DOCTORAL AND MASTER STUDIES AND ADMISSIONS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
PLANT BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES GRADUATE PROGRAM
Updated 7/2007
Thank you for your
interest in the Plant Biological Sciences Graduate Program. The Program wants to provide prompt
answers and replies to all inquiries.
We have found that many applicants have the same questions, so we have
listed below the answers to those most commonly asked. Of course we will respond to your query
with an individual reply if your question is not answered below. We encourage you to visit our Web site
at http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/gradprog
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FALL 2008 ADMISSIONS
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QUESTION: How and
when do I apply to the program?
Deadline for
applications is January 1st.
Two applications (one
for the PBS program and one for the University of Minnesota Graduate School)
must be completed. They must be
submitted separately.
Plant
Biological Sciences Application packet should include:
To prepare a
competitive application please provide a clear picture of your past scholastic
performance, and academic and research potential. The preferred performance
level of GRE scores is above the 60th percentile. It is preferred that
international applicants should score at least 600 (or 250 from a
computer-based test) on the TOEFL.
Application materials
required include a Plant Biological Sciences program application, three letters
of recommendation, copy
of GRE scores, a statement of purpose, and copies of transcripts from all colleges
attended. Foreign students must
also submit a copy
of their TOEFL scores. The above information should be sent to
the following address:
Plant Biological
Sciences Graduate Program
University of Minnesota
1445 Gortner Avenue,
Room 256 Biosciences Center
St. Paul, MN 55108
The University of
MinnesotaÕs Graduate School application.
Any student with a U.S.
bachelorÕs degree or a comparable foreign degree from a recognized college or
university may apply to the Graduate School for admission.
The Graduate
School prefers an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (on a 4.0
scale) for admission. Individual
programs may prefer a higher GPA.
Applicants should consult the program to which they are applying for
more specific information about admission.
The
application for admission to the Graduate School must be submitted online and
all required supporting materials should be sent to The Graduate School.
Please Note:
The application fee cannot be waived or deferred, and is not refundable.
In order to
ensure timely processing of your application for admission, we encourage you to
send all of your transcripts/credentials in one envelope. You may mail
photocopies or fax us a legible copy of your transcript/credentials. If you do
fax or send a photocopy, do not send official transcripts/credentials at this
time; if you are admitted, we will request that official or certified
transcripts/credentials be sent from your institution(s) when we send you the
admission letter. Transcripts/credentials can be faxed to 612-625-6002 or
mailed to:
Graduate
School Office of Admissions
University
of Minnesota
309 Johnston
Hall
101 Pleasant
St. SE
Minneapolis,
MN 55455-0421
For complete
information on the Graduate SchoolÕs application process, as well as other
important information please visit http://www.grad.umn.edu For their on-line application go to http://www.grad.umn.edu/prospective_students/apply_online.html
GRADUATE
SCHOOL ADMISSIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - Please visit the Graduate School web site at http://www.grad.umn.edu/frequently_asked_questions.html
QUESTION: Is the GRE required?
Yes, we require the
general test. Complete information
about the GRE is located at http://www.gre.org It is best to take your GRE tests by the end of
October. This way the official
scores reach our campus on time. Have
ETS send the official scores to the Graduate School Office of Admissions. Also, it is prudent to mail The PBS
program office a copy of
the GRE scores that ETS sends to you, in case there is a delay in the official
scores being received. Our mailing
address is: Plant Biological
Sciences Graduate Program. University of Minnesota, 1445 Gortner Avenue, Room
256 Bioscience Center, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 USA.
QUESTION: Where to send the TOEFL score?
Original TOEFL scores
should be sent directly to the Graduate School (see address above). A copy of your TOEFL scores should also
be sent to the PBS program office.
QUESTION: I have
submitted application materials for Fall 2008. Can I find out my application status?
The Admissions Committee
will begin reviewing application in the first week of January. The program coordinator will notify
applicants with information about application status and what materials are
missing from their file. At
the end of January the program holds an open house for domestic applicants (by
invitation only). All admission
decisions will be made by April 15th. For this reason, it is important that you inform us of any
changes to your contact information.
QUESTION: I missed
the January 1st deadline! Now what?
Generally most students
start in the program in the fall.
If funding is available students may start in summer or spring semester.
Contact the program office at pbiogp@umn.edu to find out if they are still
accepting applications for a particular semester.
QUESTION: How are
admissions decisions made?
We are looking for
bright and motivated students and welcome all such applications. The program considers:
* GRE scores (60th
percentile preferred in all areas).
*
TOEFL score, for foreign students only above 600 on paper or 250 on
computer is preferred (test date
within the past two years). For
more information on the TOEFL
go to http://www.ets.org/toefl/
* Transcripts from all
undergraduate schools attended (minimum average
grade of
B, which is a 3.0 on 4.0 grading scale is preferred).
* Transcripts from all
graduate schools attended.
* Statement of purpose.
* Three letters of
recommendation.
* Research experience or
publications.
QUESTION: What
financial support is provided?
The Plant
Biological Sciences Graduate Program guarantees students who are making normal
progress toward a Ph.D. degree either four or five academic years of graduate
assistantship support subject to the availability of funding. Students are paid a stipend plus full tuition and comprehensive
health insurance including subsidized dependent and dental care. The student is
expected to pay a small percent of the insurance premium rate for the 2007-2008
academic year.
Students wishing to seek
a Masters degree need to identify a faculty advisor in the graduate program
before joining the program. A list
of faculty and their research interests are located on our web site at http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/gradprog/faculty/
Funding sources may come
from research assistantships, teaching
assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships. While your assistantship will cover your tuition and provide
a waiver of the non-resident tuition, it will not cover student fees. You will be responsible to pay the
student services fee (approximately $400-500 per semester in 2005-06), and any
course or laboratory fees as required by specific courses. Students are encouraged to apply for
individual fellowships as well.
These are important career honors to have listed on your resume!
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GRADUATE PROGRAM INFORMATION
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QUESTION: What
research opportunities are available for doctoral/masters studies?
The Graduate Program in Plant Biological Sciences provides education in the basic plant sciences and opportunity for fundamental research in areas ranging from the molecular to the ecosystem level. This interdepartmental program has participants from the departments of Agronomy and Plant Genetics; Biochemistry; Biology-U of MN-Duluth; Ecology, Evolution and Behavior; Forest Resources; Genetics and Cell Biology; Horticultural Science; Plant Biology; Plant Pathology; Soil, Water and Climate; three colleges (Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Natural Resources) as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Experiment Station, the USDA Forest Service/ North Central Research Station, and the U of MN Lake Itasca Forestry and Biological Station. Visit the following web site for a list of faculty and their research interests. http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/gradprog/faculty/
QUESTION: Tell me about the doctoral and masters
program and the campus.
The Plant
Biological Sciences Graduate Program is an interdisciplinary and
interdepartmental program offering Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctoral
(Ph.D.) degrees in a broad range of plant biology research areas with primary
emphasis on Ph.D training. The
graduate program was established to provide students with:
I. An
excellent educational and research experience.
II. The
opportunity to work with faculty on a broad range of cutting-edge research topics in Plant Biology.
III. Skills
and opportunity to conduct independent research.
IV. Exposure to
the international plant science research community through seminars and colloquia.
Please refer to our
graduate program web page http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/gradprog
for details and current information on our faculty and their
research.
Recently, we
have grown substantially through recruiting new topnotch faculty, development
of state of the art technical support facilities, and the completion of the
Microbial and Plant Genomics Building. The PBS program is designed to provide
our graduate students with cutting edge research opportunities to allow them to
achieve their career goals.
If you are going to be
on campus, please let us know, and we will assist you with setting up an
informative and enjoyable day.
The program will host a
recruitment weekend generally in late January. You will be notified by email with an invitation. Due to visa issues and costs, only
domestic students will be invited to attend the open house.
Contact
Information: Plant Biological
Sciences Graduate Program
University
of Minnesota
1445
Gortner Avenue, Room 256 Biosciences Center
St.
Paul, MN 55108
Phone: 612-625-4222
Email: pbiogp@umn.edu
Web
Site: http://www.cbs.umn.edu/plantbio/gradprog
WE HOPE YOU HAVE
FOUND THIS INFORMATION HELPFUL. IF
YOUR QUESTION WAS NOT ANSWERED ABOVE, PLEASE CONTACT US AND WE WILL SEND YOU AN
INDIVIDUAL REPLY.