Information on this page:
General Strategies:
When a student is accepted into the OU Zoology graduate program, the
student is accepted directly into the laboratory of an individual faculty
member. Therefore, there are three key things to keep in mind before
applying.
First, introduce yourself to all Zoology faculty with whom you share
strong research interests, and make sure they get a chance to know you.
While meeting the admission requirements of the program is important,
it is equally important to communicate with a faculty member and to
get that person interested in having you as a student. If you find that
there is more than one faculty member that would be interested in you,
be sure to introduce yourself to all of them. Don't be afraid to contact
faculty. They want to hear from you.
Second, spend some time really getting to know the faculty. The Zoology
M.S. and Ph.D. programs both require a research thesis, and your successful
completion of the thesis, as well as your success in your career after
you leave the program, will depend on the quality and creativity of
the science that you do while you are here. Therefore, you need to make
sure that you find a faculty mentor that is a good fit for you.
You should consider several things. Do you share research interests?
Does the faculty member have space for you? Also, does your learning
style fit the degree of structure or independence offered by a particular
faculty member? To help you make these decisions, you should consult
with faculty and current graduate students, since they can offer you
insights from their own personal experiences.
Finally, and this is critical, talk to the graduate students. More
than anyone else, the students know what it is like to be in the program.
So, ask students about their experiences, and be sure to get in contact
with students working with the faculty that you are interested in as
a potential mentor. Be sure to talk to several students, since different
people can have very different opinions.
When to Apply:
Although special consideration may be given for admission once the
academic year has begun, most students are accepted during the Spring
semester for enrollment in the Fall. In addition, most financial support
is awarded at this time. Applications for Fall enrollment should be
filed with the Chair of the Graduate Selections Committee by December
15. Later applications may be considered. Applications for Spring
enrollment should be filed by October 1.
Students applying to the Zoology graduate program are strongly urged
to contact faculty members in their area
of interest before or during the application process.
What to Include in the Application:
In order to complete your application, you will need to send
some materials to the OU Graduate College and some materials directly
to the Zoology Department. The required application materials are listed
below. You are encouraged to submit portions of your application as soon
as they are ready. However, your application will not be considered complete
until all of these items have been received.
Materials to be submitted to the OU
Graduate College:
- All applicants: You must submit a complete application
for OU graduate admission, including all graduate and undergraduate
transcripts, to the
OU Graduate College.
Materials to be submitted directly to the OU Department of Zoology
Graduate Selections Committee:
- Department of Zoology application form (see below for information
on how to obtain a copy of this form).
- At least three letters of recommendation.
- Official copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
- Scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Information about the GRE can be found here.
The institution code to send GRE scores to OU is 6879, and the Department
of Zoology code is 0220.
- Optional, but strongly recommended: Score on the GRE Subject
Test in Biology. Information about the GRE subject tests can be found
here.
- Students whose native language is not English: Submit
scores for one of the following three options (a-c):
- (a) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)),
- (b) TOEFL internet-Based Test (iBT),
- (c) International English Language Testing Service (IELTS)
Academic modules.
The scores on the TOEFL and TSE, iBT, or IELTS allow us to assess
your language skills and ability to instruct in English. The University’s
English language proficiency requirements for teaching assistantships
are described here.
The institution code to send TOEFL scores to OU is 6879, and the Department
of Zoology code is 52.
How to Obain Application Materials and
Additional Information:
To obtain a Zoology Department Application form and additional
information about our graduate program you may send an electronic mail
request to zoologygrad@ou.edu, or write
to:
Chair, Graduate Selections Committee
Department of Zoology
University of Oklahoma
730 Van Vleet Oval, Room 314
Norman OK 73019
To download a copy of the departmental application, which can be mailed
to the above address, click
here (27 KB download -- requires Acrobat
Reader software).In addition, the departmental application can now be completed on-line by clicking here. Entries for the larger fields on the on-line application form can be pasted into the appropriate boxes from a standard word processing program.
Please note that your application is not considered complete
without the appropriate recommendations, transcripts, and test scores.
|
 |
Graduate Program:
|
