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Ph.d in entomology.

The department offers a strong curriculum and provides numerous professional opportunities for its students. This student-centered focus is reflected in the many awards received by the students and in their consistent placement in professional careers.

The Department of Entomology is part of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and is involved in research, teaching, and extension arenas. Department faculty are internationally recognized and work in both applied and basic entomology. The department has research sites across Nebraska and collaborative relationships with both domestic and international scientists and educators. Prospective graduate students may contact our  faculty members  to see if the faculty person has graduate student openings in their labs. Students in the resident Doctoral program are not admitted to the Entomology Department unless they have a faculty member who agrees to advise and provide assistantship funding to the candidate. 

Entomologists are:

• Growing Food – working with farmers to manage insect pests and protect crops while simultaneously protecting beneficial insects and the environment.
• Saving Lives – finding ways to prevent insects from spreading diseases and helping to discover new medicines and treatments.
• Helping Animals – working with zookeepers, ranchers, forest rangers, and veterinarians to help them protect animals from dangerous insects.
• Understanding Nature – studying insects in their roles in the environment, such as pollinators, decomposers, parasites, predators, and sources of food for other animals.
• Discovering Species – finding new species allows us to better understand insect evolution, biodiversity, and the role of insects in nature.
• Saving our Forests – studying insects that harm wild plants and forests and ways to prevent and control them.
• Fighting Crime – examining bodies to find insects that may give clues to the time of death, and whether the body has been moved since then.
• Protecting the Quality of Life – Entomologists help us keep our homes, schools, hospitals, and recreational areas free of pests.

Career Outlook

Almost 50% of our graduates go on for advanced degrees.

• Science Teacher*
• Marketing Specialist
• Extension Educator*
• Navy Medical Entomologist*
• Research Technician
• Insect Zoo Coordinator
• Dept. of Health and Human Services
• Medical School*

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PHD, Entomology

As the dominant terrestrial fauna, insects perform key ecosystem services but also threaten our interests as medical and agricultural pests. Graduate training in Entomology prepares students for diverse science careers solving real-world problems.

Degree Type: Doctoral

Degree Program Code: PHD_ENTO

Degree Program Summary:

The Department of Entomology offers a wide range of courses and research programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Entomology is a vitally important segment of biology, since insects not only destroy nearly one-third of the food we produce but also serve as vectors for many pathogens that cause the world’s most widespread and debilitating parasitic diseases. On the other hand, insects pollinate more than 60% of all flowering plants, enrich soils, and are vital components of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

Our goal is to support and encourage students who want a career in government agencies, academic institutions or the private sector, by providing them with as broad a background as possible in the many facets of insect biology. Programs within our Department encompass all levels of biological organization from the molecular to ecosystems. Areas of emphasis in the department include Biological Control, Ecology, Molecular Entomology, Systematics / Taxonomy, and Vector Biology. The PhD is a research degree requiring course work plus original research leading to a thesis. We take great pride in the progress and development of our students and the high quality of their research and publications.

A background in entomology is not required for students seeking to enter our graduate program. In fact, we encourage applicants with a BS in any area of the life sciences to apply. Students with a MS degree are normally admitted at the PhD level, but students with a BS and exceptional accomplishments may petition to bypass the MS and work towards the PhD. Teaching and research assistantships are available from the department. Applications are submitted through the Graduate School. By indicating a particular Entomology degree in the online form, the application information and documents are directed to our program to use for the review and admission process. Students without previous courses in genetics and biochemistry will be required to make up these deficiencies after entering the program. Courses in animal physiology or cell and molecular biology can be substitutes. If you are interested in our program, we encourage you to visit our Department and to meet with the faculty and graduate students, so that you can judge the Department and its excellent facilities for yourself.

On the Athens campus, faculty joint staffed with the Departments of Ecology, Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biological Sciences Division, the Museum of Natural History, and the interdisciplinary toxicology program enable students to earn a degree in entomology with training in related disciplines. In addition to the faculty at the Athens campus, students may carry out research under the direction of faculty at the Griffin or Tifton campuses. Facilities and opportunities for studies on applied aspects of entomological problems and integrated pest management are emphasized at the stations. Facilities outside the department include nine agricultural research farms, forest research areas, the Museum of Natural History, and the U.S.D.A., U.S.E.P.A., and Forestry laboratories.

For additional information please see our Web site or call 800-659-7250 or 706-542-2276.

Locations Offered:

Athens (Main Campus)

College / School:

College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences

147 Cedar Street Athens, GA 30602

706-542-3924

Department:

Graduate Coordinator(s):

Kerry Oliver

Phone Number:

706-542-2311

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• Entomology M.S & Ph.D.

Master of Science (M.S.)

Doctor of philosophy (ph.d.).

Apply Now Visit Campus

Form a deep understanding of the world of insects with a M.S. or Ph.D. in entomology

Interested in advanced studies of insects? Want to better understand the ecology, evolution, biology and classification of some of the world’s most interesting creatures? Furthermore, do you want to complete unprecedented research and fieldwork?

The University of Wyoming is here to facilitate those goals. Entomology graduate students have access to state-of-the-art equipment, notable faculty and impressive research opportunities.

Program Details

Tuition and Fees

Please visit our cost of attendance page

Department of Ecosystem Science and Management

Program Requirements

M.S. Curriculum & Courses Ph.D. Curriculum & Courses

Learn More About the Entomology Graduate Programs

Program overview, curriculum & courses, faculty spotlight.

The University of Wyoming’s entomology graduate programs are highly interdisciplinary, collaborative and field-based.

Throughout their degree programs, students are given opportunities to work with visiting scientists and other students to research different foci and collect data on insects across the world.

Entomological students at the University of Wyoming focus on biodiversity, integrated pest management, statistical analysis and more.

Courses in each of these areas help students understand the widespread effects insects have on agriculture, human health and the functioning of ecosystems.

Learn about each graduate program below.

M.S. Program:

Thesis Track: This track requires the university's minimum degree requirements and an oral examination.

Non-thesis Track (not Ph.D. eligible): This track is a terminal degree program that requires 30 credit hours of graduate credit — including 9 credit hours of required courses, 11 credit hours of required electives, and 10 credit hours of other electives. Students completing this option will not qualify for a subsequent Ph.D. program at the University of Wyoming.

Regardless of track, the M.S. in entomology requires 30 credit hours (at least 12 from entomology) to be approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee and an approved research plan.

View complete M.S. in entomology curriculum details .

Ph.D. Program:

This program requires 72 credit hours (at least 12 from entomology) — including credits earned during a master’s degree — that are approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee and an approved research plan.

Candidates must complete the minimum requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. They must additionally complete a preliminary examination (written and oral) covering knowledge related to the discipline and an oral final examination.

View complete Ph.D. in entomology curriculum details .

University of Wyoming entomologist Scott Shaw and colleague Eduardo Shimbori gained a moment of fame by naming several newly discovered South American insect species for celebrities — including a wasp for singer and musician Shakira (Aleiodes shakirae).

Learn about the Shakira wasp ’s naming process and its exhibition in Denmark.

What can you do with an entomology degree?

Entomological studies at the University of Wyoming focus on biodiversity, integrated pest management, statistical analysis and modeling, and more.  Understanding the biology, ecology and classification of insects is crucial to understanding the widespread effects insects have on agriculture, human health and the functioning of ecosystems.

Entomology Careers

Here are some of the job titles that UW entomology graduates have held:

• Plant Health Safeguarding Specialist
• Biological Control Specialist
• Aquatic Ecologist
• State Survey Coordinator
• Research Assistant
• Water Resource Planner
• Greenhouse Supervisor
• Plant Genetics Lab Technician
• Horticulture Program Coordinator
• Greenhouse Coordinator

Entomology Graduate Program Highlights

Entomology students have the opportunity to perform research, use state-of-the-art equipment and learn alongside notable faculty.

Here are a few of the things you can expect as part of the entomology graduate program:

Access to the Insect Museum

The University of Wyoming Insect Museum is the only research collection of insects in the state of Wyoming. Holdings are estimated at more than one million specimens.

The museum, collection and educational galleries are used as research tools for UW graduate students, faculty and visiting researchers.

Notable Faculty

Dr. Scott Shaw leads UW's entomology program. He is renowned for studying parasitic wasps throughout the world, including in South America.

Research Opportunities

Entomology students have the opportunity to participate in independent studies and perform research using state-of-the-art microscopes.

The research opportunities can lead to exciting and unprecedented discoveries. In 2022, students worked with Dr. Scott Shaw to identify and name a new wasp species.

LLoyd-Kumar Graduate Fellowship

Graduate students are eligible for the esteemed Lloyd-Kumar Graduate Fellowship in Entomology — named for John E. Lloyd, Ph.D ., an accomplished entomologist and professor at the University of Wyoming.

Related Programs

Interested in an entomology graduate program? These programs may also be of interest to you:

• Reclamation/Restoration Ecology Graduate Certificate
• Insect Biology/Entomology Graduate Study Minor
• M.S. in Entomology and Water Resources
• M.S. in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management
• M.S. in Soil Science
• Ph.D. in Ecosystem Science and Management/Applied Economics

We're Eager to Help!

Ecosystem Science and Management

Agriculture Building 2013

Department #3354

1000 E. University Ave.

Laramie, WY 82071

Phone: (307) 766-2263

Email: [email protected]

PhD opportunities

If you have a funded insect-related or entomology PhD or Masters opportunity please send us the details [email protected]

Not ready to apply yet? Read more about the multiple career paths in entomology , or visit our entomology courses page for entomology-specific course providers.

Try our Community Noticeboard for other opportunities looking to improve skills and testing to entomologists.

PhD position in Insect Biodiversity and Biogeography

University of Hong Kong in Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong The deadline is 30/08/24

The mechanisms of cognition in bees and flies

University of Bristol in Bristol, England, UK The deadline is 01/08/24

Leverhulme ‘Space for Nature’ Doctoral Scholars (PhD or MSc by Research+PhD) Leveraging Machine Learning to Assess the Impact of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) on Bumblebee Populations in the UK

University of Kent in Canterbury, England, UK The deadline is 25/06/24

Making scents of pollination: Leveraging metabolomics, artificial intelligence and molecular biology to understand and improve reproduction of wild plants and crops

University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England, UK The deadline is 21/06/24

Significance of acari as location and time markers of buried corpses and mass graves

University of Reading in Reading, England, UK The deadline is 21/06/24

Impact of temperature and habitat on the pest potential of UK ecotypes of Drosophila suzukii: a life table and modelling analysis

University of Greenwich & The James Hutton Institute in Chatham, England, UK & Dundee, Scotland, UK The deadline is 14/06/24

Tiny beasts in Tiny Forests: insect herbivory and pest regulation in Miyawaki urban forests

Royal Holloway, University of London in Egham, England, UK The deadline is 13/06/24

Plastivore Plasticity: characterising metabolic flexibility in an emerging biotechnological system to manage plastic waste

Brunel University London in Uxbridge, London, England, UK The deadline is 10/06/24

Molecular mechanism of innate immunity mediated by the Toll/IL1 receptor signalling pathways

University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England, UK

Understanding the ecological and evolutionary effects of heatwaves in tropical species and ecological communities

James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Research projects

Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm Ltd in St David's, Wales, UK

Towards insect-mimetic acoustic hierarchical structures

University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Edinburgh, UK

Molecular mechanisms of brain plasticity, degeneration and regeneration

University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England, UK

Deep Learning for Woodland Soil Biodiversity Identification and Monitoring

University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Insect Week

Identification help

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Department of Entomology

College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences

The Department of Entomology offers programs leading to the M.S. or Ph.D. degree in Entomology, with research specialization in the following areas: arthropod vectors of plant pathogens, behavior, biochemistry and physiology, biological control, chemical control, ecology and evolution, integrated pest management, insect-plant interactions, medical and veterinary entomology, molecular entomology, nematology, neuroscience, pathology, pesticide toxicology, pollination biology, systematics and urban entomology. 

Graduate studies information, the combined b.s.+m.s. degree program .

The Department of Entomology has a new degree program that allows students to obtain both a Bachelor's (B.S.) degree in Entomology and an Master's (M.S.) degree in Entomology through an integrated 5-year plan of study. This program prepares students for careers that require knowledge of entomology and for pursuing subsequent medical or doctoral degrees. The Combined B.S.+M.S. Program is open to UCR Entomology undergraduates only. 

The Master's (M.S.) Degree

The Department of Entomology offers a thesis Masters Degree, for which a minimum of 36 quarter-units of graduate and upper division undergraduate courses is required. As stated earlier, the Guidance Committee offers consultation and/or assistance with regard to planning, execution and analysis of the research and recommending supporting coursework. After completion of the research program, the thesis is defended during an oral examination administered by the student's guidance committee.

The Doctoral (Ph.D.) Degree

Graduate students pursuing a Ph.D. in Entomology usually have received the M.S. degree, but some students are admitted directly into the Ph.D. program without an M.S.

For admission to the graduate program, prospective applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a major in Entomology, a biological science, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a suitable equivalent. Regardless of undergraduate major, students must have strength in life sciences. Recommended (but not required for admission) courses vary depending on research focus and include biochemistry, chemistry and organic chemistry, data sciences, entomology, genetics, physics, statistics and other courses specific to research areas.

We do not require GRE scores at this time.

All applicants whose first language is not English must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and 213 (computer-based), or 80 (internet-based).

Application Deadline

The Department encourages students to begin their studies in the Fall quarter in order to complete the normal sequence of graduate core courses during their first academic year. Accordingly, to be eligible for Departmental support, students should plan to enroll in the Fall quarter and make sure that all application materials, including transcripts, and all letters of reference are received by the Department by November 20th of the year prior to anticipated enrollment.

Unofficial Transcripts are uploaded to the application and then Graduate Division will send information about submitting official transcripts if admitted.

Students with outstanding scholastic records are also eligible to compete for campus-wide fellowships and trainee-ships, some of which also carry waiver of the non-resident tuition fee (and are thus particularly valuable to international students). These are awarded competitively, but early completion of your application can increase the pool of funds for which you can compete, since some are awarded early in the year. All applications should be complete by November 20th, and earlier if possible. Late applicants, and applicants entering Winter or Spring quarters, will be provided Departmental support on an as-available basis. However, research assistant-ships sometimes can be arranged through individual faculty on relatively short notice. We are currently seeking applicants for the Entomology Department's PhD program who would like to be considered for GAANN Fellowship. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be eligible for admission to our Entomology PhD program, and demonstrate financial need. Interested applicants must complete the 2023/2024 FAFSA and include UC Riverside's school code (001316). We strongly recommend completing your FAFSA at the time you submit your graduate application. More details on the Entomology Department's GAANN training grant can be found here  https://entomology.ucr.edu/graduate-studies-program#ucr_entomology_gaann_ For questions about the Entomology GAANN, please contact Dr. Erin Rankin [email protected] or Dr. Christiane Weirauch [email protected] .

The Entomology Program was awarded a GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) grant by the Department of Education. This GAANN project will enhance the UCR Entomology PhD program’s abilities in recruitment, retention, and training by providing fellowships to 6-8 graduate students each year. We are currently seeking applicants for the Entomology Department's PhD program who would like to be considered for GAANN Fellowship. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, be eligible for admission to our Entomology PhD program, and demonstrate financial need. Interested applicants must complete the 2023/2024 FAFSA and include UC Riverside's school code (001316) . We strongly recommend completing your FAFSA at the time you submit your graduate application. The UCR Entomology GAANN will prioritize incoming PhD students for awards who satisfy GAANN requirements (see 1-4 below). If you are a US citizen applying for the PhD program in Entomology for Fall 2024, please indicate in your application that you are interested in being considered for a GAANN Fellowship.

The Entomology Program was awarded a GAANN (Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need) grant by the Department of Education. This GAANN project will enhance the UCR Entomology PhD program’s abilities in recruitment, retention, and training by providing fellowships to 6-8 graduate students each year. The UCR Entomology GAANN will prioritize incoming PhD students for awards who satisfy GAANN requirements (see 1-4 below). If you are a US citizen applying for the PhD program in Entomology for Fall 2024, please indicate in your application that you are interested in being considered for a GAANN Fellowship.

(1) Entering students selected for the GAANN fellowships must perform at a superior level as demonstrated by an appropriate GPA (3.2 for junior and senior year work), submit three strong letters of recommendation from faculty at their undergraduate institutions, and demonstrate writing proficiency with a statement of personal educational objectives and goals..

(2) Students selected for the GAANN fellowship must also demonstrate financial need via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

(3) Students selected for the GAANN fellowship must show interest in obtaining a Ph.D. and pursuing a teaching and/or research career. The student’s Statement of Purpose in the Admissions Application will be used to identify the candidate’s career goals. Interviews with the applicants and phone conversations will provide further information. While at UCR, students will be made aware of all possible academic and research careers and the level of performance that must be met during their graduate training to be prepared for such a career. This includes the importance of peer-reviewed publications in international journals and presentations at highly respected national/international technical meetings.

(4) Students selected for GAANN fellowships must be US citizens or permanent residents.

For questions please contact Dr. Erin Rankin [email protected] or Dr. Christiane Weirauch [email protected] .

Academic Advisor

When students arrive at UCR, they are assigned a faculty Graduate Academic Advisor. This Advisor remains with the student throughout their graduate program, providing advice on the student's academic program and course selection. Before Advancement, students meet with their Graduate Advisor each quarter to discuss courses for the following quarter, and to obtain authorization for course registration.  After Advancement, the student can continue to meet with their advisor when needed.

Major Professor and Guidance Committee

Generally, students have identified their Major Professor upon admission to the graduate program. However, for those who have not selected a Major Professor, they are encouraged to consult with Faculty members, Graduate Advisors, and other students to facilitate this selection. The Major Professor should be selected by the end of the first quarter. The Major Professor directs the student's research project and serves as Chair of the Guidance Committee. This committee consists of the Major Professor, and at least 2 (M.S. program) or 3 (Ph.D. program) other faculty members. The Committee assists the student in their research program and in selecting courses that will complement the research. The Guidance Committee is formed by the end of the 2nd quarter. Working with the Guidance Committee, the student will select courses that will form a Program of Academic Study and this must be completed by the end of the 3rd quarter.

Graduate Core Courses

All incoming graduate students are required to take the following courses: ENTM 201 (Structure and Function of Insects), ENTM 202 (Molecular Biology, Systematics, and Behavior), and ENTM 203 (Ecology, Population Genetics, and Pest Management). Normally, these courses will be taken during the first year. Students who can demonstrate that they have had equivalent, graduate-level courses elsewhere may petition the Instruction and Student Affairs Committee (ISAC) to waive taking one or more of these courses.

Guidance Committee

At the Ph.D. level, the Guidance Committee serves to guide the student prior to advancement.  This committee meets with the student at least annually to complete the Annual Progress Report Form. The Major Professor is the Chair of the Guidance Committee.  The student nominates two additional members from within the Entomology Department.  The fourth member of the Guidance Committee is a faculty member from a department other then Entomology. All members of the Guidance Committee must be chosen and submitted to ISAC for approval by the end of the 2nd quarter. As previously noted, the Guidance Committee helps guide the student's research and helps the student select courses to compliment that research. Students will prepare a formal written dissertation proposal to the Guidance Committee by the end of the 4th quarter.

Foreign Language Requirements

There is no specific departmental requirement for foreign language competency. The Guidance Committee may recommend or require such competency in some cases.

Examinations

The Qualifying Committee will be composed of two faculty chosen by the student from within Entomology Department and one member from outside of the Department, the final two additional Entomology faculty are chosen by the student from a list of three nominated by ISAC. The committee will administer a written qualifying examination by the end of the student's seventh quarter in residence, with an oral qualifying examination to follow shortly thereafter. The qualifying examination and all course requirements designated by the Department and Guidance Committee must be fulfilled before advancement to candidacy.

Dissertation

The completion of a dissertation demonstrates the student's ability to conduct independent, original research. The student's Dissertation Committee (major professor and at least two other members) advises the student in planning, conducting and analyzing the research. Students defend the dissertation before the Committee in a departmental seminar. Final approval of the dissertation is by the Dissertation Committee and the Dean of the Graduate Division.

Typically, graduate students are supported at a level to pay tuition, fees, and adequate living expenses for the full duration of their studies. Within the last 15 years, all graduate students making adequate progress towards their degree objectives have been fully supported financially. Funding for graduate student support comes from a variety of sources, including campus-wide competitive fellowships, departmental Research Assistantships and Teaching Assistantships, external fellowships and research grants, and educational grants from the students' home countries. Students receiving Departmental support assist with instruction, curatorial work in the museum, or other duties consistent with the Department's mission. The type and amount of service may vary and is set by the Department.

Click here for more information on financial support. 

Graduate Student Handbook 2023-2024

Graduate Student Handbook 2022 - 2023

Graduate Student Handbook 2021 - 2022

Graduate Student Handbook 2020 - 2021

Graduate Student Handbook 2019 - 2020

Graduate Student Handbook 2018 - 2019

Graduate Student Handbook 2017 - 2018

Graduate Student Handbook 2016 - 2017

Graduate Student Academic Appeals Procedure

Combined B.S. + M.S. Program

The Department of Entomology has a new degree program that allows students to obtain both a BS and MS degrees through an integrated 5-year plan of study. This program prepares students for careers that require knowledge of entomology and for pursuing subsequent medical or doctoral degrees. The Combined B.S.+M.S. Program is open to UCR Entomology undergraduates only.

If you have any questions about the forms or filling them out, please contact the B.S.+M.S. faculty advisor, Dr. Erin Rankin ( [email protected] ).

B.S.+M.S. "Am I On Track?" Checklist

B.S.+M.S. All-Course Checklist

You must submit your ENTM BS+MS Statement of Interest and Eligibility (SIE) using this DocuSign form . Because this is a long and involved form, you can preview the form to help in your preparation of the ENTM SIE.

B.S. + M.S. Statement of Interest and Eligibility . However, we will only accept forms completed using the DocuSign form.

You must submit your ENTM BS+MS Prgram of Academic Study  using this  DocuSign Form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can click on the thumbnail to view a preview of the form: 

Graduate Forms

For MS and PhD students, the student annual progress report form (which includes your IDP) needs to be submitted before June 30th. You major professor will complete the Faculty Annual Progress Report Form after your annual meeting each spring.

Student  Annual Progress Report Form

Faculty Annual Progress Report Form

For MS and PhD students, please complete and submit your general ENTM petition using this DocuSign form .   While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can preview this form by clicking on the thumbnail: 

For MS and PhD students, please submit your change in major professor using this DocuSign form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can click on the thumbnail to view a preview of the form:

For Master's or PhD students wanting to apply for filing fee status, please check the deadlines on the Graduate Division website and then apply for filing fee status via R'Grad which can be found in your R'Web menu ( http://rweb.ucr.edu ).

For MS and Ph.D. students who want to petition for a 290 course to count as 200-level, non-resesearch units, you must submit a petition and include a syllabus prepared by the faculty with whom you plan to take the 290. This petition can be accessed via R'Grad which can be found in your R'Web menu ( http://rweb.ucr.edu ).

Please complete and submit your ENTM MS Guidance Committee Form using this DocuSign form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can preview this form by clicking on the thumbnail: 

You must submit your ENTM MS Program of Academic Study  using this  DocuSign Form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can click on the thumbnail to view a preview of the form: 

Master's students need to apply for candidacy before the first day of instruction of the completion quarter. You can access the Application for Candidacy for Master's Degree via R'Grad.

After your defense, you will report the results of the Final Defense of the Master's thesis via R'Grad. 

Once your committee has approved your written thesis, you will submit your Signature Approval Page (Dissertation or Thesis) form via R'Grad.

R'Grad can be accessed through your R'Web menu ( http://rweb.ucr.edu ).

• M.S. Thesis Review Period Form MS Thesis Review Period Form.doc (24.5 KB)

You must submit your ENTM Ph.D. Guidance Committee From  using this  DocuSign Form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can click on the thumbnail to view a preview of the form: 

You must submit your ENTM Ph.D. Program of Academic Study  using this  DocuSign Form .  While you must submit the form via DocuSign, you can click on the thumbnail to view a preview of the form: 

You must submit your ENTM Ph.D. Qualifying Exam Committee Form  using this DocuSign form . This form outlines the responsibilities and expectations for how the qualifying exam will be, you can preview the form to help in your preparation.

 However, we will only accept forms completed using the DocuSign form.

To make changes to your dissertation committee (your committee after passing your qualifying exam), please complete the  Committee Change (Dissertation or Thesis) form,  which can be accessed via R'Grad. R'Grad can be found in your R'Web menu ( http://rweb.ucr.edu ) 

• Ph.D. Dissertation Review Period Form PhD Dissertation Review Period Form.doc (25 KB)

After your dissertation defense, you will report the results of the Final Defense Ph.D. via R'Grad. 

Graduate Student Affairs Center

Advisor:  Kathy Van Horn

Toll Free: 800.735.0717 Phone: 951.827.4716 Website:  http://cnasgrad.ucr.edu E-mail: [email protected]

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Graduate Programs

Pursue your master of science or doctor of philosophy degree in entomology..

The Department of Entomology offers graduate programs that encourage students with diverse academic and research backgrounds to conceive and implement novel research within the insect sciences. We are proud to be a leader among colleges of agricultural sciences across the country for providing international opportunities for students.

The department is a diverse unit of researchers whose work spans the areas of suborganismal, organismal, and applied entomology. Research programs of the faculty are broadly interdisciplinary employing cutting edge technology in all areas. Individual faculty web pages provide in-depth descriptions of the diversity of research in entomology.

Suborganismal research in the department focuses on insect physiology and population genetics. Areas of specialization include the molecular action of insect hormones and the insect/microbiome interface. Studies of gene flow utilize various molecular methods. Genomic data are used to understand adaptation, gene flow on landscapes, the genetic basis of phenotypes, and the phylogenetic relationships of insect species.

Organismal: Entomology faculty members are leaders in the areas of basic ecology of insects in a variety of natural and managed systems, such as forests, lakes, and agroecosystems. Studies in taxonomy, chemical ecology, spatial analysis, vector biology, behavioral ecology, and landscape ecology have strong representation in the department. Research examines how they affect crops and forests, influence ecosystem processes such as nutrient and carbon cycling and the "services" they provide in natural and managed ecosystems such as pollination and pest suppression.

Applied/Extension: Faculty in the department extend a long tradition of research on insects as they impact humans. Excellence in agricultural research continues in vegetable crops, field and forage crops, and the turf and ornamental "green industry" where work has continued to advance the application of integrated pest management in agricultural systems. Basic research conducted by faculty in cropping systems also has implications for pest management, conservation, bioenergy, and resource management. This research extends to global health issues focusing on arthropod-borne diseases and insects as a novel food source.

Research in the department explores the interconnections across scales of biological organization, from molecular and cellular interactions to ecosystem-level studies, in both managed and natural systems, and from basic to applied research. Faculty members collaborate with colleagues in other departments in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and beyond the college and university.

Graduate education in the Department of Entomology provides many opportunities for collaborative research. Faculty members participate in joint instructional programs with other departments on campus and with scientists at other universities, in federal and state agencies, and in industry. Because several entomology faculty members are also adjunct professors in zoology, forest and wildlife ecology, molecular and environmental toxicology, and other departments, they may serve as primary advisers to graduate students majoring in those fields. Opportunities exist to conduct research in a variety of distant tropical and temperate regions, to gain experience in classroom instruction and individual mentoring, and to participate in outreach activities such as addressing K–12 classes, naturalist groups, and commodity producers.

Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.

Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online .

All Entomology applicants (MS and PhD) must contact faculty members in the department before and during the admissions process. Applicants are admitted directly into a faculty member's lab. Additionally, we do not accept new graduate students into the program unless financial support for the student is currently in the hands of a faculty member, or is assured by the time a student begins, or a student brings independent funding and has contacted a faculty member who agrees to advise.

Prior to admission, applicants are expected to have completed 25 credits in the natural sciences, covering subjects such as physics, chemistry, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, molecular biology, ecology and/or evolution. This must include one course in statistics or advanced mathematics. Students who do not meet these requirements will be advised to complete the prerequisite coursework in residence.

The Graduate School sets minimum requirements for admissions . Academic program admission requirements are often more rigorous than those set by the Graduate School. Check the program’s website for details.

Graduate School Resources

Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid.  Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.

Program Resources

Additional information regarding funding for Entomology graduate students is available on the departmental website .

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Major requirements.

Review the Graduate School minimum academic progress and degree requirements , in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Mode of Instruction

Mode of instruction definitions.

Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.

Evening/Weekend: ​Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.  Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.

Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.

Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.  Contact the program for more specific information.

Online: These programs are offered 100% online.  Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.

Curricular Requirements

Required courses.

Students must take 2 instances of ENTOM 901 .

Graduate School Policies

The  Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures  provide essential information regarding general university policies. Program authority to set degree policies beyond the minimum required by the Graduate School lies with the degree program faculty. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.

Major-Specific Policies

Prior coursework, graduate credits earned at other institutions.

Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy. The use of prior coursework requires Advisory Committee and Academic Affairs Committee approval.

Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison

Refer to the  Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework  policy. The use of prior coursework requires Advisory Committee and Academic Affairs Committee approval.

Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)

Credits earned as a university special student at uw–madison.

Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.

Advisor / Committee

Refer to the Graduate School: Advisor and Graduate School: Committees (Doctoral/Master’s/MFA) policies.

Credits Per Term Allowed

Time limits.

Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.

Grievances and Appeals

These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:

• Bias or Hate Reporting  
• Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
• Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
• Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
• Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
• Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
• Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
• Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS)  (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
• Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
• Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
• Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences: Grievance Policy  

In the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), any student who feels unfairly treated by a member of the CALS faculty or staff has the right to complain about the treatment and to receive a prompt hearing. Some complaints may arise from misunderstandings or communication breakdowns and be easily resolved; others may require formal action. Complaints may concern any matter of perceived unfairness.

To ensure a prompt and fair hearing of any complaint, and to protect the rights of both the person complaining and the person at whom the complaint is directed, the following procedures are used in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Any student, undergraduate or graduate, may use these procedures, except employees whose complaints are covered under other campus policies.

• The student should first talk with the person at whom the complaint is directed. Most issues can be settled at this level. Others may be resolved by established departmental procedures.
• If the complaint involves an academic department in CALS the student should proceed in accordance with item 3 below.
• If the grievance involves a unit in CALS that is not an academic department, the student should proceed in accordance with item 4 below.
• If informal mediation fails, the student can submit the grievance in writing to the grievance advisor within 10 working days of the date the student is informed of the failure of the mediation attempt by the grievance advisor. The grievance advisor will provide a copy to the person at whom the grievance is directed.
• The grievance advisor will refer the complaint to a department committee that will obtain a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed, providing a copy to the student. Either party may request a hearing before the committee. The grievance advisor will provide both parties a written decision within 20 working days from the date of receipt of the written complaint.
• If the grievance involves the department chairperson, the grievance advisor or a member of the grievance committee, these persons may not participate in the review.
• If not satisfied with departmental action, either party has 10 working days from the date of notification of the departmental committee action to file a written appeal to the CALS Equity and Diversity Committee. A subcommittee of this committee will make a preliminary judgement as to whether the case merits further investigation and review. If the subcommittee unanimously determines that the case does not merit further investigation and review, its decision is final. If one or more members of the subcommittee determine that the case does merit further investigation and review, the subcommittee will investigate and seek to resolve the dispute through mediation. If this mediation attempt fails, the subcommittee will bring the case to the full committee. The committee may seek additional information from the parties or hold a hearing. The committee will present a written recommendation to the dean who will provide a final decision within 20 working days of receipt of the committee recommendation.
• If the alleged unfair treatment occurs in a CALS unit that is not an academic department, the student should, within 120 calendar days of the alleged incident, take his/her grievance directly to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. The dean will attempt to resolve the problem informally within 10 working days of receiving the complaint. If this mediation attempt does not succeed the student may file a written complaint with the dean who will refer it to the CALS Equity and Diversity Committee. The committee will seek a written response from the person at whom the complaint is directed, subsequently following other steps delineated in item 3d above.
• Professional Development

Take advantage of the Graduate School's  professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career. 

Students in the Department of Entomology are strongly encourage to participate in student organization activities .

• Learning Outcomes
• Develop a broad knowledge base of entomology, inclusive of suborganismal, organismal, and applied entomology.
• Develop state-of-the-art research skills and command of the scientific literature.
• Integrate research discoveries with prior knowledge to demonstrate expertise in entomological science.
• Advance our current knowledge of entomology and related fields.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills in defining problems, assembling facts, and applying logic to scientific arguments.
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills.

Crall, James Gratton, Claudio Groves, Russell (chair) Guedot, Christelle Oberhauser, Karen Oliva Chavez, Adela Paskewitz, Susan  Schoville, Sean Steffan, Shawn Trowbridge, Amy Young, Daniel

Adjunct & Affiliated Faculty

Bartholomay, Lyric (Pathobiological Sciences) Currie, Cameron (Bacteriology) Coon, Kerri (Bacteriology) Zhu, Jun (Statistics) Ives, Anthony (Integrated Biology) Mattson, William (adjunct) Peckarsky, Bobbi (adjunct)

Instructional Staff

Brabant, Craig, Curator Wisconsin Insect Research Collection Liesch, Patrick (PJ), Assistant Faculty Associate Insect Diagnostic Lab

• Requirements

Contact Information

Entomology College of Agricultural and Life Sciences http://www.entomology.wisc.edu

Emily Laabs, Graduate Program Manager [email protected]

Dr. Sean Schoville, Chair of Academic Affairs Committee [email protected]

Graduate Program Handbook View Here

Graduate School grad.wisc.edu

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Entomology, Ph.D.

Insects: examine how they hinder and help..

When your field of study encompasses 800,000 biologically diverse insect species, the challenges are endless. This program, the state’s only graduate program in entomology, provides a deep understanding of insects and their impact on agriculture, human health and the environment.

As a graduate student, you will study advanced topics related to insect systems, biodiversity, ecology, physiology and pest management. You will acquire the skills to develop integrated pest management systems, breed pest-resistant plants, tackle emerging pollination issues and battle insect-borne diseases here and abroad.

Students in this program lead independent research, with opportunities to conduct experiments across Idaho’s diverse ecological conditions and cropping systems.

This program could be a good fit if you:

• Hold an undergraduate degree in entomology, biology, fisheries, ecology or related area
• Enjoy studying insects
• Want to conduct research in the lab and in the field
• Want to advance agriculture and help the environment
• Can think analytically and critically about complex problems

Career Outcomes

With this degree, you could become a/an:

• Agricultural or urban pest manager
• Director of pesticide development for an agrichemical firm
• Environmental consultant
• University professor, research support scientist or extension educator
• Senior scientist or program leader for a federal or state agriculture, land management or health agency
• World health research scientist
• Federal livestock entomologist

Available On-Campus

You may also be interested in:

Soil & Land Resources, M.S.

Develop valuable expertise in the sustainable use and management of soils.

Food Science, M.S.

Learn to research and develop new food products, improve the safety and quality of food products, and design safer and more efficient food processes.

More degrees below. Enjoy!

Plant science.

Develop advanced knowledge and research experiences in the production, protection, breeding and genetics of plants.

Water Resources

Learn to work across disciplines to help communities solve today’s increasingly complex problems in water resources management.

Food Science

Plant pathology.

Explore interactions between plants and microbes. Learn to develop innovative solutions that keep plants safe from diseases.

Agricultural Education

Master the skills and techniques of teaching youth and adults about agriculture, leadership and life.

Soil & Land Resources

Child development.

Gain advanced knowledge and skills to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families.

Family and Consumer Sciences

Learn scientific research methods to understand and solve problems of human development, family relations, personal and family finance, nutrition and community.

Turn your passion for health and wellness into a career as a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Animal Science

Develop your expertise and research skills in animal growth, nutrition, reproduction and other areas in animal agriculture.

Animal Physiology

Lead original research in areas such as animal growth, nutrition or reproduction.

Nutritional Sciences

Explore cutting-edge nutrition research to help improve human health.

Texas A&M University Catalogs

Doctor of philosophy in entomology.

The Department of Entomology offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree in entomology. Within this program, subject matter areas include arthropod ecology, biological control, integrated pest management, molecular biology, physiology, genetics and toxicology, plant resistance, systematics, and urban, medical/veterinary, and forensic entomology. Students come into the field of entomology with diverse interests, science backgrounds and career goals. Students are able to tailor their education and research interests for this degree program with the help of their major advisor and advisory committees. Graduates from these programs have become prominent leaders in entomological research, application, education, and regulatory affairs of private sector and government arenas, as well as international agencies and foreign countries.

Specific course requirements in entomology are dependent upon previous training and professional experience. Students are expected to demonstrate mastery in the core knowledge areas of 1) Insect Biodiversity, Systematics, and Insect Evolution; 2) Insect Ecology; 3) Insect Physiology, Toxicology and Insect Genetics; and 4) Applied Entomology on their graduate degree plans to be designed in consultation with their major advisor and advisory committee.

Prospective students are directed to the Entomology Graduate Degrees website for additional information.

Steps to Fulfill a Doctoral Program

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Transfer of credit, research proposal, preliminary examination, preliminary examination format, preliminary examination scheduling, preliminary examination grading, failure of the preliminary examination, retake of failed preliminary examination, final examination, final examination grading, dissertation, student’s advisory committee.

After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling, the student will consult with the head of their major or administrative department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty) concerning appointment of the chair of the advisory committee. The student’s advisory committee will consist of  no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty  representative of the student’s several fields of study and research, where the chair or co-chair must be from the student’s department (or intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), and  at least one or more of the members must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department . The outside member for a student in an interdisciplinary degree program must be from a department different from the chair of the student’s committee.

The chair, in consultation with the student, will select the remainder of the advisory committee. Only graduate faculty members located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as chair of a student’s advisory committee. Other Texas A&M University graduate faculty members located off-campus may serve as a member or co-chair (but not chair), with a member as the chair.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the University and the student is near completion of the degree and wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from the student’s academic program and located near the Texas A&M University campus site, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. The Department Head or Chair of Intercollegiate faculty may request in writing to the Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate and Professional School that a faculty member who is on an approved leave of absence or has voluntarily separated from the university, be allowed to continue to serve in the role of chair of a student’s advisory committee without a co-chair for up to one year. The students should be near completion of the degree. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the Dean.

The committee members’ signatures on the degree plan indicate their willingness to accept the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic program of the student and for initiating all academic actions concerning the student. Although individual committee members may be replaced by petition for valid reasons, a committee cannot resign  en masse . The chair of the committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s research and dissertation or record of study, has the responsibility for calling all meetings of the committee. The duties of the committee include responsibility for the proposed degree plan, the research proposal, the preliminary examination, the dissertation or record of study and the final examination. In addition, the committee, as a group and as individual members, is responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee will evaluate the student’s previous education and degree objectives. The committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a proposed degree plan and outline a research problem which, when completed, as indicated by the dissertation (or its equivalent for the degree of Doctor of Education or the degree of Doctor of Engineering), will constitute the basic requirements for the degree. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School prior to the deadline imposed by the student’s college and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary examination.

This proposed degree plan should be submitted through the online Document Processing Submission System located on the website  http://ogsdpss.tamu.edu . A minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the Doctor of Philosophy for a student who has completed a master’s degree. A student who has completed a DDS/DMD, DVM or a MD at a U.S. institution is also required to complete a minimum of 64 hours. A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree will be required to complete a 96-hour degree plan. Completion of a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD degree at a foreign institution requires completion of a minimum of 96 hours for the Doctor of Philosophy. A field of study may be primarily in one department or in a combination of departments. A degree plan must carry a reasonable amount of 691 (research). A maximum of 9 hours of 400-level undergraduate courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy.

Additional coursework may be added by petition to the approved degree plan by the student’s advisory committee if it is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Request for Final Examination is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Approval to enroll in any professional course (900-level) should be obtained from the head of the department (or Chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) in which the course will be offered before including such a course on a degree plan.

No credit may be obtained by correspondence study, by extension or for any course of fewer than three weeks duration.

For non-distance degree programs, no more than 50 percent of the non-research credit hours required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs. 

Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of B or greater and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate and Professional School. These courses must not have been used previously for another degree. Except for officially approved cooperative doctoral programs, credit for thesis or dissertation research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for “internship” coursework in any form is not transferable. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Credit for coursework taken by extension is not transferable. Coursework  in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit . Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours, or equated to semester credit hours.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA. An official transcript from the university at which transfer courses are taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

The general field of research to be used for the dissertation should be agreed on by the student and the advisory committee at their first meeting, as a basis for selecting the proper courses to support the proposed research.

As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the dissertation research proposal should be completed. The research proposal should be approved at a meeting of the student’s advisory committee, at which time the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities should be reviewed. The approved proposal, signed by all members of the student’s advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School at least 20 working days prior to the submission of the Request for the Final Examination.

Compliance issues must be addressed if a graduate student is performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards and recombinant DNA. A student involved in these types of research should check with the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety at (979) 458-1467 to address questions about all research compliance responsibilities. Additional information can also be obtained on the website  http:// rcb.tamu.edu .

Examinations

The student’s major department (or chair of the interdisciplinary degree program faculty, if applicable) and their advisory committee may require qualifying, cumulative or other types of examinations at any time deemed desirable. These examinations are entirely at the discretion of the department and the student’s advisory committee.

The preliminary examination is required. The preliminary examination for a doctoral student shall be given no earlier than a date at which the student is within 6 credit hours of completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan (i.e., all coursework on the degree plan except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The student should complete the Preliminary Examination no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan.

The objective of preliminary examination is to evaluate whether the student has demonstrated the following qualifications:

a.     a mastery of the subject matter of all fields in the program;

b.     an adequate knowledge of the literature in these fields and an ability to carry out bibliographical research;

c.     an understanding of the research problem and the appropriate methodological approaches.

The format of the preliminary examination shall be determined by the student’s department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) and advisory committee, and communicated to the student in advance of the examination. The exam may consist of a written component, oral component, or combination of written and oral components.

The preliminary exam may be administered by the advisory committee or a departmental committee; herein referred to as the examination committee.

Regardless of exam format, a student will receive an overall preliminary exam result of pass or fail. The department (or interdisciplinary degree program, if applicable) will determine how the overall pass or fail result is determined based on the exam structure and internal department procedures. If the exam is administered by the advisory committee, each advisory committee member will provide a pass or fail evaluation decision.

Only one advisory committee substitution is allowed to provide an evaluation decision for a student’s preliminary exam, and it cannot be the committee chair.

If a student is required to take, as a part of the preliminary examination, a written component administered by a department or interdisciplinary degree program, the department or interdisciplinary degree program faculty must:

a.     offer the examination at least once every six months. The departmental or interdisciplinary degree program examination should be announced at least 30 days prior to the scheduled examination date.

b.     assume the responsibility for marking the examination satisfactory or unsatisfactory, or otherwise graded, and in the case of unsatisfactory, stating specifically the reasons for such a mark.

c.     forward the marked examination to the chair of the student’s advisory committee within one week after the examination.

Students are eligible for to schedule the preliminary examination in the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) if they meet the following list of eligibility requirements:

Student is registered at Texas A&M University for a minimum of one semester credit hour in the long semester or summer term during which any component of the preliminary examination is held. If the entire examination is held between semesters, then the student must be registered for the term immediately preceding the examination.

An approved degree plan is on file with the Graduate and Professional School prior to commencing the first component of the examination.

Student’s cumulative GPA is at least 3.000.

Student’s degree plan GPA is at least 3.000.

At the end of the semester in which at least the first component of the exam is given, there are no more than 6 hours of coursework remaining on the degree plan (except 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 693, 695, 697, 791, or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog). The head of the student’s department (or Chair of the Interdisciplinary Degree Program, if applicable) has the authority to approve a waiver of this criterion.

Credit for the preliminary examination is not transferable in cases where a student changes degree programs after passing a preliminary exam.

If a written component precedes an oral component of the preliminary exam, the chair of the student’s examination committee is responsible for making all written examinations available to all members of the committee. A positive evaluation of the preliminary exam by all members of a student’s examination committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on their preliminary exam.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Preliminary Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) within 10 working days of completion of the preliminary examination.

If an approved examination committee member substitution (one only) has been made, their approval must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS. The approval of the designated department approver is also required on the request.

After passing the required preliminary oral and written examinations for a doctoral degree, the student must complete the final examination within four years of the semester in which the preliminary exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a preliminary exam taken and passed during the Fall 2023 semester will expire at the end of the Fall 2027 semester. A preliminary exam taken in the time between the Summer and Fall 2023 semesters will expire at the end of the Summer 2027 semester.

First Failure

Upon approval of a student’s examination committee (with no more than one member dissenting), and approval of the Department and Graduate and Professional School, a student who has failed a preliminary examination may be given one re-examination. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5, the student’s department head or designee, intercollegiate faculty, or graduate advisory committee should make a recommendation to the student regarding their scholastic deficiency.

Second Failure

Upon failing the preliminary exam twice in a doctoral program, a student is no longer eligible to continue to pursue the PhD in that program/major. In accordance with Student Rule 12.5.3 and/or 12.5.4, the student will be notified of the action being taken by the department as a result of the second failure of the preliminary examination.

Adequate time must be given to permit a student to address inadequacies emerging from the first preliminary examination. The examination committee must agree upon and communicate to the student, in writing, an adequate time-frame from the first examination (normally six months) to retest, as well as a detailed explanation of the inadequacies emerging from the examination. The student and committee should jointly negotiate a mutually acceptable date for this retest.  When providing feedback on inadequacies, the committee should clearly document expected improvements that the student must be able to exhibit in order to retake the exam.  The examination committee will document and communicate the time-frame and feedback within 10 working days of the exam that was not passed.

Candidates for the doctoral degrees must pass a final examination by deadline dates announced in the  Graduate and Professional School Calendar  each semester. A doctoral student is allowed only one opportunity to take the final examination.

No unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course can be listed on the degree plan. The student must be registered for any remaining hours of 681, 684, 690, 691, 692, 791 or other graduate courses specifically designated as S/U in the course catalog during the semester of the final exam. No student may be given a final examination until they have been admitted to candidacy and their current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs are 3.00 or better.

Refer to the  Admission to Candidacy  section of the graduate catalog for candidacy requirements.

A request to schedule the final examination must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled date. Any changes to the degree plan must be approved by the Graduate and Professional School prior to the submission of the request for final examination.

The student’s advisory committee will conduct this examination. Only one committee member substitution is allowed with the approval of the Graduate and Professional School. If the substitution is for the sole external member of the advisory committee - with an appointment to a department other than the student's major department - then the substitute must also be external to the student's major department. In extenuating circumstances, with the approval of the Graduate and Professional School, an exception to this requirement may be granted.

The final examination is not to be administered until the dissertation or record of study is available in substantially final form to the student’s advisory committee, and all concerned have had adequate time to review the document.  Whereas the final examination may cover the broad field of the candidate’s training, it is presumed that the major portion of the time will be devoted to the dissertation and closely allied topics. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the chair of the advisory committee, be invited to attend a final examination for an advanced degree. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on their exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings.

The student’s department will promptly report the results of the Final Examination to the Graduate and Professional School via the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS) within 10 working days of completion of the final examination. The Graduate and Professional School will be automatically notified via ARCS of any cancellations.

A positive evaluation of the final exam by all members of a student’s advisory committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on their final exam. If an approved committee member substitution (1 only) has been made, their approval must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School via ARCS.

The dissertation,  which must be a candidate's original work demonstrates the ability to perform independent research . Whereas acceptance of the dissertation is based primarily on its scholarly merit, it must also exhibit creditable literary workmanship. Dissertation formatting must be acceptable to the Graduate and Professional School as outlined in the Guidelines for Theses, Dissertations, and Records of Study.

After successful defense and approval by the student’s advisory committee and the head of the student’s major department (or chair of intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), a student must submit the dissertation in electronic format as a single PDF file to https://etd.tamu.edu/ . Additionally, a dissertation approval form with original signatures must be received by the Graduate and Professional School through the Academic Requirements Completion System (ARCS). Both the PDF file and the completed ARCS approval form must be received by the deadline.

Deadline dates for submitting are announced each semester or summer term in the Graduate and Professional School Calendar (see Time Limit statement). These dates also can be accessed via the  Graduate and Professional School website .

Each student who submits a document for review is assessed a one-time thesis/dissertation processing fee through Student Business Services. This processing fee is for the thesis/dissertation services provided. After commencement, dissertations are digitally stored and made available through the Texas A&M Libraries.

A dissertation that is deemed unacceptable by the Graduate and Professional School because of excessive corrections will be returned to the student’s department head or chair of the intercollegiate faculty . The manuscript must be resubmitted as a new document, and the entire review process must begin anew. All original submittal deadlines must be met during the resubmittal process to graduate.

Additional Requirements

Continuous registration, admission to candidacy.

• 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degree

Application for Degree

A student who enters the doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree must spend one academic year plus one semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A student who holds master’s degree when they enter a doctoral degree program must spend one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent regular semesters or one regular semester and one adjacent 10-week summer semester. The third semester is not required to be adjacent to the one year. Enrollment for each semester must be a minimum of 9 credit hours each to satisfy the residence requirement. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters in which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement.

To satisfy the residence requirement, the student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester or 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University for the required period. A student who enters a doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree may fulfill residence requirements in excess of one academic year (18 credit hours) by registration during summer sessions or by completion of a less-than-full course load (in this context a full course load is considered 9 credit hours per semester).

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of employment to the Graduate and Professional School. An employee should submit verification of employment at the time they submit the degree plan. See  Registration.

See  Residence Requirements .

All requirements for doctoral degrees must be completed within a period of ten consecutive calendar years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until 10 years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework more than ten calendar years old at the time of the final oral examination may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

After passing the required preliminary oral and written examinations for a doctoral degree, the student must complete the final examination within four years of the semester in which the preliminary exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a preliminary exam taken and passed during the fall 2019 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A preliminary exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2019 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester.

A final corrected version of the dissertation or record of study in electronic format as a single PDF file must be cleared by the Graduate and Professional School within one year of the semester in which the final exam is taken. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a final exam taken and passed during the fall 2022 semester will expire at the end of the fall 2023 semester. A final exam taken in the time between the summer and fall 2022 semesters will expire at the end of the summer 2023 semester. Failure to do so will result in the degree not being awarded.

A student in a program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy who has completed all coursework on their degree plan other than 691 (research) are required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed. See  Continuous Registration Requirements .

To be admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree, a student must have:

• completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691, or 791.
• a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,
• passed the preliminary examination (written and oral portions),
• submitted an approved dissertation proposal,
• met the residence requirements. The final examination will not be authorized for any doctoral student who has not been admitted to candidacy.

A student is required to possess a competent command of English. For English language proficiency requirements, see the Admissions section of this catalog. The doctoral (PhD) foreign language requirement at Texas A&M University is a departmental option, to be administered and monitored by the individual departments of academic instruction.

99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees

In Texas, public colleges and universities are funded by the state according to the number of students enrolled. In accordance with legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, the number of hours for which state universities may receive subvention funding at the doctoral rate for any individual is limited to 99 hours. Texas A&M and other universities will not receive subvention for hours in excess of the limit.

Institutions of higher education are allowed to charge the equivalent of non-resident tuition to a resident doctoral student who has enrolled in 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral coursework.

Doctoral students at Texas A&M have seven years to complete their degree before being charged out-of-state tuition. A doctoral student who, after seven years of study, has accumulated 100 or more doctoral hours will be charged tuition at a rate equivalent to out-of-state tuition. Please note that the tuition increases will apply to Texas residents as well as students from other states and countries who are currently charged tuition at the resident rate. This includes those doctoral students who hold GAT, GANT, and GAR appointments or recipients of competitive fellowships who receive more than $1,000 per semester. Doctoral students who have not accumulated 100 hours after seven years of study are eligible to pay in-state tuition if otherwise eligible.

Doctoral students who exceed the credit limit will receive notification from the Graduate and Professional School during the semester in which they are enrolled and exceeding the limit in their current degree program. The notification will explain that the State of Texas does not provide funding for any additional hours in which a student is enrolled in excess of 99 hours. Texas A&M University will recover the lost funds by requiring students in excess of 99 hours to pay tuition at the non-funded, non-resident rate. This non-funded, non-resident tuition rate status will be updated for the following semester and in all subsequent semesters until receipt of a doctoral degree. Please see the  Tuition Calculator  at the non-resident rate for an example of potential charges.

The following majors are exempt from the 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees and have a limit of 130 doctoral hours:

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
• Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Sciences
• Microbiology
• Neurosciences (College of Medicine)
• Oral and Craniofacial Biomedical Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health Sciences
• School Psychology

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

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Department of Entomology

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Ph.D. Degree Requirements, effective Summer 2024

Ph.D. Degree Requirements, effective 2019

Ph.D. Plan of Study, effective 2019

The Ohio State Entomology graduate faculty are based on the Columbus campus and CFAES Wooster campus. Faculty in other departments may serve as advisors, subject to the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee.

Our Graduate Faculty offer training and experience in the following fields of specialization: Acarology, Aquatic Entomology, Apiculture, Biological Control, Chemical Ecology, Economic Entomology, Environmental Toxicology, Insect Behavior, Insect Biochemistry, Insect Ecology, Insect Genetics, Insect Morphology, Insect Pest Management, Insect Physiology, Insect Toxicology, Insect Virology, Insect Vectors, Insect-plant Interactions, Medical and Veterinary Entomology, Molecular Biology, Soil Ecology, Urban Entomology, and Systematic Entomology. 

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Graduate Studies

Training the next generation of entomologists.

Welcome to the graduate field of entomology at Cornell University. We house the oldest entomology program in the United States and has a world-wide impact on entomological research.

Our program has particular strengths in the following areas: insect-plant interactions and chemical ecology; insect-microbe interactions; pest-management and biological control; outreach, public education, and citizen science; and insect diversity and systematic entomology.

M.S. & Ph.D.

Our program includes between 35-40 graduate students pursuing M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Read more about the application process, course requirements and more.

Also in this section

• Resources for current students
• Our students
• Funding for graduate studies
• Graduate application requirements

Cornell Graduate Field System

The Graduate School at Cornell is organized into “training fields” that span college and department administrative units. Fields draw their faculty from multiple disciplines, so students have access to a diversity of scholarship in their respective areas of study. Faculty may belong to multiple graduate fields, so individual research labs may include students engaged in distinct training programs. The field of entomology currently includes faculty belonging to the Departments of Entomology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology ,  Neurobiology and Behavior , Microbiology , the Boyce Thompson Institute and the USDA-ARS station at Cornell. Students in the field of entomology have opportunities to interact with faculty across the biological sciences at Cornell.

• Explore our graduate field faculty

Please contact us with any questions you might have about graduate education in entomology at Cornell.

Graduate Field Administrative Assistant Stephanie Westmiller st342 [at] cornell.edu (st342[at]cornell[dot]edu)

Director of Graduate Studies Jennifer Thaler, Ph.D. jst37 [at] cornell.edu (jst37[at]cornell[dot]edu)

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Ph.D. program 

The Department of Entomology offers graduate degrees in the areas of pest management, biological control, toxicology, physiology, behavior, systematics, migration, population ecology, apiculture, and molecular genetics. 

Opportunities are available for research dealing with insect biology in native and agricultural systems, including, pests of row crops, vegetables, ornamentals, households, and structures, as well as insect pests of medical and veterinary importance

Department of Entomology, Ph.D

The Ph.D. is the highest degree offered by universities and requires a dissertation project. Students in the Ph.D. program must exhibit unmistakable mastery of a broad major field (evidenced by passing the general exam), and a proven ability to complete a significant program of original research by preparing a dissertation embodying creative scholarship and passing a rigorous final examination.

The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major professor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

Requirements for Doctoral Degree

Students in the Ph.D. program must pass a comprehensive general exam on coursework, general knowledge, and critical thinking ability. Upon completion of the dissertation, the student will schedule the final examination consisting of consists of an exit seminar and an oral defense and is concerned primarily with dissertation research and related problems. A dissertation is required.

Curricular requirements include:

A doctoral program involves at least three years of full-time study beyond the baccalaureate degree. It is the responsibility of the advisory committee to determine the total number and types of courses to be taken to suit the needs of each student. At least 18 hours of coursework must be graduate (7000) level. 

For incoming students without a master’s degree in entomology, a minimum of 30 hours of coursework plus 24 hours of dissertation research is required. Students with a master’s degree in entomology who transfer courses to satisfy required course requirements must take at least 18 additional hours of coursework. 

This includes:

• 3 hours of special topics
• 2 hours of seminar
• 1 hour of teaching practicum
• 36 hours of dissertation research. 

The doctorate must be completed within seven years from the time a student is classified as a doctoral student.

Each PhD candidate is required to assist in teaching a course for a minimum of one semester. They are required to register for ENTM 7010: Teaching Practicum (1-3 credit hours). Each Ph.D. student is required to present two seminars to the department while enrolled in ENTM 7007.

The general exam is oral but may also contain written questions from individual committee members. The exam is taken after most of the student’s coursework is completed, normally after two full years of graduate study.

Final Examination/Dissertation Defense Requirements

The final examination consists of an exit seminar and an oral defense and is concerned primarily with dissertation research and related problems. Upon completion of the dissertation and early in his/her final semester, the student will schedule the final examination. The defense is public, and the student is expected to publicize the exit seminar.

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: Graduate Student Services, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Inquiries for admission may be made to the department head, graduate advisor, or any faculty member. Successful applicants must meet the Graduate School requirements for admission. A 3.0 GPA and a minimum score of 300 (combined verbal and quantitative) on the GRE are required for a graduate research assistantship or fellowship. The department also requires three letters of recommendation and a statement of interest in entomology from each applicant.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of departmental assistantships and fellowships are available on a competitive basis. Departmental assistantships are valued at $21,000 for MS students and $23,000 for PhD students and include a waiver of nonresident tuition. For more information about financial assistance, contact the department head.

Funding and Fellowships

Assistantships and fellowships.

Incoming graduate students are encouraged to apply for University and Departmental assistantships. LSU offers highly competitive research fellowships and assistantships for outstanding M.S. and Ph.D. students. These are administered through the Department, Graduate School and the College of Agriculture, and most require applications that should be submitted by mid-February for the following Fall semester.

In addition, graduate research assistantships are awarded by the Department to qualified students on a competitive basis and are half-time (i.e., 20 hours/week) research appointments. Students must maintain satisfactory performance to remain on an assistantship. This requires maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), and satisfactory progress on research. The expected periods of time for students to complete the M.S. and Ph. D. degrees are 2 ½ and 4-5 years, respectively, and departmental assistantships are generally not extended beyond these time periods. Stipends for graduate students vary depending on the source of funds and possible supplements (i.e., from the Graduate School or grants). Tuition (but not other fees) is waived for students receiving graduate assistantships.

Departmental Awards and Scholarships

The L.D. Newsom Graduate Student Award in Entomology This award is given to individuals who exhibit excellence in academic achievement and graduate research in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. One award is available for nominees in the M.S. program and one award for a Ph.D. candidate each year. The amount of each award is $1,000. Deadline for application is March 1 of each year.

The Boethel Scholarship Graduate Student Award in Entomology This award is given to a full time M.S. or Ph.D. student who exhibits excellence in academic achievement and has made satisfactory progress on his/her graduate degree program in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. Preference is given to students with research in the area of integrated pest management. One award is available for a nominee in the M.S. or Ph.D. program each year. The amount of the award is $1,000. Deadline for application is July 1 of each year. 

The Roussel Scholarship Graduate Student Award in Entomology This award is be given to a full time M.S. or Ph.D. student who exhibits excellence in academic achievement and has made satisfactory progress on his/her graduate degree program in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. Overall GPA must be overall GPA of 3.4 or greater. One award is available for a nominee in the M.S. or Ph.D. program each year. The amount of the award is $1,000. Deadline for application is July 1 of each year.

LSU Campus Wide Award

Distinguished Dissertation Award in Science and Engineering A nominee is selected from within the Entomology Department by the Student Awards Committee and forwarded to the College of Agriculture(COA). Nominations are due at the COA in early December. The COA selects one nominee which is submitted for competition at the university level.

Entomological Society of America Awards

John Henry Comstock Award  This award, given by the National Office of the ESA to promote interest in the science of entomology at the graduate level and to stimulate interest in attending the national conference, consists of an all-expenses-paid trip to the ESA national conference, plus $100 cash and a certificate. It is given to one graduate student from each Branch. Each Entomology Department in the Southeastern Branch nominates one Ph.D. student. Each nomination should contain a detailed resume prepared according to ESA requirements submitted by departments to the SEB-ESA Awards Committee. Nomination packets should be given to the departmental Student Awards Committee chair and this committee selects the department nominee. The departmental nominee’s packet is due at the SEB on July 1st.

Kirby L. Hays Award  This award is sponsored by the Southeastern Branch and is given each year to an outstanding Master’s student. The recipient is given $250 and a plaque at the Annual Branch Meeting. Each Department nominates one student. Each nomination should contain a detailed resume prepared according to ESA requirements. The Student Awards Committee selects the departmental nominee after a call for nominations around July 1st and submits the nominee to the SEB by September 1st. 

Robert T. Gast Award and Southeastern Branch Student Award These two awards are given annually to a Ph.D. and M.S. student, respectively, presenting the best research paper as judged by both oral presentation and written work. The Gast Award recipient is given $500 and the Southeastern Branch Student Award recipient is given $250. Plaques are presented to both winners at the Annual Branch Meeting. Runners-up for these awards each receive $100 and a plaque. The deadline for nominations is coincident with the deadline for receipt of titles and abstracts for student paper competitions at the SEB Annual Meeting, usually September or October. The paper submitted for consideration cannot have been submitted for publication prior to this deadline.

Southeastern Branch Outstanding Student Display Presentation Award This award is given annually to the student presenting the best research paper in a display format based on both the presentation and a written summary. The recipient is given $100 and a plaque at the Annual Branch Meeting. The deadline is announced annually and materials are sent to the SEB. 

Other Awards

Students are encouraged to compete for travel and research awards from various sources on campus such as the LSU Sigma Xi Chapter and the Graduate School and nationally from federal agencies (e.g. National Science Foundation’s Dissertation Improvement Grants, EPA Star Fellowships), professional societies (e.g. Sigma Xi, American Women in Science), private foundations (e.g., The Nature Conservancy), and industry. 

GRADUATE Student handbook

LSU GRADUATE school

LSU COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

Michael J. Stout Professor and Head, Department of Entomology 225-578-1837 [email protected]

Graduate Faculty

Aaron Ashbrook Arthropod Pests of Urban and Peri-Urban Environment

Jeffrey Davis   Soybean IPM, aphids, and sweet potatoes 

Rodrigo Diaz Invasive species ecology and biological control

Honglin Feng Insect physiology and symbiosis 

Lane Foil IPM of insects affecting livestock; lice 

Kristen Healy Arthropods of Public & Animal Health; honeybees

Fangneng Huang Grain Crop Pest Management

Claudia Husseneder Molecular Biology of Insects & their Symbionts

Todd Johnson Forest Entomology

James Ottea Insect Pest Management, Cotton Entomology

Michael J. Stout Host-Plant Resistance

Qian "Karen" Sun Urban entomology, termites, and ants

James Villegas  Field Crop IPM 

Blake Wilson Rice and Sugarcane Pests, Insecticides

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Entomology (PhD)

Program description.

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Entomology offered by the Department of Natural Resource Sciences in the Faculty of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences is a research-intensive program that emphasizes thought-provoking and practical learning opportunities. The program's objective is to equip students with skills in original thinking, literature review, and scientific communication to pursue professional opportunities in academia or industry.

The program may also be taken with one of the following options:

Environment option: offered in collaboration with the Bieler School of Environment, the program considers how various dimensions (scientific, social, legal, ethical) interact to define environment and sustainability issues.

Neotropical Environment option: designed for student s looking to focus their graduate research on environmental issues relevant to the Neotropics and Latin American countries.

Keywords: arthropod, ecology, physiology, zoogeography, diversity, systematics

Unique Program Features

• Students have access to facilities and resources for aquatic, terrestrial and laboratory studies in such areas as ecology, population dynamics, pest management, physiology, pathology and systematics;
• The Department is affiliated with the Lyman Entomological Museum and Research Laboratory which houses nearly three million specimens;
• The main research areas include terrestrial arthropod ecology, physiology, zoogeography, diversity, and systematics;
• Graduates pursue careers in academia, environmental policy, government agencies, and throughout industry.

University-Level Admission Requirements

• An eligible Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA out of a possible 4.0 GPA
• English-language proficiency

Each program has specific admission requirements including required application documents. Please visit the program website for more details.

Visit our Educational credentials and grade equivalencies and English language proficiency webpages for additional information.

Program Website

PhD in Entomology website

Department Contact

Graduate Program gradstudies.macdonald [at] mcgill.ca (subject: PhD%20in%20Entomology) (email)

Available Intakes

Application deadlines.

Note : Application deadlines are subject to change without notice. Please check the application portal for the most up-to-date information.

Application Resources

• Application Steps webpage
• Submit Your Application webpage
• Connecting with a supervisor webpage
• Graduate Funding webpage

Application Workshops

Consult our full list of our virtual application-focused workshops on the Events webpage .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

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University of Manitoba

University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2

• Entomology (PhD)

The University of Manitoba PhD in Entomology provides exposure to diverse fields of entomology and related sciences with a focus on developing written and oral communications skills. Students will develop strong core competencies in research and thesis presentation, preparing them for advanced roles in entomology and related sciences.

Program details

Admission requirements.

• Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences • Faculty of Graduate Studies

• Doctor of Philosophy

Expected duration

Study with us.

The University of Manitoba is home to the only Department of Entomology in Canada.

Wallis-Roughly Museum of Entomology

Entomology students have access to on-site research facilities including the Wallis-Roughley Museum of Entomology, which is home to the third-largest research collection of insects in Canada.

Fields of research

Research in the Department of Entomology is equally divided between basic and applied studies. Some areas of focus include:

• Honeybee parasite management
• Insects as agents of biological control
• Crop and livestock entomology
• Arthropod ectoparasites of mammals and birds

Faculty expertise

The Department of Entomology has faculty with expertise in areas including:

• Apiculture and pollination biology
• Physiological, population and community ecology of insects
• Insect systematics
• Insect-vertebrate interactions
• Aquatic entomology

The Entomology PhD is a four-year program consisting of coursework and a substantial research component.

Doctor of Philosophy (Entomology)

Expected duration : 4 years

Tuition and fees:  Tuition fees are charged for terms one and two and terms four and five. A continuing fee is paid for term three, term six and each subsequent term. (Refer to Graduate tuition and fees .)

Coursework:

In addition to the minimum program requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, students must:

• Complete a minimum of six credit hours of coursework at the 7000 level or above.
• Complete ENTM 7220: Advanced Entomology or hold credit in ENTM 7150: Advanced Entomology.

Students must pass a candidacy exam, demonstrate competence in completing thesis research and pass an oral examination relating to their thesis subject.

Sample course offerings

• ENTM 7120: Insect Population Management
• ENTM 7150: Advanced Entomology 1
• ENTM 7200: Advanced Insect Taxonomy
• ENTM 7210: Special Topics in Entomology
• ENTM 7230: Advanced Pollination Biology
• ENTM Advances in Physiological Ecology of Insects

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

The following are minimum requirements to be considered for entry into the Entomology PhD program. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Normally students must complete and MSc degree before entering the program. However, students enrolled in an MSc program who demonstrate exceptional ability may – in the early stages of the program – request a transfer to a PhD program.

In addition to the admission requirements described here, all applicants must meet the minimum  admission and English language proficiency requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies .

How to apply

The PhD in Entomology has three application deadlines per year. Applications must be completed online and include several parts:

• $100 application fee (non-refundable)
• Unofficial copies of transcripts
• Curriculum vitae/resume
• Statement of intent
• Two letters of recommendation (must be requested from within the application)
• Proof of English Language Proficiency if required
• A short proposal of a research project the applicant considers suitable for the PhD

Please read the Faculty of Graduate Studies online application instructions before beginning your application.

Application deadlines

Applications open   up to 18 months prior  to start term.

Applicants must submit their online application with supporting documentation and application fee by the deadline date indicated.

Start or continue your application

Our researchers are working in creative ways to address the complex challenges facing the agricultural industry and the broader environmental and health-related challenges facing our society.

Financial aid and awards

Learn about the awards available to Entomology students.

Tuition and fees

Learn about tuition and fee requirements for graduate studies at UM.

Explore program requirements and detailed descriptions for required courses throughout the Entomology (PhD) program.

Explore the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences is continuously evolving to meet the changing needs of our world. Our mission is to develop people, ideas, knowledge and practices to support the provision of food, bio-resources and services that are healthy and sustainable for society, the environment and the agri-food sector.

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With over 140 programs across multiple faculties, schools and colleges, the University of Manitoba offers more learning, teaching and research opportunities than any other post-secondary institution in the province.

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Admission and application inquiries

Faculty of Graduate Studies Room 500 UMSU University Centre 65 Chancellors Circle University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

[email protected] Phone: 204-474-9377

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Program inquiries

Department of Entomology Room 214 Animal Science/Entomology Building 12 Dafoe Road University of Manitoba (Fort Garry Campus) Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

[email protected] Phone: 204-474-9257 Fax: 204-474-7628

Student Entomologists Gain Hands-On Skills in Insect Biology

This  In Focus  story is a part of The Student Researcher series.

Insect Scholars Program Provides Undergraduates With Skills in Biology and Entomology

• by José Vadi
• May 28, 2024

Distinguished Professor of Entomology Jay Rosenheim noticed a trend during his office hours a few years ago: Many of his undergraduate students wanted research lab experience but were unsure how to get started. Alongside colleagues Louie Yang and Joanna Chiu, they collectively decided to try something different in 2011.

“Our basic idea was to get students into the labs really early in their undergraduate programs,” Rosenheim recalled. “There’s a whole new set of skills that are very different from what students are typically working on in their formal coursework.”

The  Research Scholars Program in Insect Biology , colloquially known as Insect Scholars, aims to provide undergraduates with closely mentored research experience in biology. The program offers 10 to 12 academically strong and highly motivated undergraduates, including third-year transfer students, multiyear research experience that cultivates students’ skills for careers in biological research.

Applications open to enrolled students every January. Scholars are asked to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours weekly to the program. The program’s website notes that insects provide “model systems to explore virtually any area of biology,” creating potential research opportunities “across the full sweep of biology.” This year marks the 12th Insect Scholars cohort with over 110 students completing the program. 

Rosenheim emphasized how time is of the essence during a student’s initial attempts at lab work. 

“There may be two full years where they’re just learning different methods,” he said. “These hands-on research skills have to be acquired now, and you can’t do it overnight.”

Studying the monarch butterfly and climate change

P.J. Singh is a third-year biology major, loves monarchs and plays trombone in the UC Davis jazz ensembles. After an introductory biology class his first year, Singh received a department email newsletter about the Insect Scholars “and it just clicked with my interest.” 

“I really like doing things hands-on,” he explained, “and applying what I learn.”

Singh is currently working with Louie Yang studying ecology, climate change and monarch butterflies. He estimates he spends 60% to 70% of his field research time outdoors at the Pollinator Study Garden at the  Western Center for Agricultural Equipment working in a lab with undergraduate and graduate students during spring and summer quarters.

Singh monitors milkweed growths and greenhouse-grown caterpillar eggs used to rear monarchs used in the lab. He takes the caterpillars to the  Butterfly Study Garden to observe “their behaviors that they exhibit when they get scared and they drop off plants,” he said. 

“We look at climate change and how global warming impacts the species and their behavior,” he explained, with his project analyzing optimal temperatures for rearing caterpillars and survivability as it gets hotter.

Singh’s fall and winter quarters are predominately dedicated to lab and data analysis. He described the research lab onboarding as “a hurdle that you need to overcome” filled with an overwhelming number of steps and processes. 

“I was struggling with just reading one paper a week. With the right mentorship, it makes it easier — where to start, how to read a paper, how to look at graphs, figures, and slowly develop your own ideas and projects,” Singh said. “Now it’s a lot more doable.”

Weekly meetings within each lab allowed students, postdocs and lab leaders to present their current projects and research papers, giving undergraduate scholars examples to help sharpen their own lens in the lab. Students are also mentored in grant writing, with several publishing research papers before they graduate, and finding funding for their projects. 

“One of the things that we talk about the most,” Rosenheim said, “is ‘how do you choose a question? What’s a good question to choose and how do you choose among questions that occur to you?’”

Singh’s work with butterflies “puts into perspective how all species are important and play a role in ecology,” he said. “No one species carries an environment.”

Singh is still debating graduate or medical school, but his experience with the Insect Scholars program confirmed his interest in fields requiring research and critical thinking.

Documenting California’s insect life

Kaitai Liu is a third-year entomology major whose interest in insects began as a child in Beijing.

“My grandfather took care of me when I was really young,” Liu said, “and he would catch some grasshoppers for me to play with.”

In high school, Liu participated in the China National Biology Olympiad, a part of the International Biology Olympiad, for secondary students in grades 10 and 11. There, he realized, “I really like systematics and taxonomy.” He decided to pursue entomology. 

Though he was accepted into a university in China, he chose UC Davis for its entomology department and moved to Davis sight unseen. 

Liu is now completing his second year as a scholar in Jason Bond’s lab, which focuses on the “systematics of spiders” and a project about the reproductive structures of millipedes.   Bond’s lab matches Liu’s passion — using systematics and taxonomy to describe and define new species — as well as studying the evolution of spiders and millipedes. 

Liu is contributing to the California Insect Barcode Initiative, part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order around climate change. The state-funded project’s goal is to document all the insect life throughout California. Students like Liu send images and specific insect specimens to the California Academy of Sciences where their DNA is extracted and sequenced. “We can have both the image and their genetic data,” Liu said.

Liu described his lab schedule as flexible, allowing him to balance weekly hourly commitments and academic priorities like midterms or finals. He continues his work in Bond’s lab and the university’s Bohart Museum of Entomology. 

“I got a chance to meet with a lot of entomologists and talk to them about their projects,” Liu said, “and get some inspiration from their experience.”

Conducting monarch butterfly conservation research

Ian Jett is a third-year entomology major from Carlsbad, California. He joined Yang’s lab the spring quarter of his freshman year. 

“I’ve always been an outdoorsy person,” Jett said, “but I've never really pursued biology until I got to Davis.”

Originally on a pre-med academic track, Jett changed course after seeing a departmental email advertising the Insect Scholars.

“I read through the program, and I just jumped on it,” Jett said. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to start getting hands-on lab experience.”

Jett assists Yang’s lab with monarch conservation, helping to rear monarch caterpillars in the greenhouses for future controlled experiments and observation. The caterpillars’ food levels and lifecycle stage were also recorded daily. Jett also ensures their optimal temperatures, including a particular caterpillar who required “four different fridges at different stages in their life.” 

Jett’s first self-designed project took place at the Pollinator Study Garden, where multiple labs use at least 15 plots, or wards, for research. Within these plots, Jett explained, were different species of milkweed that attracted honeybees eager to collect nectar and pollen.

But there was a literal catch. 

“Honeybees tend to get stuck in the flowers due to the flower anatomy; they can’t get out and end up dying on the plant,” Jett said. “I was looking at what the effects of dead honeybees on the milkweed flowers had on other pollinators, to see if they would avoid the flowers or not, or how other honeybees would react behaviorally.”

Jett would visit the wards multiple times a week and prepare pairs of plants, ones that did not have a dead honeybee and ones where Jett planted a carcass himself. 

“I would take 10-minute videos of the plants to see if the frequency of other honeybees visiting the plant was changed based on the presence of the dead honeybee and the effect the carcass had on other insects.”

Jett collected over 20 hours of footage, noting the number of honeybees who visited and other insects present. Describing this initial experiment as “surface level,” Jett identified additional layers to study more in depth this summer, including insect-plant relationships, social systems and impact of pollinators.

“You have to take initiative because it’s like an independent kind of program,” Jett explained. “It’s on you as the student to reach out and ask people in your lab for help.”

After meeting faculty and other students, Jett changed his major to entomology and is considering grad school. He plans to stay in Yang’s lab and then pursue conservation work with organizations like the National Park Service and continue research into the biological control of invasive species.

“My career should be something that I’m happy doing, something that would allow me to be more outdoors in my career,” he said. “Interacting with the environment and getting involved in conservation resonated with me.”

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