Apply to our Molecular Bioscience Program

Required materials, application timeline, and frequently asked questions.

Application deadline: December 1 (applications cycle opens in August each year)

Admission requirements

• Cumulative GPA (all courses) minimum 3.0

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are no longer required and will not be evaluated.

How to apply

Required materials

• WSU graduate school application
• College transcripts (unofficial acceptable for initial review–upon admittance official transcripts are required by the WSU Graduate School)
• Three (3) letters of reference submitted directly by the reference writer
• Resume or curriculum vita
• TOEFL, TOEFL PBT, TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Duolingo scores or language waiver for all international applicants from a country whose primary language is not English.
• Statement of Purpose

Statement of Purpose instructions

As a Molecular Biosciences Ph.D. candidate, you will be required to complete three lab rotations during your first year before picking your lab home in mid-March.  A key aspect to a successful application is our ability to determine the research fit between you and the faculty in the department that are recruiting students.  Thus, you must answer the questions below to ensure that your application will be reviewed favorably.  You will have a chance to tailor your personal statement with specifics of why you are interested in working with the faculty you select.  It is OK to list faculty with which you wish to rotate outside of SMB and SMB affiliated faculty or include faculty that are not presently recruiting as an opportunity may open up after the application is submitted.  However, our recruiting strategy will be designed to ensure that funded investigators obtain the trainees that are necessary to complete their new or ongoing projects.

• Please choose four (4)  faculty members that you would be interested in working with and include a brief statement regarding your research history and interests. You will have the opportunity to elaborate in your Statement of Purpose. Please navigate to our faculty page to identify faculty/Principal Investigators that are accepting students.
• Write a Statement of Purpose (350 – 1000 words maximum) addressing the following topics and upload a PDF.
• Describe your goals and objectives in pursuing a graduate degree in Molecular Biosciences and your current research interests.
• Describe your previous research experience.
• List any publications or poster presentations of your research.
• Describe any additional information that you feel may be helpful in evaluating your record, including any teaching experience you have or any academic honors, scholarships or other relevant awards you have received. 
• If applicable, provide an explanation of any recent prolonged absence from school (a year or more).