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Deadlines & Requirements

Domestic student application deadlines

  • Fall semester, August 1
  • Spring semester, January 1
Additional Deadline Information

International student application deadlines

  • Fall semester, April 1
  • Spring semester, September 1
Additional Deadline Information

Admission

The School of Animal Sciences Graduate Program uses a holistic approach to admission.  Our recommended metrics include an overall GPA of 3.0 and GRE scores of 150 verbal and quantitative.  The VT Graduate School requires a TOEFL score of 90.  Materials are uploaded through the Graduate School portal. 

Items you will need to complete the application include

  1. Three letters of reference
  2. Transcripts
  3. Statement of professional goals
  4. GPA, GRE metrics

Degree Requirements

  • All students must submit a Plan of Study meeting minimum degree requirements.
  • Plan of Study and Plan of Study Change Form must be approved by Advisor, Advisory Committee, Department Head, and Graduate School.
  • All courses on plan of study must be taken for a letter grade (A/F)
    ---Grades below C- must be repeated.
  • Deadline:
    ---Masters – prior to completion of 15 credit hours in Master’s program.
    ---PhD- prior to completion of 15 credit hours in the Ph.D. program.
  • Full degree requirement document below. Print PDF.

School of Animal Sciences

Graduate Degree Requirements

Additional Enrollment Qualifications...

  • All new graduate students must complete the GTA Workshop (GRAD 5004, 1cr.)
  • Students on graduate assistantships must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credits.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be maintained both overall and for all coursework on the Plan of Study (minimum for any one course is C-).
  • Full time enrollment = minimum of 9 credit hours, maximum of 18 credit hours
  • Graduate assistants, fellowship and scholarship recipients minimum is 12 credit hours.

Graduate Advisory Committee

All students are assigned a faculty supervisor (major professor) prior to, or immediately after initial enrollment.  Assignments should be mutually agreeable to both student and faculty member, and each faculty supervisor should have an active research program in the area of student interest.  Within the first or second semesters of enrollment, each student should work with his/her faculty supervisor to establish an advisory committee (three members for MS committees; four for Ph.D. committees) to assist in the development of a program of study and completion of the thesis or dissertation research project. 

Advisory Committee members are expected to provide appropriate and timely input to the academic and research programs of the student.  Conversely, both students and faculty supervisors are expected to assure appropriate involvement of the advisory committees in each student’s program.  Students should discuss any problems related to their advisory committee with their faculty supervisor and, if needed, with the School of Animal Sciences Graduate Student Committee or the director of the school.

School of Animal Sciences Graduate Program Chair

Alan Ealy
ealy@vt.edu

School of Animal Sciences Graduate Program Coordinator

Sasha Simpkins
sasha5@vt.edu

Virginia Tech Graduate School



Blacksburg, VA 24061-0325
Phone:  (540) 231-6691
Fax:  (540) 231-3714
http://www.graduateschool.vt.edu