General Requirements for Admission to a Graduate Program

Applications for Admission must be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions, identified elsewhere in this package. That office will collect all necessary documents before the entire application is forwarded to the Biology Department for evaluation. A committee of four professors reviews the credentials and makes a recommendation about admission and possibly suggested coursework if admission is provisional.

Financial Support: The majority of our graduate students are supported through teaching assistantships. The appointment is made within the department and applications must be sent to the Chair of the Department. Letters of recommendations should also be sent to that address. Appointments will be made under the following considerations:

Timeliness of applications: In most years, the number of applications received by February will exceed the openings expected for the following academic year (beginning in September). Apply early!

Qualifications and departmental need: The specialization, i.e. previous training in subdisciplines of Biology, Bacteriology, Botany or Zoology will be considered. The applicant's skills will be matched with laboratories for which instructors will be needed.

Budget considerations: Funding of the departmental budget must be secured before binding appointments can be made.

Appointment offer, time periods of appointments: Normally, offers of assistantship appointments are mailed during the month of June. Inquiries about the likelihood of receiving an appointment can be made anytime. Initial appointments are extended for one academic year (nine months). Summer teaching is limited and summer appointments often only cover six weeks of the three months June-August.

Research Assistantships are rare. Only faculty members with grant support appoint Research Assistants. These would have to be students working on a project that is funded by the grant.

Whenever you have questions, don't hesitate to call the Biology Department. The Chair, Dr. Sarah McIntire, office phone 940.898.2352 or e-mail: SMcIntire@twu.edu, will be happy to send or e-mail information to you.