Graduate Degrees
With nearly 70 students and more than 25 graduate faculty members, we offer one of the largest and most robust graduate entomology programs in the country. With a strong student: faculty ratio, our graduate students receive dedicated, hands-on support from their faculty advisors.
Thanks to the variety of the student body, students have the ability to collaborate and learn from others with different cultural backgrounds and various knowledge bases. On average, 60% of our full-time graduate students are funded through departmental assistantships and scholarships, University fellowships and scholarships and research grants.
Master’s Degree
This degree provides professional training in arthropod ecology, biological control, integrated pest management and toxicology that is essential in the scientific entomology community.
Doctoral Degree
This program provides extensive, research-based training to support careers in academia and the public and private sector. Students can tailor the program to explore their interests in a variety of different areas.
Graduate Funding Opportunities
To help make higher education more accessible, we provide a number of funding opportunities for our graduate students, in our department, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and through the University. Check with the department graduate office andOffice of Graduate Studiesfor details. Students holding fellowships should check the current graduate catalog to determine registration requirements.
Receive Research and Professional Development Training
Each year, our departments hosts Graduate Student Forum to provide dissemination and professional development opportunities for our graduate students amongst colleagues and the academic community. Participants present and answer questions about their research. The best part? Our top three presentations are given a certificate and cash prize!
Connect with the Entomology Graduate Student Organization
The Entomology Graduate Student Organization promotes and supports the academic and social activities of all of our graduate students. All graduate students are encouraged to participate in the many professional, service, and social events held throughout the year.
Graduate Student Resources
Through exceptional service and commitment to the highest standards, the Graduate and Professional School advocates for graduate education at Texas A&M and throughout Texas. This office supports our students and the graduate degrees offered through our department.
Application Deadlines
- Applications will not be considered if application materials (i.e., transcripts, three letters of recommendation, statement of purpose) are incomplete after the deadline.
- GRE scores are not required for admission into Entomology.
International
| Summer/Fall Deadline | Spring Deadline |
|---|---|
| February 15 | September 15 |
Domestic
| Summer Deadline | Fall Deadline | Spring Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| March 1 | June 1 | November 1 |
For Future Fellowship Candidates
For the best chance at the competitive university and college-wide fellowships, we strongly encourage early application and suggest that students have a completed graduate application on file with the department no later than December 1 for consideration for the summer/fall semester and to allow adequate time for processing of the application file
| Deadline |
|---|
| December 1* |
Application Information
We encourage you to reach out to us, even if you haven’t gathered all your application materials yet. Early communication can be incredibly helpful in ensuring a smooth process. You can rely on our team to guide you through the process and alert the Graduate Program Advisory Committee of applications in progress. For questions, please contact the graduate advisors listed below for any inquiries or assistance you may need. Your success in this process is of utmost importance to us.
Before You Apply
Step 1: Admissions Requirements
- English Proficiency Verification can be attained using the following : TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of at least 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (internet-based test), IELTS score of at least 6.0, or a GRE Verbal Reasoning score of at least 146 (400 on the old scale). (Required only for international students; see “Required Documents” on the international graduate how to apply page for details.) For additional information about this, please visit the Graduate and Professional School website athttps://grad.tamu.edu/academics/academic-success-resources/elp.
- Admission decisions may also be influenced by consideration of research experiences (for M.S. and Ph.D. applicants) or professional training (for non-thesis applicants) and achievements beyond undergraduate study that demonstrate potential for success in a graduate program
Step 2: Find a Faculty Advisor
- Find an ENTO faculty member who is willing to serve as your major professor (i.e., faculty advisor or “chair”). You can find a list of thefaculty members.** Note that not all faculty members are located in College Station**
- Check several professors’ research interests and read a couple of their papers.
- Then contact them with your information—research/professional interests, educational and work or research experience, goals CV, plus your GPA, and unofficial transcripts, if you have these already.
NOTE: Space and resources for new graduate students are limited. It is vitally important that prospective students contact faculty early to establish communication, determine availability of funding, space, and willingness to advise and mentor you through the degree program. Not every faculty member is able to serve as the chair of a graduate committee, nor will every faculty member have the space or funding available for new students. Please reach out to faculty with whom you are interested in working to establish that line of communication and inquiry. Funding availability varies between faculty members and may change in any given year, so please contact faculty directly for inquiries about the availability of funding for your program of interest. Applicants will not be admitted to either degree program until there is formal commitment by a faculty member(s) to serve as your major advisor/co-advisor. Check out our faculty members, their bios and research interest, and their contact information at https://entomology.tamu.edu/types/on-campus-faculty/ and https://entomology.tamu.edu/types/off-campus-faculty/.
Step 3: Financial Support
- Check out the ENTOScholarships and Financial Aidpage for more information on graduate student funding.
- Discuss funding options with the advisor.
- To learn more about the cost of study at Texas A&M, explore theStudent Business Serviceswebsite.
Application
For your graduate application file to be given the utmost consideration, you will need to submit the following items to the Office of Admissions for consideration:
Step 1: Fill out the Texas A&M University Application
- Apply for admission using theTexas A&M University Graduate CASCentralized Application Service (CAStm).
- Applicants are limited to one application per entry term. For information regarding specific programs and scholarships, visitTexas A&M Graduate and Professional Studies.
- U.S. applicants: For details on these steps, see theOffice of Admissions application process.
- International applicants: For details on these steps, see theOffice of Admissions international application process.
- For more information on Graduate Studies at Texas A&M,visit the Graduate Studies website.
Step 2: Statement of Purpose and Curriculum Vitae
- Applicants are required to submit aStatement of Purposeand a Curriculum Vitae (CV) through GradCAS.
Step 3: Letters of Recommendation
- Three (3) letters of recommendation with recommendation form (ideally, two of the three recommendation letters should come from faculty members related to your area of interest). Applicants should utilize the online application submission system maintained by the Office of Admissions for submission of these letters.(It is highly recommended that applicants ask each of their recommenders to upload a formal .pdf letter of recommendation into this system. The brevity of short comments into this form are typically not helpful in the application process).
Step 4: Official Transcripts
- Official transcripts are required from each senior-level, post-secondary institution attended. Electronic versions of your transcript sent from your previous institution(s) are preferred.**If transcripts are in a language other than English, a certified English translation will need to accompany it.**
- If the transcripts or mark-sheets are from a university outside the United States, they are to be signed by the registrar, controller of examinations, or president of the university issuing the document. Official records are to be in the language of instruction, accompanied by official translations in English, if necessary. Translations sent directly from the institution attended or from a recognized translator are considered official.
- Non-refundable application processing fee (can be paid online with application)
After you Apply:
Your application will be reviewed by the Department of Entomology Graduate Admissions Committee. Once your application has been deemed admissible, you should finalize arrangements with a faculty member to serve as your Chair. Werequireapplicants to have a faculty member committed to serving as your Chair and principal investigator before you are offered admission to our graduate program. Not every faculty member is able to serve as the chair of a graduate committee, nor will every faculty member have the space or funding available for new students. Please reach out to faculty with whom you are interested in working to establish that line of communication and inquiry. Funding availability varies between faculty members and may change in any given year, so please contact faculty directly for inquiries about the availability of funding for your program of interest.
Admission Decisions
- You will learn whether you have been admitted via letters to you from the Texas A&M University Office of Admissions and the Department of Entomology.
Writing an Effective Statement of Purpose
The statement of purpose is a critical component of your graduate school application used to evaluate your potential to succeed in graduate school. Generally, it should include the following three components.
Components
Describe your interests and motivations
- Be brief! This section gives you an opportunity to articulate the reasons why this program fits your interests and goals.
Summarize previous academic milestones
- Describe any relevant research-related activities or other projects you have worked on that demonstrates your skills and preparedness for graduate school. Please include any details, such as project title, program, leaders, partners, etc. to help the readers evaluate the impact of your participation and specify your role in those activities.
- If you have produced any scholarly products in the course of your academic work, such as journal articles, research reports, or theses, these should be highlighted as evidence of scholarly work.
- Describe any relevant work experience, especially if similar to what you wish to study in graduate school. You can also indicate how your previous experiences helped you focus your graduate studies.
Elaborate on your academic interests
- In as specific of terms as possible, describe what you would like to study in graduate school. This conveys your understanding of current research themes in your discipline. This can be done in many ways to showcase your knowledge of critical problems or significant questions that are relevant to entomology.
- If you have already identified a professor to serve as your primary advisor (or co-advisors), please mention them explicitly. Any information about particular projects that you will be part of in the course of your studies and associated faculty mentors will inform the readers of your intended scope of work.
For Your Consideration
- Professors are the people who read these statements. Your writing style should be for a professional audience that is well-versed in the technical terminology appropriate to faculty across all programs in the Entomology Department. Demonstrate, through direct evidence, your potential for success as a graduate student.
- The Entomology Department encourages applications from individuals who identify with historically under-represented groups in academia; students who have experienced, and worked to overcome, educational or economic disadvantage and/or have personal or family circumstances that may complicate their continued progress in research careers; and first-generation college students. If there is something important that happened to you that affected you academically, state it. Write it affirmatively, showing your perseverance despite obstacles.
- Organize your statement well, but be precise, ideally within 1-2 single-spaced pages. End your statement in a positive manner, indicating your excitement and readiness for the challenges ahead of you.
Additional Program Information
A plethora of additional information including information about fellowships, grants, our teaching assistantship program, and more can be found athttps://entomology.tamu.edu/current-students/current-graduate-students/.
Students typically must seek out and obtain funding through their prospective faculty advisor and committee chair. However, you can explore other funding opportunities through the Graduate and Professional School athttps://grad.tamu.edu/funding-your-educationandhttps://grad.tamu.edu/funding-your-education/financial-aid,-scholarships-and-grants.
You can find the average cost of attendance, which includes tuition and basic living expenses, athttps://financialaid.tamu.edu/Graduate/COA.
The courses that comprise your PhD degree plan are selected in consultation with your graduate committee, which will be made up of your faculty advisor and at least three other graduate faculty members. You can find a breakdown of the degree plan checklist athttp://entomology.tamu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Graduate-Studies-Degree-Plan-Checklist_2020.pdf, which outlines some of the basic requirements that will guide your course selection with your committee.
Contact Us
General Inquiries
-
Craig Coates
Instructional Professor
Associate Department Head for Academic Programs
Associate Dean for Programmatic Success