Program description

The Frontiers Master’s Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan has three primary goals: 

a) To bring students to the study of ecology and evolution who might not otherwise have considered it

b) To give students opportunities to learn about the full range of subjects in ecology and evolution

c) To prepare students to succeed in top-rated Ph.D. programs in ecology and evolution. 

The Frontier’s Program includes the following elements:

• Exploration of a wide range of questions in ecology and evolutionary biology and their applications to solving problems in areas such as sustainability, health, and conservation
• Experience in the full range of approaches to studying topics in ecology and evolutionary biology from field work in natural ecosystems to molecular biology in a laboratory
• Completion of a focused research project with a supportive research mentor
• Integration with students in our Ph.D. program by sharing office space, seminars and discussion groups, fall retreat, teaching training, and core courses
• Opportunity to develop teaching skills and experience, with extensive training and ongoing support
• Research and career development workshops on topics such as career options, choosing a research topic, grant writing, presentation skills, research ethics, applying to Ph.D. programs.
• Monitoring of progress and advising by a faculty program director and staff committed to enhancing the diversity of the discipline in general and our department in particular

The summer before enrollment, students spend an eight week summer session at the U-M Biological Station (UMBS) in Pellston, MI.  Each student takes one course, attends an appropriate subset of developmental workshops, and works with a research mentor on a relatively small-scale field or laboratory project.  During the academic year, students conduct two six week rotations in faculty laboratories and work as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs), participating in our departmental GSI training program.  All students in the program take at least one seminar class each year and participate in one journal club, as well as participate in the lab meetings of their research advisor.  Students spend their second summer on campus, at UMBS, or in the field conducting research in close collaboration with their faculty mentor.

Funding

The Frontiers Master’s Program in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan is a fully-funded Master’s program.  This means that students in good standing receive a stipend, tuition and health care for two years at rates determined by University of Michigan policies.  We anticipate that support will be available for four incoming students each academic year.

Funding for the program is provided by:
The Michigan AGEP Alliance
U-M Rackham Graduate School
U-M College of Literature, Science and the Arts

Eligibility and selection criteria

Students will be admitted into the Frontiers Program based on a) their academic promise, b) their potential to benefit from a broad-based training program, and c) their contribution to enhancing the diversity of students in the disciplines of ecology and evolution.

This last criterion will be assessed by the students’ background in one or more of the following areas:

• An educational, cultural, or geographic background that is underrepresented in ecology & evolutionary biology
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering diversity
• Experience of financial hardship
• First-generation U.S. citizen OR first-generation college graduate

Students who do not meet any of these criteria are encourage to apply to our traditional Master’s program in EEB.

Application procedures

Deadline information
February 1 for the Fall term.

How to apply
Application materials need to be sent to both the EEB Department and Rackham Graduate School. A complete departmental application, which is due February 1, includes the following materials:

-- A completed on-line application form (You only need to submit this once, you do not need to send additional hard copies to either Rackham Graduate School or the department.)

-- A statement of purpose (which can also be submitted online)

-- A personal statement

-- One set of official transcripts from ALL schools where undergraduate level courses were taken

-- Three letters of recommendation with the official Rackham Recommendation Form cover sheet (which can also be submitted online)

-- Official GRE scores (codes:  1839: University of Michigan and 0207: Ecology)

-- Official TOEFL, MELAB, or IELTS scores
(only for international applicants or non-native speakers of English)
Send departmental materials to:
U-M EEB Department Graduate Office, 2019 Natural Science Bldg., 830 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048

Materials that need to be sent directly to Rackham include:

-- A completed on-line application form

-- A statement of purpose (which can also be submitted online)

-- One set of official transcripts from all schools where undergraduate level courses were taken

Send Rackham materials to:
University of Michigan, Rackham Graduate Admissions Office, Suite #120 Rackham Graduate School, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1070
For more information about Rackham, the admissions process, and application information, contact the EEB graduate coordinator at the address listed below, or go to http://www.rackham.umich.edu/Admis/prosp/apply.html.


Contact information

For general enquiries about applying to graduate school in EEB, please contact:

Graduate Coordinator

Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
2019 Natural Science Building
830 N. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
Phone: (734) 615-7338

For specific enquiries about eligibility or content of the Frontiers Program, please contact:

Mark D. Hunter, Professor
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
2019 Natural Science Building
830 N. University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048
mdhunter@umich.edu