Currently we plan to admit no more than 10 students per academic year. This is a small program and as a result, we are able to work closely with our students. Student interest over the last few years have ranged from the study of the biodiversity of the coarse woody debris in forests to wetlands policy issues to the development and analysis of environmental education programs. Because we have a core sequence of courses that begin in the Fall, we plan only to admit students once each year. The Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development Program is composed of a core curriculum that will provide a strong background in biological and social science aspects of conservation and development issues.
Students can then choose other supplementary courses for their particular area of interest.
This time is to be spent developing a thesis topic and exploring methodologies that will be needed to complete the work. This helps students progress toward a work plan for the summer thesis work. However, because admission to our program is very competitive, GRE scores usually average 1300 and undergraduate GPA around 3.4. For many students financial aid is an important consideration for entering a graduate program. It is best to have your application and all supporting materials submitted by early January to be considered in this competition.