Graduate Programs

Our Department of Biology graduate program comprises approximately 20 students supported by both research and teaching assistantships. Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) services approximately 12,000 students and is a public university in Richmond, Kentucky, located about 30 minutes south of Lexington, Kentucky, and two hours north of Knoxville, Tennessee. Numerous recreational opportunities may be found nearby, with the Daniel Boone National Forest and Red River Gorge and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area each about 1.5 hours from Richmond and Mammoth Cave National Park just 3 hours away. Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be reached in about 4 hours. For those interested in attending cultural or sporting events, Richmond, Lexington, Cincinnati, Louisville and Knoxville offer many events throughout the year.

For prospective students interested in ecology and evolutionary biology, EKU is located in the Outer Bluegrass Ecoregion and is within an hour’s drive to a diversity of ecoregions (Interior Plateau, Southwestern Appalachians and Western Allegheny Plateau). Notably, EKU’s Division of Natural Areas manages three field stations spanning early successional, secondary growth and old growth systems. Further, EKU has a long pedigree of mentoring students engaged in field ecology and working in scientific collections. Our faculty mentors students conducting research across a variety of terrestrial and aquatic systems and actively seeks out students for floral and faunal research.

For prospective students interested in cell-based and biomedical sciences, our researchers have access to state-of-the-art biomedical suites, constructed in 2017, and are able to conduct a wide range of scientific equipment ranging from cellular to whole animal levels. Further, partnerships with R1 universities in the region afford our students access to molecular core facilities. The Master of Science in Biology program comprises approximately 20 students supported by both research and teaching assistantships.

Multiple teaching assistantships are awarded to incoming master’s students every fall. Teaching assistantships include a partial (66%) tuition waiver and a stipend of $11,200 per academic year. Further, research assistantships may also be available through individual faculty members, and many graduate students are funded through summer months while conducting thesis research.

As a school of opportunity, EKU fosters personal growth and prepares students to contribute to the success and vitality of their communities, the Commonwealth and the world. EKU is committed to access, equal opportunity, dignity, respect and inclusion for all people, as integral to a learning environment in which intellectual creativity and diversity thrive.

How to Start the Application Process

Students wishing to be admitted in the Master of Science in Biology program must have a faculty member from the Department of Biological Sciences agree to serve as their advisor should they be accepted to the program. Students are strongly encouraged to review the faculty research interests in the Department of Biological Sciences faculty directory. Applicants should contact (via email or phone) faculty with similar research interests to their own to discuss details of a program of study suitable to their interests and to determine if the faculty member is accepting new students and would be willing to serve as their advisor. Once a faculty member has agreed to be an applicant’s advisor, the student and the faculty member should inform the Graduate Coordinator and fill out and sign the Graduate Studies Advisor Agreement Form which will be submitted along with other application materials to the graduate school. Applications will not be considered complete unless this form is completed and included with the application materials.

Upon receipt of all application materials to the graduate school, the materials will be sent to the Department of Biological Sciences for evaluation. DO NOT SEND APPLICATION MATERIALS DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT.

Applicants should have an undergraduate major in an area of the biological sciences. Supporting courses in chemistry, physics and mathematics are recommended. Any deficiencies in a successful applicant’s undergraduate training will be specified by the department’s Graduate Affairs Committee at the time of admission. Graduate Record Exams are not required for admission into our program.

If you have questions, please contact Dr. Oliver Oakley, the interim graduate program coordinator for the department (email oliver.oakley@eku.edu, phone: 859-622-3057).

Application Process

To be admitted into the M.S. degree program in biology, you must first apply online to the graduate school. All application materials must be on file with the EKU Graduate School to be considered for a graduate assistantship. Consideration of applications by the Graduate Affairs Committee will begin on February 1, with a rolling deadline for applications thereafter. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration for graduate assistantships. Please submit all required documentation which includes:

• Completed application form (must include a statement of personal and professional objectives)
• Payment of application fee
• GPA and official transcript(s)
• Three letters of recommendation
• The Departmental Experience and Essay Form
• The Graduate Studies Advisor Agreement Form
• All applicants must meet the general requirements established by the Office of Graduate Education and Research for clear admission. Final acceptance of an applicant is determined by the Graduate Affairs Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences.

Graduate assistantships (GAs) are university employment positions for graduate students only. GAs work a set number of hours per week learning valuable skills relevant to their educational goals. In addition, each GA earns a salary and receives a scholarship of up to 6 hours. Examples of GA duties are laboratory supervision, teaching and research-related tasks.

In the Department of Biological Sciences, multiple teaching assistantships are competitively awarded to incoming master’s students every fall. All application materials must be on file with the EKU Graduate School to be considered for a graduate assistantship. Consideration of applications by the Graduate Affairs Committee will begin on February 1, with a rolling deadline for applications thereafter. Prospective students are encouraged to apply early to ensure full consideration for graduate assistantships. Further, part-time teaching opportunities are commonly available for students not awarded assistantships. Teaching assistantships include a partial (66%) tuition waiver and a stipend of $11,200 per academic year. Research assistantships may also be available through individual faculty members, and many graduate students are funded through summer months while conducting thesis research.