The Department offers graduate training in wildlife ecology at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels with research emphasis on the dynamics and ecology of bird and mammal populations. The Department will consider for acceptance into the graduate program those applicants who meet the entrance requirements of the Graduate School and who have an adequate academic background. The latter is customarily in one of the biological sciences, but exceptions have been made.

Only a limited number of students can be accepted into the graduate program each year, the number depending on availability of financial support and space in the Department. Students are selected on the basis of:

(a) academic record (including types and balance of courses); 

(b) field experience; 

(c) three letters of recommendation; and 

(d) scores on the Graduate Record Examination.

Application Procedures

Faculty members in the Department select their own graduate students; students are not accepted into the program without the approval of the faculty member who will become the student's major professor. Prospective students are urged to contact the professor(s) by whom they wish to be considered for graduate study, in order to determine whether or not openings in the graduate program will exist when they plan to enter and if the student has the qualifications needed for specific projects. This letter should include a description of research interests, a brief summary of field experiences, an unofficial copy of transcripts, and a copy of GRE scores for the General Test. Although not required, GRE scores for the Subject Test should also be included, if available.

If openings are anticipated, qualified prospective students will be approved to apply and invited to make a formal Application on line (link above) for Admission to the Graduate School (an application fee is required). Prospective graduate students should NOT apply to the UW Graduate School until given approval to do so by their future faculty advisor. Applicants should then follow carefully the instructions on the Graduate School's Application for Admission form. Note that three letters of recommendation, an official set of transcripts, and GRE scores are to be sent directly to the Department of Wildlife Ecology.  University fellowships and awards may necessitate specific deadlines. Consult with your faculty advisor regarding eligibility.

Assistantship support is provided for 2 calendar years. Further support is contingent upon satisfactory progress and availability of funds.

Students must have completed all requirements for an M.S. degree before admission to the Ph.D. program. Students without an M.S. degree will not be considered. No individual holding two degrees from the Department of Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will be accepted for a Ph.D. program in Wildlife Ecology.

International Graduate Students

The Department recognizes that training international wildlife ecologists is crucially important to solving global conservation problems. Few ecologists exist in foreign countries where environmental problems are severe. However, several factors limit international student enrollment in the Department of Wildlife Ecology.

Funds: -- No special funds are available at the University of Wisconsin for training international students. International students must pay nonresident tuition and fees (see current Graduate School announcements for rates). Costs of living for single students are typically $10,000 per year, not including travel to and from the student's home country. International students are also responsible for health and accident insurance coverage for themselves and family members. International students are urged to contact The Graduate School for minimum cost of living and insurance costs which may be required at the time of their admission to graduate studies.

Research Project: -- A major part of the M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs is a research project which results in a publishable thesis. International research projects vary in magnitude and duration, but costs typically exceed $20,000 per year. For international students, we expect the thesis research project to be done in the student's home country, and funds to support the research should come from the home country or other international sources.

Thesis Advisor: -- All faculty members in the Department select their own graduate students. Whether or not an advisor can accept an international student will depend on the subject of the student's proposed research topic and the number of students that the advisor is currently advising.

Alternative Program: -- Some international students may wish to consider an alternative to a full-time graduate degree program. International students can attend the University as Special Students and take coursework that is relevant to their special interests. Although they will not earn a graduate degree, they will be acquiring knowledge and skills of value in the wildlife profession. The Department can also arrange special in-the-field training outside of the classroom setting. Interested students should contact the International Agricultural Program , 116 Agriculture Hall, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 for information on application procedures and current tuition and fee costs.