Overview

The Department of Entomology offers graduate degrees in the areas of pest management, biological control, toxicology, physiology, behavior, systematics, migration, population ecology, apiculture, and molecular genetics.

Opportunities are available for research dealing with insect biology in native and agricultural systems, including, pests of row crops, vegetables, ornamentals, households, and structures, as well as insect pests of medical and veterinary importance.

Department of Entomology, M.S.

The departmental-level academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major professor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

Ensure that you are enrolled in at least one (1) hour of thesis credit during each semester of thesis writing. If thesis is required, ensure that at least the minimum number of thesis credit hours has been met, along with all other degree requirements.

Requirement for Master's Degree

The minimum course load to maintain a full-time graduate assistantship is nine (9) hours during fall and spring, and six (6) hours during summer.

Students not receiving an assistantship must be registered for a minimum of one (1) credit hour during the semester of the master’s final exam.

Ensure that you are enrolled in at least one (1) hour of thesis credit during each semester of thesis writing. If a thesis is required, ensure that at least the minimum number of thesis credit hours has been met, along with all other degree requirements.

The curricular requirements include:

• At least 30 hours of graduate work, including 24 hours of department-specific coursework and six (6) hours of thesis research.
• At least 15 hours of coursework must be graduate (7000) level, which includes required courses and 6 hours of research (ENTM 8000).
• Only upper-level undergraduate (4000) or graduate (7000) courses can be taken to satisfy this requirement. Special topics (ENTM 7008) may be taken multiple times when topics vary for a maximum of 6 credit hours.

Thesis requirements include:

• A master’s student is required to have a research proposal and a plan of study accepted by their graduate advisory committee by the end of the first six (6) months of study.
• The thesis should be delivered to the graduate advisory committee members no later than two (2) weeks prior to the defense examination.
• Master’s students are required to present an exit seminar and pass a comprehensive oral examination. The exit seminar is public, and the student is expected to publicize the event. The scope of this defense includes, but is not confined to, the student’s thesis research.

Admission

Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: Graduate Student Services, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically, and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.

Inquiries for admission may be made to the department head, graduate advisor, or any faculty member. Successful applicants must meet the Graduate School requirements for admission. A 3.0 GPA is required for a graduate research assistantship or fellowship. The department also requires three letters of recommendation and a statement of interest in entomology from each applicant.

Financial Assistance

A limited number of departmental assistantships and fellowships are available on a competitive basis. Departmental assistantships are valued at $21,000 for MS students and $23,000 for PhD students and include a waiver of nonresident tuition. For more information about financial assistance, contact the department head.

• LSU Graduate School

• Graduate Catalog

• LSU College of Agriculture

• Graduate Student Forms