Admissions
Admission Requirements|
Application Procedure|
Financial Support
Admission Requirements
For admission to the Curriculum in Ecology, an undergraduate degree is required in:
- a natural science (eg., physics, chemistry, biology, botany, zoology, geology),
- a social science (eg., anthropology, sociology, or economics),
- a mathematical area (eg., statistics, mathematics, or systems analysis),
- an engineering area,
- or environmental science.
Students are advised to develop a broad undergraduate science major with as many as possible of the following courses: calculus; computer science; general physics; analytical, organic, and physical chemistry; general botany and zoology; geology; anthropology; sociology; organismal biology; general ecology; physiology; and statistics.
Please note that the minimum qualification for admission to the Curriculum includes a B average for undergraduate courses. GRE's must have been taken within the last 5 years. An advanced subject test is not required. Recent admitted applicants have scored well above the 75 percentile for each of the general tests. TOEFL scores must total a minimum of 550.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to identify and communicate with a potential faculty sponsor and to visit the Curriculum for an interview.
Application Procedure
Students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in Ecology must apply to and be accepted by both the University of North Carolina Graduate School and by the Curriculum in Ecology. New Ecology students are generally admitted for the Fall term only.
The fall application deadline for the Graduate School is January 1. Although the Graduate School will accept applications past this date, this is a definite deadline for all applicants who wish to be considered for Graduate School fellowships and awards. For information on applying, visit http://gradschool.unc.edu/students_prospective.html.
The deadline for your completed application in order for you to be considered for Fall admission is March 1. However, you must submit all Curriculum and Graduate School admission materials by January 1 if you wish to be considered for campus fellowships and other forms of graduate appointments. Late applications will cause you to miss out on some opportunities.
Financial Support
The Curriculum attempts to provide financial support for all of its graduate students. The forms of support are as varied as the students. Please feel encouraged to contact the Curriculm office for more detailed and specific information that might apply to your case.
A. Payroll and Benefits Information
For first-year students with out-of-state residency, we recommend to the Graduate School that tuition be remitted to the in-state rate while they are employed as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants. In-state tuition awards are available to Teaching and Research Assistants meeting the Graduate School criteria.
Student health insurance is provided each semester with qualifying salary and course registration.
Teaching assistants are paid 18 biweekly payments for the academic year, usually beginning the first of September and continuing through the end of April. Research assistants are paid either biweekly or monthly for the academic year.
B. Teaching Assistantships
Teaching Assistants assist with the courses, recitations, laboratories and undergraduate advising related to the undergraduate environmental majors and minors (ENST) or in other constituent departments such as Biology and Geography. Ecology TAs are expected to work 15-18 hours per week.
C. Research Assistantships
Research Assistantships may be available through a research grant held by a faculty member. It is expected that RAs will work 15-18 hours per week.
D. Graduate School Fellowships
Annually, the Graduate School conducts competitions for fellowships for new and continuing students. The Curriculum will select candidates from among the applicant pool to recommend to the graduate school for fellowships. Continuing students will be invited to be considered for nomination by the Curriculoum for appropriate fellowship opportunities.
The Chair and Administrative Manager routinely notify students as other sources of graduate funding come to their attention.