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Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology (Ph.D.)

The Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology Ph.D. program is designed to integrate scientific, technical, and socioeconomic elements to provide sustainable aquatic resources from local to international levels.

Program Overview

Texas State's location, near many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including San Marcos Springs, the headwaters of the San Marcos River, as well as The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, Aquarena Center, and the Freeman Center, provides students with a unique opportunity for study and research.

Course Work

Students entering the doctoral program with an earned master's degree in an appropriate field must complete 61 hours of graduate course work, which includes 21 hours of core courses and 40 combined hours between elective courses and dissertation research (with a minimum of 15 dissertation hours). Each doctoral student has a research and study program designed to meet the student's academic goals, including core skills the student wants to develop.

• Degree: Ph.D.
• Course Work: 46 hours
• Dissertation: 15 hours minimum
• Total Hours: 61 hours
• Location: San Marcos

For applicants with a bachelor's degree only, the requirements are:

• Degree: Ph.D.
• Course Work: 76 hours
• Dissertation: 15 hours minimum
• Total Hours: 91 hours
• Location: San Marcos

Program Details

Texas State's local resources give students the ability to study habitats for threatened or endangered species and to develop and promote programs for the sustainable use of aquatic resources and ecosystems.

Program Mission

The doctoral program emphasizes original research (including basic and applied) to provide depth and breadth of knowledge in aquatic resources and integrative biology and related disciplines, from the watershed and ecosystem scale down to the population, organismal, and microbial scale. Students are engaged in a collaborative research environment among students, faculty, natural resource agencies, nonprofit organizations, and public and private interests.

Career Options

The program facilitates the entry of its students into the professional community of scholars and natural resource practitioners in a manner emphasizing the completion, presentation, and publication of original, creative research. Among graduating doctoral students, approximately 45% go to academia, 20% to federal/state agencies, 15% to the public sector, and 20% to the private sector.

Program Faculty

The program's full-time faculty members have established outstanding research programs in molecular/cellular biology, wildlife ecology, population biology, ecology, aquatic resources, and science education. Faculty have published in top-tier journals and been supported by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and various federal and state natural resource management agencies.

Admission Requirements

The items required for admission consideration are listed below.

• Application
  • Completed online application
• Application Fee
  • $55 nonrefundable application fee, or
  • $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
• Transcripts & GPA
  • Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university
  • Master's degree in biology, chemistry, engineering, geology, or a related natural science field from a regionally accredited university
  • A copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
  • A minimum 3.25 GPA in all completed graduate course work
• Test Scores
  • GRE not required
  • Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores
    • Official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
    • Official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
    • Official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
    • Official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
    • Official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall
• Documents
  • Mentor recommendation letter from a current Texas State doctoral faculty member in the Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology program
  • A resume/CV summarizing educational and professional accomplishments
  • A statement of purpose describing professional aspirations and rationale for pursuing a doctoral degree in aquatic resources
  • Three letters of recommendation addressing the substance and quality of preparation for doctoral study

Application Deadlines

• Fall - Priority: February 1 (U.S. Citizen), February 1 (International)
• Fall - Standard: August 1 (U.S. Citizen), June 1 (International)
• Spring - Priority: September 1 (U.S. Citizen), September 1 (International)
• Spring - Standard: November 1 (U.S. Citizen), October 1 (International)