The Master's program is central to the Ecology Program's mission of providing excellence in research and education in ecology and environmental biology. EPA research programs in which graduate students participate contribute to basic science and understanding, and provide answers to real world questions and concerns. We feel that the integration of basic and applied research provides our students with experience valuable for a diversity of future employment opportunities, and helps keep their research useful and relevant. The program emphasizes quantitative approaches and the framing of problems within the context of ecological theory.
Students complete an original research project and submit a written thesis.
A final oral examination in the field of the thesis and its implication in the broad fields of biology also is required. Many of our students publish their Master's work in major refereed journals in ecology or related fields. Admission to the Program Students should submit application materials , including transcripts, GRE scores, letters of reference, and statement of purpose, to the Biology Department. While none of the criteria listed are absolute conditions for admission, by themselves, we expect our students to meet the following grade, score, and coursework requirements. Overall undergraduate GPA should be at least 2.75 for the last 60 semester units, and at least 3.0 for all upper division biology courses, which should include the courses below.