Program Overview

Master's Program in Entomology

The Department of Entomology offers graduate degrees in the areas of pest management, biological control, toxicology, physiology, behavior, systematics, migration, population ecology, apiculture, and molecular genetics.

Overview

Opportunities are available for research dealing with insect biology in native and agricultural systems, including pests of row crops, vegetables, ornamentals, households, and structures, as well as insect pests of medical and veterinary importance.

Department of Entomology, M.S.

The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with the student's graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student's major professor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty.

Requirement for Master's Degree

• The minimum course load to maintain a full-time graduate assistantship is nine hours during fall and spring, and six hours during summer.
• Students not receiving an assistantship must be registered for a minimum of one credit hour during the semester of the master's final exam.
• Ensure that you are enrolled in at least one hour of thesis credit during each semester of thesis writing. If a thesis is required, ensure that at least the minimum number of thesis credit hours has been met, along with all other degree requirements.

Curricular Requirements

• At least 30 hours of graduate work, including 24 hours of department-specific coursework and six hours of thesis research.
• At least 15 hours of coursework must be graduate (7000) level, which includes required courses and six hours of research (ENTM 8000).
• Only upper-level undergraduate (4000) or graduate (7000) courses can be taken to satisfy this requirement. Special topics (ENTM 7008) may be taken multiple times when topics vary for a maximum of six credit hours.

Thesis Requirements

• A master's student is required to have a research proposal and a plan of study accepted by their graduate advisory committee by the end of the first six months of study.
• The thesis should be delivered to the graduate advisory committee members no later than two weeks prior to the defense examination.
• Master's students are required to present an exit seminar and pass a comprehensive oral examination. The exit seminar is public, and the student is expected to publicize the event.

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be submitted. Inquiries for admission may be made to the department head, graduate advisor, or any faculty member. Successful applicants must meet the Graduate School requirements for admission. A 3.0 GPA is required for a graduate research assistantship or fellowship. The department also requires three letters of recommendation and a statement of interest in entomology from each applicant.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of departmental assistantships and fellowships are available on a competitive basis. Departmental assistantships are valued at $21,000 for MS students and $23,000 for PhD students and include a waiver of nonresident tuition.

Assistantships and Fellowships

Incoming graduate students are encouraged to apply for University and Departmental assistantships. LSU offers highly competitive research fellowships and assistantships for outstanding M.S. and Ph.D. students.

Departmental Awards and Scholarships

• The L.D. Newsom Graduate Student Award in Entomology: This award is given to individuals who exhibit excellence in academic achievement and graduate research in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. One award is available for nominees in the M.S. program and one award for a Ph.D. candidate each year. The amount of each award is $1,000. Deadline for application is March 1 of each year.
• The Boethel Scholarship Graduate Student Award in Entomology: This award is given to a full-time M.S. or Ph.D. student who exhibits excellence in academic achievement and has made satisfactory progress on his/her graduate degree program in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. Preference is given to students with research in the area of integrated pest management. One award is available for a nominee in the M.S. or Ph.D. program each year. The amount of the award is $1,000. Deadline for application is July 1 of each year.
• The Roussel Scholarship Graduate Student Award in Entomology: This award is given to a full-time M.S. or Ph.D. student who exhibits excellence in academic achievement and has made satisfactory progress on his/her graduate degree program in the Department of Entomology at Louisiana State University. Overall GPA must be 3.4 or greater. One award is available for a nominee in the M.S. or Ph.D. program each year. The amount of the award is $1,000. Deadline for application is July 1 of each year.

Other Awards

Students are encouraged to compete for travel and research awards from various sources on campus such as the LSU Sigma Xi Chapter and the Graduate School and nationally from federal agencies, professional societies, private foundations, and industry.

Entomological Society of America Awards

• John Henry Comstock Award: This award, given by the National Office of the ESA to promote interest in the science of entomology at the graduate level and to stimulate interest in attending the national conference, consists of an all-expenses-paid trip to the ESA national conference, plus $100 cash and a certificate.
• Kirby L. Hays Award: This award is sponsored by the Southeastern Branch and is given each year to an outstanding Master's student. The recipient is given $250 and a plaque at the Annual Branch Meeting.
• Robert T. Gast Award and Southeastern Branch Student Award: These two awards are given annually to a Ph.D. and M.S. student, respectively, presenting the best research paper as judged by both oral presentation and written work.
• Southeastern Branch Outstanding Student Display Presentation Award: This award is given annually to the student presenting the best research paper in a display format based on both the presentation and a written summary.