UCF Graduate Studies |
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How to Become a Biology Graduate Student at UCF
Gain some research experience as an undergraduate student – not only for a letter of reference from your supervisor, but because you should be able to answer “Yes!” when you ask yourself “Do I want to spend the next few years doing research?” Having done it, you’ll have a better-informed answer. Alternatively, gain some on-the-job or volunteer experience after you graduate.
Earn at least a 3.0 (of a possible 4.0) grade point average in your last 60 credit hours in a degree program similar to the B.S. in Biology at UCF. If your degree was in a different discipline, then you should have core Biology courses on your transcripts (e.g., Cell Biology, Genetics, Ecology, Evolution).
Earn a score of at least 1000 (written + analytical) on the general GRE exam. The higher the score the better your chances. Written component scores are also considered but not computed as part of the criteria.
Be able to obtain three strong letters of reference that can attest to your potential to excel as a graduate student, maturity, and ability to work well with others. Two of these letters should be written by people who have directly observed your work as a student, preferably while involved in research activities.
Decide if you are interested in the Thesis track or Non-thesis track of the Biology Masters degree, or the Ph.D. in Conservation Biology:
M.S. Non-Thesis track is best for students with a B.S. or B.A. who do not wish to conduct their own research, but would prefer to simply enroll in courses (i.e., not conduct a thesis research project). Your progress will be supervised by the department’s Graduate Coordinator, but you will not work closely with any one faculty advisor, and so it is not required that you do obtain a commitment in advance from an advisor. Typical non-thesis students are employed full-time elsewhere and wish to better their position but cannot commit to the time required to conduct full-time research. A comprehensive oral exam is required to complete the degree, but you will not write and defend a thesis.
M.S. Thesis track is best for students with a B.S. who want to conduct research but have relatively little research experience. Your research will be supervised by an advisor, and therefore you must match your interests to those of a potential advisor and obtain a commitment in advance from that advisor. You will take courses, but fewer than the non-thesis track. This degree prepares students for a career in science – conducting research, critically evaluating and analyzing data collected by others, and the publication and presentation of scientific results.
Ph.D. in Conservation Biology is best for students who are committed to a research-oriented career and who have some prior research experience (e.g., active research as an undergraduate, a M.S. thesis, etc.). This is the most selective of our graduate programs, because it requires the most qualifications and because openings are most limited.
If you are interested in either the M.S. Thesis track or the Ph.D. in Conservation Biology, you MUST contact a faculty member to develop a rapport and eventually obtain a commitment from that advisor to supervise your progress. Start by checking their interests on the Biology website, reading their publications, then send a letter of introduction and a CV, and follow-up with email, phone calls, and/or a campus visit. Take the time to get to know your potential advisor – you will be working with them for several years.
When you apply, you should be able to answer these questions:
Do you wish to conduct research related to that already published by this advisor?
What skills / advantages do you bring to the advisor’s lab?
Will you get along with the advisor?
It is vital for your application that a faculty member wants you to join their lab, otherwise, you will be not considered for a M.S. thesis track or Ph.D.
On the other hand, if you are interested in the M.S. Non-Thesis track, you can apply straight away. But be sure of your decision: you must apply again later if you should decide to switch between the non-thesis and thesis M.S. tracks.
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