Admissions

Applications for admission to the Plant Biology and Microbiology PhD programs are reviewed on a holistic basis by an admissions committee composed of faculty, graduate students, and staff. We value the strengths that applicants bring to our graduate programs from their diverse academic and research backgrounds, employment experiences, and life journeys. Candidates are evaluated using rubrics meant to minimize bias, and committee members receive training in recognizing implicit bias.

What We Look For

The admissions committees evaluate applications based on several criteria:

• Academic potential, taking into consideration any barriers that may have impacted the applicant’s prior achievements
• Depth of research experience and other work experience
• Motivation for graduate work, intellectual curiosity, persistence, and leadership experiences
• Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, such as outreach activities, multicultural experiences, and lived experiences

The committee bases admissions recommendations on the statement of purpose and personal history statement written by the candidate, research experiences, prior coursework and grades, and letters of recommendation.

For Plant Biology:  A basic background in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology, roughly equivalent to the Department's undergraduate program in Genetics and Plant Biology.

For Microbiology:  A basic background in chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology, roughly equivalent to the Department's undergraduate program in Microbial Biology.