Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a 4-year bachelor’s degree. An average of B or higher in the final 60 hours of undergraduate coursework (3.0/4.0 on a 4-point scale or equivalent) is required for regular admission, but applicants with lower GPAs can potentially be admitted on probationary status. Preference is given to applicants with undergraduate degrees in biology or other life sciences. Applicants with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines should have extensive life science coursework or other evidence of biology fundamentals. Prior research experience is essential. A key issue in admissions decisions is a good match with the research interests of one or more Biology faculty members who could serve as the applicant’s Major Professor. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact potential mentors to discuss opportunities in their research programs.

Applications must include transcripts, contact details for three professional references, and a personal statement of goals and experiences. The personal statement should discuss career goals and past research experience, and it should explain how the applicant’s research interests are aligned with the research programs of one or more Biology faculty members. GRE scores are not required but can be provided if available. International applicants must meet the KSU graduate school requirements for English proficiency, but TOEFL IBT scores ≥100 (with 22 or higher on the SPEAK test) or IELTS ≥7.0 are preferred.  

Contact Info

Graduate Program Contact: biology@ksu.edu

Graduate Program Director: Dr. Michael Veeman (veeman@ksu.edu)

Course Requirements

90 credit hours, including at least 24 hours of graded coursework and at least 30 hours of research credit. Depending on the student’s previous coursework, the supervisory committee may require up to 30 hours of graded courses. At least 15 hours of the graded coursework must be at the 800 level or higher. All students must take BIOL 863  (Professional Skills and Ethics) in the first year. Other courses are selected in consultation with the student’s Major Professor and supervisory committee, which is typically formed in the second semester. These flexible requirements allow Programs of Study to be tailored to the research and career development needs of individual students across diverse biological subdisciplines. Courses from other KSU units including but not limited to Agronomy, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Geography, Plant Pathology and Statistics can be included in the Program of Study.

Enrollment Requirements

Biology Ph.D. students should enroll in 9 credit hours per semester, excluding summer semester, to be on track to graduate in the typical 5 years. Students on appointment as GTAs or GRAs must always be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in each Spring and Fall semester to qualify for salary and benefits. Students who are no longer on a GTA or GRA appointment but have not completed their final degree requirements must enroll in 1 hour per semester until the dissertation is completed.