Admission Information

Admissions will be based on a comprehensive assessment of an applicant's qualifications including Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores, undergraduate and graduate grade point average, and letters of recommendation. Applicants must:

1. Formally apply for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and fulfill all requirements, including submission of official transcripts from all academic work and official scores on the Graduate Record Examination.
2. Hold an appropriate baccalaureate, master's, or prior doctoral degree in either Biochemistry, Biology, or Chemistry. An equivalent degree in a closely related subject may be acceptable upon consideration by the Program Coordination Committee. In addition, the following undergraduate courses are specifically recommended: six semesters of a combination of general biology, microbiology, cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry courses, including some laboratory coursework; two semesters of general/inorganic chemistry and at least one semester of organic chemistry, which should include a laboratory component; two semesters of physics; and one semester of calculus. Students who lack any component of these minimum course requirements will be asked to remedy their deficiency or demonstrate competency in these areas to the Program Coordination Committee. A student entering with a prior doctoral degree will be treated the same as a student entering with a prior master's degree (i.e. only relevant courses from the prior doctoral degree may be considered for credit toward the MBS Ph.D. degree).
3. Have a grade point average (GPA) in their previous academic degrees that indicates potential for success in doctoral-level study. Successful applicants typically present a minimum 3.5 GPA at the graduate level or a minimum 3.0 GPA when entering with a bachelor's degree.
4. Submit scores for the verbal, quantitative and analytical writing measures of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) that indicate potential for success in the Molecular BioSciences program. The GRE is an important measure and is given significant consideration in the admissions review process. Successful applicants typically have scores on the verbal and quantitative measures at or above the 50th percentile for persons intending to pursue graduate study in science with a combined V + Q score that exceeds 1,000.
5. Provide letters of recommendation directly from at least three professors or professionals that address the candidate's potential for successfully completing a Ph.D. in MBS.
6. International students must also meet the College of Graduate Studies requirement for proof of English language proficiency. This may be accomplished by submission of TOEFL, UMELI test, or IELTS scores that meet CGS requirements, or by successful completion of level 112 of ELS coursework.

Applicants who do not meet these minimums but whose application materials indicate high potential for success may be admitted conditionally and would have to meet the conditions of their admission in the time stated to remain in the program of study.

Additional Application Information

1. The application deadline is March 15 for those wishing to be considered for graduate assistantships for the following fall. Late applications may be considered but financial support is not guaranteed.
2. Additional hours may be required for completion of the degree program based upon an assessment of the applicant's prior preparation in the sciences.