Graduate program requirements

General Admissions Requirements

Applications to the Department of Biology will be evaluated by the Admissions Subcommittee of the Graduate Studies Commitee (the departmental committee with oversight of the graduate programs). Applicants should apply for admission to the Graduate Program in Biology through application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Howard University. Students are expected to have an undergraduate background in the biological sciences or a related field. Training appropriate for admission to the Graduate Program is a minimum of two years of college level biology, including a course in genetics; two years of chemistry, including Organic Chemistry; one year of mathematics, through precalculus; and one year of physics. Students deemed qualified but not having appropriate training may be admitted provisionally. Applicants are required to submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), although there is no minimum criterion for admission. Weaknesses or deficiencies, identified through testing during the first semester in residence, may be remedied through appropriate course work planned in consultation with a temporary adviser and the Graduate Studies Committee. The performance of each student will be evaluated annually. Note that the criteria for admission are identical for both the Ph.D. and Master's students.

Decisions on applications will be based on the following considerations:

1. The applicant's official transcripts.

2. Letters of recommendation, preferably from members of the academic community familiar with the applicant's academic performance.

3. Availability of graduate positions and support in the department.

4. Admission to the Ph.D. Program requires prior agreement of a Graduate Faculty member to act as the student’s advisor in the Department. Therefore, applicants are strongly advised to contact directly those faculty members with whom they are interested in working. Contact information and research interests of the Graduate Faculty are available at the departmental website

	General Admissions Requirements Applications to the Department of Biology will be evaluated by the Admissions Subcommittee of the Graduate Studies Commitee (the departmental committee with oversight of the graduate programs). Applicants should apply for admission to the Graduate Program in Biology through application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Howard University. Students are expected to have an undergraduate background in the biological sciences or a related field. Training appropriate for admission to the Graduate Program is a minimum of two years of college level biology, including a course in genetics; two years of chemistry, including Organic Chemistry; one year of mathematics, through precalculus; and one year of physics. Students deemed qualified but not having appropriate training may be admitted provisionally. Applicants are required to submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), although there is no minimum criterion for admission. Weaknesses or deficiencies, identified through testing during the first semester in residence, may be remedied through appropriate course work planned in consultation with a temporary adviser and the Graduate Studies Committee. The performance of each student will be evaluated annually. Note that the criteria for admission are identical for both the Ph.D. and Master's students. Decisions on applications will be based on the following considerations: 1. The applicant's official transcripts. 2. Letters of recommendation, preferably from members of the academic community familiar with the applicant's academic performance. 3. Availability of graduate positions and support in the department. 4. Admission to the Ph.D. Program requires prior agreement of a Graduate Faculty member to act as the student’s advisor in the Department. Therefore, applicants are strongly advised to contact directly those faculty members with whom they are interested in working. Contact information and research interests of the Graduate Faculty are available at the departmental website
Back to Graduate Program