FWCB Prospective Graduate Students

All students (except those in the Plan C Online M.F.W.C.B. degree) are admitted to our graduate programs on an individual basis depending upon the availability of funded projects obtained by each faculty member.

Please research our faculty profiles (here) to determine which faculty have research interests similar to your own. We rarely accept graduate students without sufficient funding to support their program.  Thus, research faculty websites and directly contact faculty whose research aligns with your career goals to determine if they have funding available and are accepting new students.

It is not recommended that you submit an application for admission without an FWCB faculty member who is interested to recommend you for admission to the FWCB graduate program.

Admission decisions are based on academic performance, letters of recommendations, work experience, evidence of scientific productivity, leadership qualities, and a personal statement. GRE scores are not required to apply to Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology graduate program. Students with a cumulative undergraduate GPA above 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) meet minimal requirements. We have many highly qualified applicants; therefore, if you do not exceed these minimum standards, you are not encouraged to apply.  Final recommendation by the department to the Graduate Admission Office and Graduate School is determined by the FWCB Graduate Committee based on the information above.

If your undergraduate or graduate degree is in an area outside of the physical, chemical, or biological sciences such as liberal arts, business, education, or psychology, you probably are not eligible for the FWCB graduate program. One option may be to complete a second bachelor’s degree or take course work to strengthen your background for possible graduate admission later. Also, students in our program generally may not apply for a Ph.D. program without first earning a M.S. degree.

Students interested in an advanced degree who have at least 2 years of full-time professional employment post-bachelor’s degree with work focusing on FWCB or a closely related field may wish to apply for our course-work only, online Plan C Master’s of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (M.F.W.C.B.) degree.

Students interested in an interdisciplinary program may wish to apply to CSU’s Graduate Degree Program in Ecology.

For general information regarding graduate school, please see the CSU graduate school webpage.

If you have more specific questions about our graduate program, you can check our FAQ’s or contact us:
Colorado State University
109D Wagar Building
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474
Email:  WCNR_FWCB_Info@Mail.ColoState.EDU
Phone: (970) 491-5020
Fax: (970) 491-5091

Current graduate students of the department drafted the two following guides, based on their experiences, with the intention to help prospective students join the department.

The FWCB Graduate Students “Survival” Guide includes information regarding Colorado residency, Salary, Fees, Student Health Insurance Plan, Financial aid, Retirement Plans, Graduate Assistant Parental Leave, Grants, Fellowships and Scholarships, and Off-campus discounts.

The FWCB International Graduate Students “Survival” Guide covers additional considerations for international students. It contains information regarding life in Colorado, visa and graduate school requirements specific to international students.