Admission to Program
Admission to the DD pathway does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.
Warnell majors may apply to the Fisheries and Wildlife BSFR (Aquatic Science)/Ecology MS (thesis) Double Dawgs pathway in the fall semester of their junior year. Students who meet the following eligibility requirements specified below should arrange to meet with both their undergraduate advisor and the graduate advisor Julie Gunby (gunby@uga.edu) early in the semester to discuss program feasibility and to be advised on coursework.
To be eligible for the Fisheries and Wildlife BSFR (Aquatic Science)/Ecology MS (thesis) Double Dawgs pathway, students must:
- have completed at least 60 credit hours before the start of their junior year
- be on track to complete a minimum of 15 hours of their 3000-level and above BSFR major coursework by the end of their junior year
- have a minimum GPA of 3.2 at the time they apply to the Double Dawgs pathway
Curriculum
Graduate-level courses that may be used to satisfy undergraduate and graduate program requirements.
The MS Ecology degree has four options: with or without an Area of Emphasis in Integrative Conservation and Sustainability (ICAS) and with or without a thesis. This Double Dawg pathway is for the MS Ecology (without an Area of Emphasis) completed with a thesis.
Any 6000, 7000, or 8000-level ECOL course may be used towards the undergraduate Ecology degree (maximum 12 credit hours). Additionally, students may enroll in the 6000-level option when available for courses from other departments that are currently listed as Major Electives for the Ecology degree (see the UGA Bulletin for complete list).
Students will work with the undergraduate academic advisor and their prospective graduate advisor to select undergraduate coursework that will prepare them adequately for their graduate thesis work. Graduate coursework will be determined by the program requirements and consultation with the student’s advisory committee.
Additional requirements that are unique to this Double Dawgs program:
N/A
Admission to Graduate Program
Students in this pathway should apply to the MS Ecology program in the Fall of their fourth year. The application deadline is December 1st. Applicants must provide the same documentation required by other prospective students and as outlined on the Graduate School application webpage, with the exception that one of the three letters of recommendation must come from the prospective faculty advisor in the Odum School of Ecology. The Graduate Program Committee will review applications in December and January, and make offers of admission beginning in February. Applicants should have:
- a competitive undergraduate GPA at the time of application
- three letters of recommendation, one of which must be a support letter from the prospective M.S. faculty advisor
- a statement of purpose detailing their interests in ecology as a discipline, professional aspirations, and proposed research (if thesis-based), including the context for the research and any results to date.