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How to Apply

For graduate studies in EEES, we seek creative and committed scholars who share our interests in ecology, evolution, environments and society.

For Prospective Students

The EEES program experience emphasizes research but also includes a curriculum that is customized for individual students, a weekly colloquium where students gain skills in presenting research and giving critical input on the research of others, and a weekly journal club where students develop professional skills and gain exposure to relevant scientific literature. Students also have the opportunity to polish their mastery of foundational material, and gain skills as educators, by working closely with faculty as Teaching Assistants in undergraduate courses in their subject area.

Students enter our program with the  support and sponsorship of a faculty member who would be their major advisor. We encourage prospective applicants to browse the EEES faculty and communicate directly with one or more individual faculty members who share your interests and are prospective advisors. We typically review applications in the first half of December for the cohort of new Ph.D. students that will begin the following fall.

The Application Cycle

New students generally enter EEES by joining a specific lab with a pre-identified major advisor. We encourage prospective applicants to communicate directly with one or more individual faculty to explore shared interests and learn about current openings.

Typically, we conduct interviews in January or February, make offers in March, and most new students begin in summer or fall term. For full consideration on this cycle, applicants should have their applications complete by 1 December.  Applications will not be accepted after January 15.  To submit an application, please go to Dartmouth Graduate Programs.

APPLICATIONS AND ADMISSIONS

Our program is for students who are committed to full-time pursuit of a Ph.D. within an environment that is interactive and high energy. Admission is based on appraisal by the EEES Faculty of the applicant's potential for generating important new knowledge by conducting original research within the areas of ecology and evolutionary biology or sustainability, ecosystems, and environment. We especially seek applicants whose natural interests intersect with both tracks. Evaluations of applicants include consideration of previous research experience, communication skills, base knowledge, capacity for intellectual collaboration, and match with the target laboratory and graduate program.

Components of the application include: (1) a personal statement describing your motivation and preparation for pursuing a graduate degree at Dartmouth and rationalizing the match between yourself, EEES, and the proposed program of study, and also a personal statement sharing how your personal perspectives and unique life experiences will contribute to Dartmouth and the Guarini School community, (2) your curriculum vitae, including attachments of any publications, (3) three letters of recommendation, (4) undergraduate academic record and (5) graduate academic record (if applicable). The general GRE examination is no longer required. There is no application fee.

If there is anything else that you would like to include as part of your application, please let us know and we will facilitate.

It is strongly recommended that applicants directly contact those faculty who they feel share their research interests. The easiest way is via email. Not all faculty accept graduate students each year, so communication is key. Students identify a potential advisor through correspondence and personal interaction during the application and interview process.

All applicants for whom English is not their native language and who have not attended an English-speaking undergraduate institution must provide the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The Department Code for the TOEFL test is Biology 35. Applicants may also submit the results of the IELTS exam.

Offers of admission to the graduate program for entrance in the fall term are usually sent in March and with responses requested by 15 April.

The EEES program represents a diverse intellectual community, with different scholars approaching research through a range of epistemological (knowledge producing) and methodological positions. We strongly encourage applications from students who are Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color (BIPOC) and / or come from backgrounds that are under-represented in our field.