Why should you apply to earn a M.S. or PH.D. from Auburn University's Department of Biological Sciences?

1 Highly collaborative department with opportunities across all scales of life sciences.
2 Professional development opportunities in teaching, science communication and outreach.
3 Unique facilities and infrastructure including the Biodiversity Learning Center and Davis Arboretum.
4 Continuing competitive financial support for teaching assistantships with full tuition waivers across your entire degree.
5 Benefit from competitive financial support packages including graduate stipends, tuition waivers, and research and travel grants for thesis and dissertation research.

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in Auburn University’s (AU’s) Department of Biological Sciences (DBS)! Our department consists of ~40 outstanding faculty conducting research in a wide spectrum of areas within the biological sciences, ranging from the molecular to the community level. Given this, our faculty utilize laboratory- to field-based empirical and analytical approaches in their pursuits of addressing important and timely questions that oftentimes contribute to both basic scientific knowledge as well as real-world applications. We are in the process of introducing several exciting new programs which should result in additional opportunities for our students to interact with government and industry.

In AU DBS, we have four core areas of research emphasis: 1) Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation, 2) Evolutionary Genetics and Systematics, 3) Physiological Adaptation and Functional Genomics, and 4) Host-Microbial Interactions. Notably, many of our faculty are multidisciplinary in their research, spanning two or more of these core areas. Thus, it should not be surprising that the over 120 Ph.D. (65%) and Master’s (35%) students in our Graduate Program receive a cutting-edge interdisciplinary experience as part of their training. Furthermore, graduate students in AU DBS can expand their research skillset through other opportunities, including earning our Graduate Certificate in Computational Biology – an area of phenomenal growth in research and with high employment potential.

Along with this, AU DBS graduate students routinely win research and teaching excellence awards at the local, national and international levels. For example, we typically have several students who have successfully competed for prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowships in each cohort. We feel that this is a strong testimonial to the caliber of individual that receive their education and training at Auburn University in general and AU DBS in particular.

Many graduate students in AU DBS are supported either on teaching assistantships (GTAs) or research assistantships (GRAs). GTAs provide 4 semesters of support for Master’s students and 10 semesters of support for Ph.D. students. Tuition waivers from the Graduate School are provided to all GTAs holding at least a 25%-time assistantship as well as to the majority of students on GRAs in the form of Graduate Research Fellowships. All GTAs and GRAs are competitive and support is subject to economic conditions.

Finally, AU DBS has numerous research and educational facilities, ranging from collections housing numerous plant and animal specimens to state-of-the-art common-use laboratories for genetic/genomic analyses and microscopy. All of this is facilitated by an extensive and highly dedicated staff to support our research, education, and outreach missions. We hope you find all of the above highly attractive and look forward to you applying and joining Auburn University’s Department of Biological Sciences in the near future!

Admissions Process

The Department of Biological Sciences welcomes applications from prospective students with a bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree in biology or a related field and a strong interest in our core research areas.

Application Instructions:
Students should apply online at the Auburn University Graduate School web page (graduate.auburn.edu). Under the category Admissions Information, applicants should select Biological Sciences as their Planned Course of Study.

The following information is required for a complete application:

Undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts.
GPA of at least a 3.0 or higher.
Grade C or higher in 3 out of 4 required undergraduate courses: Genetics, Calculus (or higher-level math course), Organic Chemistry and Physics.
3 positive letters or recommendation.
Letter of intent including possible faculty sponsors (MST & PhD programs only).
TOEFL or IELTS scores (international students only).

Admission Deadlines:

February 1st for fall semester admission with guaranteed GTA support.
All applications must be submitted at least 45 days before the start of the semester for domestic applicants and 90 days before for international applicants.

Note: In cases of financial hardship, applicants may apply for an application fee waiver.
Detailed Application Instructions

Student Highlights

“The department has great infrastructure to deal with my requirements for GTA and degree they help take care of the day-today admin so I can focus on my research”

“I really enjoy the collaborative nature of the program. The faculty are ready to help whenever asked”

“The department has really diverse expertise and therefore I can learn about so many areas and find out if this is the best fit for my future!”

Biological Sciences Students

Why Auburn?

INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

Biological sciences is a vast, interconnected field. Our graduate programs span the breadth of biological inquiry. You will train in a collaborative environment amidst student and faculty colleagues with novel conceptual viewpoints and diverse technical approaches that range from ecosystems to individual molecules.

STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES AND RESOURCES

State of the art bioinformatic and computational resources, a Biodiversity Learning Center with exceptional museum and specimen collections, instrumentation and infrastructure resources diverse areas as behaviors in natural controlled environment down to single molecule biophysics.

INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY

Have fun. Graduate training is not just taking classes and doing experiments. You will join an enthusiastic, close-knit community for weekly research seminars, journal clubs, regular social events, and off-site retreats to become a well-rounded scientist.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A graduate degree in biology will provide a great foundation, as well as flexibility, to work in many fields including research, teaching in higher education, science communications, laboratory work, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, consulting, policy, medicine and much more.

HIGHLY FLEXIBLE CIRRICULUM

Each student has unique interests, and adapts their curriculum to meet their needs

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Each year, we offer benefits in the form of research assistantships or teaching assistantships with tuition credits and a competitive stipend. Students are also eligible to apply to receive funds for travel to conferences and meetings.

TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES

Serving as teaching assistants provides students invaluable training in instructional methodologies. In the lab students gain leadership experience as training mentors for our talented undergraduate student researchers.

Areas of Research

Our department’s diverse interests help students develop skills across a wide breadth of disciplines, ranging from the molecular to the community level, and utilizing laboratory- to field-based empirical and analytical approaches. Many of our faculty have multidisciplinary research programs, spanning two or more of the following core research areas:

Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation (BEEC)

Evolutionary Genetics and Systematics(EGS)

Physiological Adaptations and Functional Genomics (PAFG)

Host-Microbial Interactions (HMI)

Biological Education - Discipline-Based Education Research (DBER)

Life in Auburn

Why Live in Auburn?

This vibrant college-town is a unique place. You will enjoy a smaller community filled with nature areas, restaurants, shopping and more. Additionally, the city of Opelika is just a few minutes away, and Atlanta, Birmingham and the entire Gulf Coast are within a short drive.

Residents have access to one of the largest areas of biodiversity in the entire Southeastern United States. You can relax in Auburn’s Arboretum, ride 15 miles of bike trails in Chewacla State Park, meet friends at local coffee shops, enjoy dinner outside for most of the year, and see an array of amazing flora including the exclusive Auburn Azaleas.

COSAM is committed to cultivating culturally competent professionals. COSAM’s Office of Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity provides resources to enhance awareness and appreciation of cultural and individual diversity, promote community, and prepare students to have a global impact in STEM.

AUBURN UNIVERSITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION/EMPLOYER.