New: Graduate Research Assistantships for Fall 2009

Graduate Student Information

Graduate students and faculty in Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management work on a diverse set of topics ranging from the ecology of plant and insect invasions to molecular plant-microbe interactions.  We work in environments ranging from row crops to wilderness areas.  We collaborate with colleagues at the many federal and state agencies located in Fort Collins, including the USGS, the state and federal Forest Services, the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 

Graduate Programs

We offer M.S. and Ph.D degrees in Bioagricultural Sciences. Graduate students at the masters and Ph.D level can obtain a general degree in the area of expertise of their advisor (e.g., ecology, biodiversity, molecular biology), or explicitly concentrate on one of three disciplinary specializations: Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science.

An assistantship leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in applied entomology is available in the Department of Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University. The proposed research involves the development of mass rearing and plant resistance screening methods for the brown wheat mite, Petrobia latens. Other studies may be undertaken as the project evolves.
Questions regarding the research project may be directed to: Frank.Peairs@ColoState.Edu.
Questions regarding the admissions process may be directed to: Janet.Dill@ColoState.Edu.

Master of science degrees may be earned in two ways:
Plan A includes a research project that leads to an original thesis
Plan B is a non-thesis program emphasizing course work and a professional paper

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Admission

To be admitted as a graduate student in our department, you need to demonstrate that you have the potential to succeed in graduate school.  You can show this through grades, letters of recommendation, GRE scores and/or your application essay.  Additionally, it is critical that you find a faculty advisor who is willing to mentor you.  You should visit our faculty webpages to learn about individual faculty and their research areas.  Make direct contact (email is generally best) with faculty you would like to work with.

Application deadlines:  To be considered for financial support via teaching assistantships, you must apply by September 1 for spring semester admission and by January 15 for fall semester admission.

Applications must include:
1. College transcripts. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is required for admission.
2. Three letters of recommendation. Choose people who know you well and can comment on your abilities, particularly whether they think you can succeed in graduate school.
3. A short essay outlining your experience and career goals.  This should be 1 page or less. Describe your specific interests to aid us in finding potential faculty advisors who are appropriate.  Identify who you would like to work with in your essay if applicable.
4. GRE general test scores. These should be from an exam taken within four years of application. 
5. TOEFL scores of 550 or above.  These are required  only if your undergraduate degree is from a non-US institution and the official language of your country is not English.

How to apply: Applications can be filled out electronically through CSU's Graduate School website.

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Financial support

Graduate students in our department are supported by:
Fellowships –Opportunities for outstanding students include programs at the EPA and NSF.  Generally, prospective or current graduate students apply for fellowships with assistance from their faculty mentor. 
Research assistantships – These typically are supported via competitive grant funds and target research on a specific project.  Contact individual faculty regarding the availability of research assistantships. 
Teaching assistantships – Teaching assistantships in introductory biology and more specialized courses are available each fall and spring. Apply by September 1 for spring semester admission and by February 15 for fall semester admission to be considered for teaching assistantships. Please see our Graduate Student Assistantship Page for more information.

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