Prospective Students
Program Overview
Eighty to ninety students are usually enrolled in our graduate program at any given time. Each student is admitted to the graduate program under the sponsorship of a faculty member(s) whose research interests match those of the applicant. We expect applicants will carefully review the research interests of faculty accepting graduate students and contact prospective graduate advisors well in advance of the application deadline (December 1st) to inquire about possible sponsorship.
Students can satisfy the degree requirements for Integrative Biology alone or obtain a joint degree with one of MSU’s interdisciplinary graduate programs.
Find an Advisor
To assure consideration of your application, you must contact faculty members whose interests match your own. Do this before you apply. Be prepared to send a curriculum vitae and a statement of your research interests and career goals. Faculty can advise a limited number of graduate students simultaneously, so it may not be possible to sponsor a new student even if that applicant is very accomplished. However, you do have an opportunity to convince that faculty member(s) why you would be a good addition to the lab.
Interdisciplinary Programs
Many of our faculty members have a strong interdisciplinary component to their research programs and maintain collaborations with scientists in other MSU departments. Students can satisfy the degree requirements for Integrative Biology alone or obtain a joint degree with one of MSU’s interdisciplinary graduate programs. It is common for our graduate students to complete the requirements of one or more of the interdisciplinary graduate programs. Depending upon the program, this may lead to a stand-alone degree or to a joint degree in addition to the Integrative Biology degree.
Financial Support
Many of our graduate students receive some form of support to cover living expenses and tuition during their studies. Doctoral students are guaranteed 5 years of support, and Masters of Science Plan A students are guaranteed 3 years of support. Masters of Science Plan B students are not guaranteed financial support but are eligible for graduate assistantships if available.
Besides living expenses and tuition, you will need funds to cover research costs. Funds are often available from faculty research grants, but you are encouraged to apply for research funding once you start the graduate program. Learn more about financial support for our graduate students. We also encourage you to discuss funding options with your prospective advisor(s).
Prerequisite Courses
Completion of the following undergraduate course requirements are strongly recommended for all students applying to the Department of Integrative Biology. While every effort should be made to be completely prepared prior to matriculation, if an applicant has not fulfilled one of these prerequisites it does not prevent their application from moving forward but it may be necessary to correct such shortcomings while at MSU. These decisions are made once the student and their advisor have evaluated their background and direction of research.
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Course Area |
Prerequisite Course Level |
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Math through first-semester calculus, plus one additional calculus or statistics course. |
|
Chemistry |
Chemistry through first-semester organic chemistry, plus additional organic chemistry or biochemistry course. |
|
Physics |
One semester of college-level physics. |
Prepare to Apply
Application Deadline: December 1st
At Michigan State University, applications to graduate programs are handled centrally by the Universtiy's Graduate School.
Below are the steps you should follow to prepare for your application to the Graduate Program in Integrative Biology.
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Review the list of faculty interests and contact prospective faculty advisors to see if they will accept new students for next year. Only applicants sponsored by Integrative Biology faculty member(s) can be considered for admission (August-November).
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Consider the options for interdisciplinary programs, and consult with your prospective advisors about whether you should apply to one of these programs as well as to Integrative Biology.
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Line up strong letters of support and prepare strong essays.
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Consider making a visit to campus to meet with your prospective advisor(s) and other members of the department before applying.