Wildlife Sciences — MS, PhD
Degree Programs:
Wildlife Sciences graduate programs are available for both MS and PhD degrees. Admission requirements parallel those for Forestry graduate programs. In addition to meeting Graduate School admission requirements, applicants are evaluated and recommended for admission by the graduate faculty of the College of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences based on examination of scores on the TOEFL tests for international students, previous academic records, experience, and recommendations. While exceptions may be made, the faculty generally expect a minimum GPA of 3.0 in previous academic course work.
Degrees offered:
Master of Science (MS) which requires a minimum of 30 hours beyond the bachelor's degree at the graduate level, 21 hours of which must be in the major. A minimum of 4 but not more than 6 hours in Research and Thesis (WILD 7990 ) is required. All MS students are required to take Research Methods (FORY 7510) and Graduate Seminar (FOWS 7950). A research proposal and thesis based on original research are required components for the MS degree.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree requires 60 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree. There must be a minimum of 30 semester hours in graded coursework at the 7000-level or above. Of the remaining 30 semester hours, 10 hours must be Research and Dissertation (WILD 8990 ) and 20 hours of 6000-level or above. While some of these 60 hours can be from previous graduate work, such as a MS degree, the majority of hours of graded coursework at the 6000-level or above must be completed at Auburn. All PhD students are required to take Research Methods (FORY 7510 ) and Graduate Seminar (FOWS 7950). A research proposal and dissertation based on original research are required as major components of the PhD degree program. Oral and written preliminary exams are required for advancement to candidacy and must be completed no less than two academic terms prior to graduation. The written and oral preliminary examinations for PhD students will normally consist of questions from each committee member regarding technical competency and other related issues.