Follow this link to our Graduate Program Guidelines.
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Graduate Program Guidelines
Thank you for your inquiry about graduate work in the Department of Cellular Biology.
Your admissions application is reviewed jointly by Graduate Admissions
and the academic department to which you have applied. Part of your materials
should be sent to Graduate Admissions and part to the academic department:
TO THE GRADUATE ADMISSIONS
application form $50.00 application-processing fee, non-refundable
domestic
applicants: one official transcript/academic record from each institution where
a degree was conferred
International applicants: one official academic record
from each institution attended
official test scores submitted from the testing
agency directly to us
Georgia residency application (if appropriate)
additional materials required of international applicants
The Graduate School
320 E. Clayton Street, Suite 400
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-4401
Office of Graduate Admissions
320 E. Clayton Street, Suite 400
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-4401
ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
one official transcript/academic record from each institution attended,
three letters
of recommendation, statement of purpose, and
supplemental materials required by the department, which
includes Background and Interest Form and the
Departmental Assistantship Form.
Supplemental Information for Prospective International Students
Graduate School - English Language Proficiency Requirement
The University of Georgia will accept satisfactory scores on either the TOEFL or IELTS language proficiency examinations for admission to graduate programs. Test scores must be submitted directly from the testing agency.
Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores that are not more than two years old. Applicants who have received degrees from accredited institutions in the U.S. or from institutions in countries where English is the primary language (e.g., the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand) usually are not required to submit the TOEFL (or IELTS) scores. If such an applicant received the degree more than two years prior to application to the Graduate School and has been residing/working in a country where the primary language is not English, he or she must submit current scores. Students who are currently enrolled and have been enrolled at least one year at a regionally accredited U.S. institution, may have the English language proficiency requirement waived, if their work shows a strong quality of performance. Some departments may require the TOEFL (or IELTS) regardless of previous educational experience.
Center for Teaching and learning - English Language Proficiency Requirement
GRSC/ELANGraduate students who have no prior successful teaching experience at the college level must enroll in GRSC 7770 or participate in equivalent departmental training before being assigned teaching responsibilities. International students who have not achieved a 26 on TOEFL/TAST should enroll in ELAN 7768 or ELAN 7769.The Center for Teaching & Learning coordinates GRSC 7770. Departments should conduct sections of GRSC 7770 to meet discipline specific needs. GRSC assistantships are available for award-winning TAs to help develop departmental sections. Click here for information about assistantships. Click here for an assistantship application. Sample syllabi may be obtained by contacting Dr. Kathleen Smith.
Internet-basedTOEFL
International students whose native language is not English are required to take and score at least 26 on the speaking section, TAST, of the internet-based TOEFL before being considered for a teaching assignment. Language consultation and recommendations for language development are available from the Department of Language and Literacy Education. For further information about TOEFL administration on campus, contact Patricia Zettek, 542- 3183.
We can accept only a limited number of graduate students for the coming academic year in Cellular Biology. To reach the best decisions possible in evaluating applicants, we need as much information about you as possible. I urge you to ask your referees to write fully and explicitly, addressing themselves to your potentials and interests. I would also suggest that you correspond with, or see personally, individuals on our faculty who have interests most closely aligned with yours and who might be potential advisors or major professors.
If you wish to apply for departmental financial aid, please complete the Application for Assistantship form and return it to the Department of Cellular Biology. The same forms are used to apply for departmental teaching assistantships. Additional letters of recommendation are not required, but your application for admission must be completed, and you must be admitted to the graduate school by 15 February in order to be considered for financial assistance. Awards for assistantships are announced in March for the upcoming academic year. Please be sure your transcripts, recommendations, test scores, and other materials are submitted promptly.
Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Marcus Fechheimer
Meigs Professor and Graduate Coordinator of Cellular Biology
Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Adjunct Professor of Microbiology
Department of Cellular Biology
University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30602-2607
USA
Marian Thomas
University of Georgia
Department of Cellular Biology
724 Biological Sciences Building
Athens, GA 30602
DEPARTMENTAL ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
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The Cellular Biology Graduate Admissions Committee determines admission to the Cellular Biology Graduate Program. It is expected that prospective students will have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a combined verbal and quantitative GRE scores above 1100. While only the verbal and quantitative tests are requires, students are encouraged to take an advanced subject test. Applicants who’s native language is not English are expected to have taken the TOEFL, TWE and TSE. A minimum TOEFL score of 550 is required of foreign students. Your application is reviewed as a whole document. If you scored lower than the mentioned scores above does not mean you are automatically declined.
However, all students must undertake laboratory rotations after matriculation and there is no assurance that students will be accepted into a given laboratory. While most students will enter as a regular degree candidate (either M.S. or Ph.D.), there are several other classifications by which a prospective student may enroll as a non-degree graduate student; these include; non-degree, graduate transient, or provisional. These are described in the Graduate Student Bulletin.
DEFICIENCIES
All candidates for an advanced degree are expected to have completed course work in organic chemistry, calculus, and physics. Students may be admitted with one or more deficiencies in these areas but must remove any deficiencies within their first year of enrollment. The requirement for the organic chemistry series may be met by completing CHEM 240, 241. The requirement for the physics series may be met by completing PHYS 127, 128. The requirement for the calculus series may be met by completing MATH 253.
DEPARTMENTAL ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for admission to graduate study in cellular biology include a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, 30 semester hours of biology, organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics, including calculus. Students in other areas are encouraged
to apply, with the understanding that any deficiencies will be eliminated in the first year of residence. Incoming students are required to take CBIO 6130 (Intro to Research in Cellular Biology, Fall semester), CBIO 8010 – Molecular Cell Biology. Students also participate in laboratory rotations CBIO 8920L (Rotations) to introduce them to research opportunities. GRSC 7770 (Graduate Internship) or ELAN 7768. International Graduate Internship I. is also required for graduate students who will be teaching classes. International Students are required to take ELAN 7768 - International Graduate Internship.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
The M.S. degree requires successful completion of an approved program of study containing a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit, exclusive of thesis, with at least 16 hours of courses open only to graduate students (courses numbered 7000 or above), and a thesis which shows independent judgment in developing a problem from primary sources.
Prospective master's candidates must successfully complete written comprehensive examinations. The candidate is guided by an advisory committee including the major professor. M.S. candidates must pass a final oral examination covering course work and thesis. Degree requirements are normally within two to three years.
The Ph.D. degree requires 30 consecutive hours of graduate course work. Programs are tailored to the needs of each student. The student must also pass comprehensive written and oral examinations. Completion of the requirements for the Ph.D. involves a dissertation on original research and final oral examination. Doctoral degrees are usually completed within four to five years.
COST OF STUDY
The Department of Cellular Biology makes every effort to provide financial support for graduate students enrolled full-time by making use of three types of competitive assistantships that reduce tuition to $25.00 per semester plus fees. Resident Hall Fees range from $1,779.00 - $2,848.00. The estimated cost of education for a Georgia resident is $14,812 per academic year. This estimate includes two semesters of tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and personal expenses. An additional out-of-state fee assessed all non-Georgia residents increases this estimate to $27,888.
The University reserves the right to change its fees, charges, rules, and regulations at the beginning of any term and
without previous notice. This right will be exercised cautiously.
ASSISTANTSHIPS
Graduate Laboratory Assistantships
These are awarded by the Department to help our laboratory courses. Awards carry a stipend for a
10-month appointment of 4/9-time (17 hrs./week) teaching service.
Fill out the Application for Departmental Assistantship to indicate interest.
Research Assistantships
These are supported by grant funds of individual faculty members and usually require 1/3-time service
or as much as 4/9-time service for 10 or 12 months on a designated research project. Contact individual
faculty directly about the availability of such funds.
Graduate School Research Assistantships
These are awarded for 10-12 months in a campus-wide competition from Departmental nominees. The
Cellular Biology Department nominates its most qualified applicants and continuing students. These
prestigious assistantships allow students to devote all their time to their graduate studies.
Graduate School Travel Awards
FINANCIAL AID
Support of the graduate study is available from research assistantships, training grants, and
University-supported fellowships and teaching assistantships, which also provide for remission
of out-of-state fees. Stipends range from $19,250 - $21,000 for the 2007-08 academic year.
The University of Georgia Research Foundation and the Graduate School announce the
Presidential Graduate Fellows Program recruiting exceptionally qualified students to our graduate programs.
The awards will be for multiple years of support with an annual stipend of $24,000 and all tuition.