE scores (photocopies are acceptable)

·         The GRE Subject Test (biology) may be used by some faculty in their selection of students.

*Forms are available at Graduate School's website

  www.uwyo.edu/UWGrad

Application Deadlines

Action for admission will not be taken by the department or the graduate school until your application is complete.  While February 15 is the date for fall/summer admission, it is strongly recommended that all material be received by February 1.  The date for spring semester admission is September 15.  Students who apply by the deadlines will compete for teaching assistantships and will have better opportunities for research assistantships.  Please remember that a faculty member must agree to serve as the student's advisor before recommendation for admission can be made to the Graduate School.

Contact Information

Department of Zoology and Physiology
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming 82071
Phone: 307-766-4207
Fax: 307-766-5625

e-mail: zprequest@uwyo.edu