Student Resources & FAQ's
Resources
TigerMail setup and FAQ available on GROK
Here is a listing of BIOL courses above the 4000 level, once the page is opened be sure to pull down BIOL from the prefix menu.
Some Advice
Science is not just recording data as you wield a pipettor or noting observations
taken through a microscope. You must communicate your findings to the larger community.
Developing your ability to communicate scientifically is a central part of your graduate
education, and perhaps the single most valuable skill you will gain during your degree
training. At a minimum, you should be attending departmental seminars and reading
journal articles (receiving the table of contents from the top two journals in your
field as well as the journal you intend to submit your next paper to would be a start).
You can also look through the links here for tips on better communication.
On Writing
Citations Should Mean Something
An online course on scientific writing from Duke University’s Graduate School
Students who have paid the Student Health Fee are eligible to receive services in Mental Health Service with no additional charge. Failing to cancel an MHS appointment with at least a 12hr notice will result in a $20 "no show" charge.
Check here for information on how to set up appointments, a 24-hour intervention and referral service, a screening system, informal group sessions, and a crisis resource list."
Frequently Asked Questions
From Prospective Students
Our official deadlines are September 28 for January admission and January 3 for August admission. We will accept applications after the deadline, and often these can be considered in full, but we only have a limited number of support lines to offer and these may fill before late applications arrive.
The LSU Graduate School requires a Bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA. Under exceptional situations, this can be waived for one semester on the stipulation that a 3.0 GPA be met and maintained throughout graduate study at LSU.
Yes, this is part of your support package. You are responsible for additional University fees, however, which total about $1200 a semester.
Fellowships are sometimes available to outstanding applicants from minorities under-represented
in the sciences and those who are the first generation of their families to attend
college. If you might qualify for either of these conditions, please be sure your
qualifying status is evident ion your application. Students should also explore the
LS-LAMP Bridge to the Doctorate program.
From Current Students
Fees and tuition must be paid before you can register. You can do this by deferring payment. Remember to hit the “Complete Registration” button at the bottom of the page.
In addition, incoming international students must attend the ISO orientation and complete all necessary paperwork before they can register. They will also need to take their spoken English exam.
A minimum of 9, however we strongly recommend taking 12 (or 13 if you have a 4-credit course). The reason for this is that students sometimes feel the need to drop a course, but LSU cannot pay you if you go below 9 credits. Enrolling for the extra credits gives you a safety buffer.
Yes, up to 12. Remember that your class requirements still depend on what your Qualifying Exam Committee sees as adequate to prepare you for your thesis studies.
A minimum of three, at least two of theme full members of the Department.
You can do this on your own: contact Chimene (Grad Office) or Darlene (202 LSB) to schedule a room. You will need to download a Doctoral Degree Audit form as well.
A minimum of four; at least two full Department members, plus a Dean's Representative to be assigned by the Graduate School.
You will need to file a Request for General Exam to the Grad School to get approval for the exam at least three weeks prior. You can schedule a room and time on your own, although you'll need to hear back from the Grad School on who your Dean's Rep will be.
The Grad School will appoint one. This is part of the reason they need the three-week lead time. The Grad School will notify Prissy of the Dean's Rep's name and contact info and she will pass it along to the student and the major professor.
Enroll in BIOL 7921 and set a date with the appropriate seminar series (CDIB/BMB or SEE). To complete your degree that same semester, you will have to defend and turn in your thesis by about six weeks before commencement - be sure to check early with Prissy on the exact deadline. See the Request for Final Exam.
This is granted by the Graduate School, not the Department, and requires that the final defense has been completed and the thesis submitted. See Grad School Degree Only Instructions.
Go to your myLSU account. Pull down Student Services from the sidebar, then Graduate Milestone and the information should be there.