Applying to the Graduate Program
Application Deadlines: Thesis Program – February 1; Non-thesis Program – 15 November
and February 1.
We offer two programs (see detailed requirements for the thesis and non-thesis programs).
In general, the thesis program is for students who wish to continue to a Ph.D. or
work in research. The non-thesis program provides a more general training for teachers,
students hoping to attend professional school, or other professionals who need an
advanced degree, but not specialized research skills. Even so, non-thesis students
are required to complete a research project with a Graduate Faculty member. Students
beginning in one program may switch to the other program, but because of the differences
in the program requirements, we recommend that any switch be done as early as possible.
Because the requirements for the non-thesis degree are mostly courses, a full-time
student could finish in about three semesters. Thesis students usually require 2-3
years. Non-thesis students should know that the Graduate Faculty will not write letters
of recommendation to Ph.D. programs for non-thesis students. If you intend to get
a Ph.D., you need to write a thesis.
Potential students should correspond directly with the Graduate Coordinator or other Graduate Faculty regarding the possibilities for graduate study. Such correspondence can often identify
special opportunities for thesis research, financial support, or unique courses. A
personal visit to the campus is highly recommended.
Admissions Deadlines- Thesis Program
Students wishing to enroll in the thesis program must first apply to the Department
of Biological Sciences. Acceptance by the the Office of Research and Graduate Studies
is not the same as acceptance into the program in Biological Sciences.Only the Department
can permit a student to enter the degree program in Biology. The application deadline date for regular admission to the Department is February
1, for students to begin in the Fall. Normally, the Department does not consider applications for the Spring term. However,
admission for the Spring term may be possible under certain conditions. It is highly advisable to contact a faculty member in the applicant’s field of interest before applying and to name this faculty member in the application letter. Contact the Graduate Coordinatorfor more details.
Admissions Deadlines- Non-Thesis Program
Students wishing to enroll in the non-thesis program must first apply to the Department
of Biological Sciences. Acceptance by the the Office of Research and Graduate Studies
is not the same as acceptance into the program in Biological Sciences.Only the Department
can permit a student to enter the degree program in Biology. The application deadline
date for regular admission to the Department is February 1, for students to begin
in the Fall, orNovember 15for students to beginin the spring.
Regular Admission Requirements (either program)
1) Graduation with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
2) A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 scale) for all undergraduate work
attempted.
3) At least 30 semester hours of undergraduate biology courses.
4) The graduate record examination (GRE) consists of two seperate tests: the general
test and the subject test. We do not require the subject test. The general test is
composed of three parts — verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing. The verbal
and quantitative tests are each scored separately between 200-800 points. We require
a sum of 1000 for these two tests. The analytical writing test scores are reported
in 1/2-point incremets between 0-6. For more information consult the Graduate Record
Exam web page at www.gre.org.
Application Materials Required (either program)
1) Transcripts of all college work and Graduate Record Examination scores (TOEFL score
if native language is not English). An unofficial copy is suitable for the department.
2) A copy of your GRE test report.
3) A brief resume or curriculum vitae.
4) A letter of intent, describing why you want to attend Southeastern.
5) Two letters of recommendation.
Send this to directly to the Graduate Coordinator (Dr. Janice Bossart, Department
of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA 70402-0736).
Immediately following acceptance, applicants must also send an official university application form, official copies of all transcripts, official GRE scores, and a check for $20 to
the University Admissions Office. The University must approve all applications before
a student can be enrolled in the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.
Conditional Status
Students who do not meet the requirements for regular admission may be granted Conditional
admission upon approval of the Graduate Faculty and the Office of Research and Graduate
Studies. Conditional students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average during
each term of enrollment or be terminated from the program. Other requirements may
also be necessary, such as a GRE score over 1000 (Quantitative and Verbal) or correction
of course deficiencies. Conditional students may apply for regular admission at the
end of each semester of enrollment. Not more than 12 semester hours earned during
Conditional status (and/or Non-Degree status) may be used in meeting degree requirements.
Up to 12 credits can be applied to the degree for a Conditional student that moves
into Regular status. All courses will appear on the graduate transcript and in the
GPA calculation, but it is up to the Graduate Coordinator which courses will apply
to the Degree Plan (see Major steps and target dates).
Non-Degree Status
Students may take graduate courses without meeting regular admissions requirements
by applying tothe Office of Researchand Graduate Studiesfor non-degree status. This
status is available only to students who do not intend to get a degree from Southeastern.
Admitted students who have obvious deficiencies in basic biology subject areas may
be required to take specific undergraduate courses without credit in order to correct
those deficiencies. These deficiencies will be identified by inspection of the student’s
undergraduate transcripts. The student should meet either with the Graduate Coordinator
or his/her major professor before registering for classes during their first semester
of enrollment. Courses taken to correct deficiencies may not be audited, but may be
taken on a pass-fail basis.
