Masters in Biology Admission Requirements

All applicants must provide a complete application file, which contains the following items to be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies:

STEP ONE: Complete the online application for admission to the program.
STEP TWO: Have all official transcripts and test scores sent to the Office of Graduate Studies (208 University Drive, CUB 100, West Liberty, WV 26074). Please note: West Liberty University graduates do not need to provide transcripts.
STEP THREE: Check the status of your recommendation letters through your admissions portal.
STEP FOUR: Once you have a complete application, your file will be reviewed by the admission committee. Check on the status of your application at any time through your admissions portal.

Questions about Application Process:

For additional questions regarding the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies
at 304-336-8545.

Masters in Biology Admission Requirements:

A completed discipline-specific Bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4-year institution of higher education with an overall GPA of at least 2.6 and undergraduate science minimum GPA of 2.8.
- Undergraduate degrees should be in Biology, Ecology, Chemistry, or a related field. Consideration will be given to students receiving a Bachelor’s degree in an unrelated area as long as 18 are biology or ecology
  course credits were completed with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Three letters of recommendation
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) – A combined score (Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning) of 300 on the GRE with a score of at least 3.5 on the analytical writing portion. The Biology Subject Test GRE is not required. GRE must be taken within two years prior to successful program application.
Upon approval by the faculty, provisional admission may be granted to candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements.

International Student Admission Requirements:

In addition to the requirements listed above, international students must submit:

Proof of English Proficiency: one of the following test results that have been completed within the past three years:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): A minimum score of 80 for the Internet-based test (IBT), or 550 for the paper-based test (PBT)
- International English Language Testing (IELTS): 6
- EIKEN: Grade Pre-1F
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic: 54
Credit Certification: all coursework and credits from institutions outside of the United States, evaluated by a credential evaluation service provider [e.g., World Education Services (WES), Global Credential Evaluators (GCE), Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE), American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), etc.]
Proof of Financial Support: documentation of adequate financial support for one academic year (nine months) [e.g., official bank statement, sponsorship award letters, scholarship awards, Affidavit of Support (DHS Form I-134), etc.]
Copy of passport ID page
Immunization records

For additional questions regarding the application process, please contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 304-336-8545.

Application Process