Graduate Admissions

See Also: Microbiology Graduate Program Checklist

Admission Requirements

Criteria for selection into the program are as follows:

1. Completed undergraduate program with a 3.0 or better GPA (on 4.0 system).  Included should be:
   • One full year of general biological science
   • One year of calculus
   • Two years of chemistry, including one year organic
   • One year of physics
   • Introductory microbiology course
2. Satisfactory combined score of 1000 or higher on both Verbal and Quantitative parts of the General Portion of Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. For international students, appropriate visa status and satisfactory TOEFL scores.  Please refer to the information on this page for more details.

Application Procedure

Priority consideration for fall 2012 will be given to applications received by December 15, 2011.

1. Official Graduate School Application.  You must apply online via the Graduate School's website.  If you need a paper copy of the application, please contact UT Graduate Admissions.  Once you have completed the application, you must also submit:
   
   • One copy of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
   • GRE scores
   • Non-Refundable $60 application fee.
      
2. Three letters of recommendation

Downloadable Forms

The department's required forms for graduate admission are available online in PDF format.  You will need the free verson of Adobe® Acrobat Reader® 9 in order to view and print the PDF files and Microsoft Word to utilize the .doc files.  We also require three letters of reference, which you may also print and have completed. 

Application Information

Brietta Lusby
Department of Microbiology
M409 Walters Life Sciences Bldg.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN  37996-0845 
Telephone: (865) 974-3441
Fax: (865) 974-4007
Email: blusby@utk.edu

Program Information

Dr. Steven Wilhelm
Department of Microbiology
M409 Walters Life Sciences Bldg.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0845
Telephone: (865) 974-0665
Fax: (865) 974-4007
Email: wilhelm@utk.edu

Dr. Erik Zinser
Department of Microbiology
M409 Walters Life Sciences Bldg.
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-0845
Telephone: (865) 974-9283
Fax: (865) 974-4007
Email: ezinser@utk.edu