Applicants apply for admission to the program via the Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.
The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.
All applicants must provide official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, a statement of purpose written by the applicant, and at least three letters of recommendation. Admission into the BRS Graduate Program is based upon a thorough review of all applicant qualifications, and the best-qualified applicants will be accepted up to the number of students for which program resources are available. GRE scores will not be accepted.
Master of Science (M.S.)
Completion of a relevant undergraduate Bachelor degree program is required for admission to the M.S. degree program; relevant programs span a diverse set of academic disciplines, including but not limited to: Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Business, Engineering, and Environmental Sciences. Students with junior-senior GPA of at least 3.00 (4.00 base) will be competitive in the admission process.
In general, for admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
To qualify for admission, all international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the internet-based test. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
International applicants exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement include those who have received a baccalaureate or a graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following:
American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, England, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Puerto Rico, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wales
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
The program requirement for acceptance to graduate study toward a Ph.D. degree in BRS is typically an M.S. degree with research thesis in BRS or related discipline such as: Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Business, Engineering, and Environmental Sciences, or with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Systems Management (ASM) or BRS or equivalent. Outstanding students interested in direct admission from a B.S., B.A., or M.B.A. program to the Ph.D. Program should contact the Graduate Program Coordinator for further clarification and details. Direct admission will be based on critical evaluation of the student's:
- potential to conduct publishable research,
- academic record,
- an additional language (other than the student's mother tongue),
- performance on standardized tests,
- statement of purpose, and
- reference letters.
Students who apply directly to the Ph.D. program with a B.S. degree and are deemed by the admissions committee not to meet the standards for admission to the Ph.D. program may be considered either for admission into the M.S. program or for admission to the Ph.D. program on a provisional basis. The student will remain in provisional status in the Ph.D. program until completing the suggested provisional courses with a minimum grade-point average of 3.00.
For provisional status to change, the specific courses must be completed within the first two semesters of study.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Students are not required to submit GRE general aptitude test scores (i.e., verbal, quantitative, and analytical) to be considered for admission.
To qualify for admission, all international applicants must take and submit scores for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), with the exceptions noted below. The minimum acceptable score for the TOEFL is 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, or a total score of 80 with a 19 on the speaking section for the internet-based test. The minimum composite score for the IELTS is 6.5.
International applicants exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement include those who have received a baccalaureate or a graduate degree from a college/university/institution in any of the following:
American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada (except Quebec), Cayman Islands, Dominica, England, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Puerto Rico, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wales
