Master of Science Degree, with a major in Natural Resource Sciences
Graduate Application Entrance Requirements (updated 08/2011)
Full Graduate Status
Each applicant shall meet the following minimum entrance requirements to be eligible for admission with full graduate standing:
- A Bachelors degree in Natural Resources or related field.
- Experience, knowledge, and coursework relevant to the intended field of study, which could include: physical and biological sciences; humans as components of natural resource systems; and natural/human resource information gathering and synthesis.
- Approval of an Advisor* in the School of Natural Resources with whom you have consulted and he/she agrees to be your advisor.
- GRE with minimum recommended scores of 1120 for Verbal and Quantitative combined and 4.0 for Analytical Writing.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4 point system).
- Three letters of recommendation. Letters should be from previous academic advisors, supervisors, etc. that can provide information about your knowledge and abilities not letters from your potential advisor.
- Statement of purpose. Statement of purpose should include a clear vision of how the degree you are seeking fits your career goals.
*Applications without a confirmed advisor will not be reviewed for admission.
For international applicants for whom English is not the first language, the TOEFL exam is required, with a minimum score of:
- 550 paper-based
- 213 computer-based
- 79 web-based
Provisional Status
- A student may be admitted as provisional if any of the above academic criteria are not met. Course deficiencies are typically made up in the first semester of enrollment. These courses are determined by the prospective advisor and approved by the SNR Graduate Committee. Course deficiencies will be listed on the student's Memorandum of Courses but will be in addition to the 30-credit degree requirement. The student must receive a grade of B or better in each course to remove deficiencies. Students who are admitted on a provisional basis due to background deficiencies may be eligible for financial assistance depending on the number of background courses required.
- An applicant whose GRE or GPA scores are below the entrance requirements must receive a grade of B or better in two graduate level courses (typically taken in the first semester of course work) to remove the provisional status. The courses are determined by the prospective advisor and approved by the SNR Graduate Committee.
- "A student is admitted to Candidacy for the masters degree when admission deficiencies have been removed and when the ability to perform satisfactorily in graduate studies has been demonstrated, by filing a Memorandum of Courses . . . " (Graduate Studies Bulletin). M.S. students must have deficiencies resolved and/or the provisional status removed before the SNR graduate Committee will approve the Memorandum of Courses (i.e., Graduate Committee Chair signs the Memorandum).
- For applicants whose TOEFL score is below that required to be considered for admittance into the graduate program, they must retake the exam and receive a TOEFL score of 550 or better or successfully complete the Intensive English Program offered through the Department of English at UNL.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), with a major in Natural Resource Sciences
Graduate Application Entrance Requirements (updated 08/2011)
Full Graduate Status
Each applicant shall meet the following minimum entrance requirements to be eligible for admission with full graduate standing:
- A Masters degree in Natural Resources or related field.
- Experience, knowledge, and coursework relevant to the intended field of study, which could include: physical and biological sciences; humans as components of natural resource systems; and natural/human resource information gathering and synthesis.
- Approval of an Advisor* in the School of Natural Resources with whom you have consulted and he/she agrees to be your advisor.
- GRE with minimum recommended scores of 1120 for Verbal and Quantitative combined and 4.0 for Analytical Writing.
- Minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4 point system).
- Three letters of recommendation. Letters should be from previous academic advisors, supervisors, etc. that can provide information about your knowledge and abilities not letters from your potential advisor.
- Statement of purpose. Statement of purpose should include a clear vision of how the degree you are seeking fits your career goals.
*Applications without a confirmed advisor will not be reviewed for admission
For international applicants for whom English is not the first language, the TOEFL exam is required, with a minimum score of:
- 550 paper-based
- 213 computer-based
- 79 web-based
Provisional Status
- A student may be admitted as provisional if any of the above academic criteria are not met. Course deficiencies are typically made up in the first semester of enrollment. These courses are determined by the prospective advisor and approved by the SNR Graduate Committee. Course deficiencies will be added on the student's Program of Studies and will be in addition to the 90-credit degree requirement. The student must receive a grade of B or better in each course to remove the deficiencies. Students who are admitted on a provisional basis due to background deficiencies may be eligible for financial assistance depending on the number of background courses required.
- An applicant whose GRE or GPA scores are below the entrance requirements must receive a grade of B or better in two graduate level courses (typically taken in the first semester of course work) to remove the provisional status. The courses are determined by the prospective advisor and approved by the SNR Graduate Committee.
- For applicants whose TOEFL score is below that required to be considered for admittance into the graduate program, they must retake the exam and receive a TOEFL score of 550 or higher or successfully complete the Intensive English Program offered through the Department of English at UNL.
