Master of Science in Ecology

The program is intended to provide students with broad exposure to concepts and research approaches within ecology and evolution (primarily through seminars and formal course work), as well as in-depth study in one or more subdisciplines (normally guided by the student's Special Committee). The specific course of study is tailored to the needs of the individual student. Excellent laboratory and nearby field facilities are available, as are numerous collections and libraries. All students are required to obtain teaching experience by serving as teaching assistants for at least two semesters. The Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology provides its students with rich opportunities to study organic diversity, including its origins, maintenance and consequences. Our students' research questions address fundamental issues in basic and applied sciences, span large and small spatial and temporal scales, and apply experimental, observational, theoretical, statistical, molecular and chemical approaches. Some students in the program focus on Discipline-Based Education Research, to develop evidence-based knowledge and practices to improve STEM education.

A baccalaureate degree from a college or university of recognized standing.
University minimums for the iBT version of the TOEFL are: Writing, 20, Listening, 15, Reading, 20, Speaking, 22. You must receive the minimum score on each subsection.
The Graduate School requires an overall band score of a 7.0 or higher on the IELTS.
Students are initially admitted to work with one or two faculty advisors, though some later switch advisors as their interests or research themes change. Admission decisions are made by a faculty admissions committee, but it is important for prospective students to identify and establish a connection with potential advisors prior to applying. It is wise to contact faculty whose work interests you, explaining your interests and background and inquiring whether they are actively seeking new students and might have an interest in supervising you. Admission to our program is highly competitive, as we typically admit fewer than 10% of applicants.
Masters or PhD degree: Virtually all students enter directly into the PhD program. While we have a Masters degree on the books, we very rarely admit Masters students through external applications. If a Masters program is better for you, then we recommend looking into one of the other graduate fields at Cornell with long established Masters programs.
Students are accepted from a range of undergraduate majors from the natural sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and humanities. Our students' backgrounds are correspondingly varied: some enter the program directly following their undergraduate degree, others with a Masters degree or other post-undergraduate experience in research, consulting, the Peace Corps, Teach for America, etc.
Three recommendations
GRE general test
GRE subject test in biology (optional)