Graduate admissions and general information

See also:

• Admissions & Info
• How to Apply
• Student Life
• Graduate students website
• Graduate students contact list
• M.S. degree
• Ph.D. degree
• Graduate courses
• Travel grants

The University of Arizona Department of Entomology seeks independent, creative students for Master's and Doctoral graduate programs. Competition for admission to our medium-sized program is keen. Our students are integral members of the department, key personnel in laboratories, and serve on several key committees within the department. Our graduation rate is close to 100% and nearly all of our graduates find positions. Of those graduating in the last 10 years, 91% of our master's level graduates are now in doctoral programs or professional positions in biology, and all of our doctoral graduates are in postdoctoral positions, permanent research or academic positions, or other science-related professional positions.

The University of Arizona is an exceptional place to study insects. The Department of Entomology offers programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Our more than 25 faculty (including regular, joint, and adjunct faculty) have interests in insect ecology (including ecology and evolution of insect-plant interactions, chemical ecology, insect migration, ecology and evolution of parasitoids, predators, and entomopathogenic nematodes), IPM (including management of resistance to Bt crops, urban IPM, agricultural IPM, biological control), insect physiology (including physiological basis of polyphenisms, insect immunity, hormonal control of reproduction), insect behavior (including parental care, aquatic insects), and systematics.

In addition to the Department of Entomology, the U of A is also home to the Center for Insect Science, a multidisciplinary umbrella organization that fosters collaborative research, and education about insects. The Center currently has over 130 faculty participants from over 15 departments. The Center also provides the infrastructure for training programs. Currently, these include the NIH-funded postdoctoral PERT program, and the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Insect Science (GIDP-IS). The Center hosts regular events to bring the community together. For example, several times a year, the Center hosts sessions of talks and a catered dinner called a "Hexapodium."

All of this is centered in Tucson, a lively, culturally diverse city of 800,000 people, 50 miles from the Mexican border, set in the unique ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert, with boundless opportunities for mountain climbing, birding, biking, as well as collecting and studying insects!

What type of students are we looking for?

Not surprisingly, we are looking for excellent students. We favor students who are focused, enthusiastic, and inspired. We read applications not only for the quantitative indicators of academic promise such as grades and GRE scores, but for the experiences of the applicant, the quality of the letter of application, and the strength of the letters of reference. We ask: Does the applicant know why she wants to go to graduate school, and why the University of Arizona seems a good fit? Has the applicant identified an area or areas of interest and faculty members who might serve as potential advisors? Research experience is a plus, although we also take applicants without this experience. Letters of reference that indicate dedication, resilience, and independent, critical thinking are helpful. Applicants from all biological backgrounds are encouraged to apply; we do not require any previous Entomology courses or entomological experience.

How does the application process work?

Graduate admissions now occurs partly on-line (see How to apply). The application deadline for admission for the fall semester of any year is December 1. Since GRE scores, letters of reference, and official transcripts are all a required part of this package, it is important to start your applications early. Do your homework – examine our faculty web pages and identify potential advisors whose interests match yours. Correspond with some faculty before applying to determine which faculty members would consider a new student, and what projects might be available in their laboratory. Identifying more than one faculty member who interests you as an advisor may also be useful, since we often admit students without a final advisor assignment, and are interested in students having more than one possible laboratory in which they are a good fit.

The decision to interview and accept a student is made entirely by the department. The faculty review the applications, based on qualifications and fit with faculty interests. We invite the top candidates for an expenses-paid interview, usually in mid-February. The interview process consists of all the prospective students arriving at the same time for two days of interviews, lunches and dinners with graduate students, faculty, and other members of the department. Our own graduate students pick up the prospective students at the airport, and host them in their homes. After the interviews, the department decides who will be offered admission.