Qualifications & Applying to Graduate Programs

Applicants should have the following qualifications:

• A baccalaureate degree from a university or college approved by a recognized accrediting agency.
• Point-hour ratios of at least 3.0 for undergraduate work, post-baccalaureate, and graduate work for which a grade is given. (A-4, B-3, C-2, D-l, F-0, WF considered as F).
• Satisfactory academic standing at the last university or college attended.
• Satisfactory GRE scores. Applicants should have a combined score of at least 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination.
• The TOEFL exam is also required of applicants for whom English is not their native language.

Applicants are accepted into the Ph.D. and M.S. programs based upon recommendation of the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Committee.  In making its recommendation, the Graduate Committee will consider the student's previous academic record and research experience, standardized test scores, and letters of recommendation.  Students entering the doctoral program are strongly advised to take the GRE Biology subject area exam prior to matriculation.  Ph.D. students without the GRE Subject test in Biology prior to admission must take it during their first year in the program.

Because admission requires a commitment from a faculty member to serve as temporary advisor for the first academic year, applicants are strongly encouraged to contact individual faculty as soon as possible. To be considered for financial support (link here), all application materials must be received by March 1.

To apply to the graduate programs in the Department of Biological Sciences, you must submit two separate applications:

Apply to the University of New Orleans:

1. Submit an application and $40 fee to the University (apply on-line).
2. Send official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, GRE, and TOEFL scores (where necessary) to: