Information on admission to the graduate school is available through the Cal Poly Graduate Admissions web page. Prospective students are encouraged to contact faculty members before applying to locate an advisor with whom they would like to work while at Cal Poly.

Admission for Fall quarter is the standard policy; admission at other times will be considered only under extenuating circumstances.  The deadline for Fall quarter admission applications is February 1st.  This is a departmental policy, and differs from the deadline listed in the current catalog.

Steps to admission:

• Eligibility determined by Admissions Office
• Acceptance determined by Biological Sciences Department
• Admission classification categories:
  Graduate Classified-students believed to have necessary background and preparation
  Graduate Conditionally Classified-students with deficiencies in their background

Department Admissions Requirements:

In addition to Cal Poly university-wide admission requirements (see catalogue or admission form), admission into the graduate program in the Biological Sciences Department requires the following:

• A minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units) taken as an undergraduate.
• Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test. The sum of the Verbal and Quantitative section scores should be at least 1000.
• Two letters of reference from persons familiar with recent academic or work performance of the applicant.
• Two official transcripts in sealed envelopes from each college or university previously attended.  Transcripts should be sent to the University Admissions Office.
• A one page typed Statement of Purpose describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study in the Biological Sciences at Cal Poly, your specific areas of interest, and any other information you consider pertinent.  This Statement of Purpose is critical in the evaluation of candidates.

Candidates with GPA or GRE scores below the minimum will be considered only under extenuating circumstances

Course work in the following areas is considered as important background for success in the program and is a prerequisite for attaining Classified status. Students who are deemed to have deficiencies in their preparation are Conditionally Classified and required to take courses to strengthen their background. These courses cannot be included as part of the Formal Study Plan.

Prerequisites for attaining Classified Status:

• One year of introductory course work in biology including, but not limited to, general biology, general zoology, general botany, and general microbiology.
• One course in each of the following areas:

genetics, ecology, physiology, taxonomy (systematics of a major group of organisms), general inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, college algebra & trigonometry.