Skip to Main Content

The University of Tennessee

University of Tennessee Department of Classics

Frequently Used Tools:



Welcome! » Graduate Program » Graduate Admissions


Application Procedures

Applications for admission to the M.S. and Ph.D. programs in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) are accepted once a year. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is 15 December for those applicants wishing to enroll in the fall or spring semester of the following academic year.

We place a premium on substantial prior research experience, along with an academic background consistent with a bachelor’s degree in one of the life sciences. Some applicants may be deficient in some areas of ecology and evolutionary biology. However, ecology and evolutionary biology are diverse fields, so there is no explicit set of courses required, and particular potential advisors may be willing to advise highly qualified applicants from a variety of educational backgrounds.

In general, applicants are expected to have an overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 point scale, and 3.0 or above for all science and mathematics courses. Successful applicants will usually have GPAs well above these minima. In addition, applicants are required to submit scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and successful applicants will usually score in the 80th percentile or higher on the verbal, quantitative, and analytical sections of the GRE. Successful applicants typically have research experience as an undergraduate, or have completed a Masters thesis in an appropriate field. Applicants whose native language is not English must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum required scores are noted in the section on English Certification in the Graduate Catalog.

Applicants are expected to make direct contact with potential research advisers prior to submitting an application. In general, only those applicants for whom at least one potential research adviser (thesis or dissertation) has been identified will be accepted.

Successful applicants are awarded either Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) or Graduate Research Assistantships (GRAs). In 2007-2008, GTAs are supported with a stipend of $18,500, a tuition waiver, and health insurance. GRAs are assigned by individual faculty members who have available grant support for a particular line of research. Many of our students hold external fellowships, and we strongly encourage all applicants to apply for such fellowships.

Application Procedures

Potential applicants must apply for admission to the Office of Graduate and International Admissions (GIA) in addition to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Because application materials submitted to the GIA (see below) must be processed before being forwarded to the department, and because the department must consider an application to be incomplete until it has received both the material submitted directly to the GIA as well as that submitted directly to the department, it is highly recommended that applicants submit materials required by the GIA, including official GRE scores, by 1 December. Please note that official GRE scores must be received by the GIA directly from the Educational Testing Service, and this may delay their receipt by the GIA. This is especially important for applicants who are not citizens of the United States. It is the responsibility of the applicant to see to it that their application is complete.

The departmental application form, and forms to be given to those who will be providing references are linked below. Please save and mail a copy to the address listed in the right column. In addition, please email the form to cjlynn@utk.edu.

Items that are to be submitted to the department are:

  1. Application form
  2. Recommendation form and/or letter of recommendation from each of three individuals qualified to assess the applicant’s potential as a graduate student. These individuals will usually have known the applicant in an academic capacity, such as a previous academic adviser, or as the undergraduate or graduate research adviser. It is the applicant’s responsibility to be sure that all three references arrive in the EEB office by 15 December.
  3. Unofficial copies of transcripts of the applicant’s previous college/university level academic record.
  4. Scores on the GRE. The unofficial scores are sufficient until final copies can be received.

Mail these materials to:

Graduate Admissions
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
569 Dabney Hall
1416 Circle Drive
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-1610

Items to be submitted to the GIA are:

  1. GIA application form
  2. Application fee
  3. Official GRE scores
  4. Official TOEFL scores, if required
  5. Other information as required (e.g., financial statement for international applicants)

Mail these materials to:

Office of Graduate & International Admissions
201 Student Services Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0230

Contact Information

Dr. A. C. Echternacht, Chair
Graduate Admissions Committee
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
569 Dabney Hall
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-1610

Phone: (865) 974-3065
Fax: (865) 974-3067
Email: echterna@utk.edu