Grad School / Program:
- Contact:
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203 Natural Science Building
Department of Zoology
Michigan State University (MSU)
East Lansing, MI 48824
United States
Phone: 517-355-4640
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- Degrees Granted:
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Masters, Doctorate
- Programs offered:
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On-campus
- Description:
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The Department of Zoology provides a wide variety of opportunities to students interested in graduate study in biology. Following are some issues you may want to consider in deciding whether these opportunities match your interests and goals.
- Ph.D. This is a research-intensive degree leading to a dissertation based on high-quality, original research. Average time to completion is between five and six years.
- M.S. (plan A) This is a research-intensive degree leading to thesis based on high-quality, original research that is more restricted in scope than a Ph.D.
- M.S. (plan B) This is a course-work intensive degree that does not require a thesis but does require a one-semester independent project involving original scholarship
- Professional Master's Degree in Zoo and Aquarium Science. This degree combines coursework in Zoology and in Business as well as an internship experience that is meant to prepare students for careers in the zoo industry. Students have the option of pursuing either a Plan A or Plan B M.S. degree.
- Admission Information:
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Following are the steps you should follow to prepare for your application to graduate program in Zoology.
- Study list of faculty interests and contact individuals whom you think you would like to work with, and ask them if they will be accepting new students for the next year. Only those applicants who have been sponsored by a Zoology faculty member can be considered for admission (August-November).
- Take the GRE exam
- Consider the options for interdisciplinary programs, and consult with your prospective advisor about whether you should apply to one of these programs (October-November) as well as to Zoology.
- Download relevant application materials and submit application(s) by the appropriate deadline(s) (1 December for Zoology).
- Line up strong letters of support and prepare strong essays.
- Consider making a visit to campus in the Fall to meet with your prospective advisor and other members of the department.
- Financial Aids:
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Most Zoology graduate students receive some form of support to cover living expenses and tuition during their studies. Ph.D. students are guaranteed five years of support. Plan A M.S. students are guaranteed three years of support. Plan B M.S. students are not guaranteed any support, but are eligible for assistantships if available. An explanation of the various kinds of support can be found at the Financial Support page.
In addition to support for living expenses and tuition, you will need funds to cover research costs. These are often available from faculty research grants, but students are also encouraged to apply for funding to support their research once they have begun their programs. A small amount of money is available from the Zoology Department or from budgets of interdisciplinary programs; other sources of funds are available from the MSU Graduate School, and from organizations outside the university. You should discuss these options with your prospective advisor.
- Grad Program Website:
- http://www.zoology.msu.edu/
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