Admission Procedure

Applications are reviewed by the San Diego State University Joint Doctoral advisory committee, the University of California Graduate Group in Ecology and the Graduate Deans of both SDSU and UCD.

All students are required to have a faculty sponsor in the EPA at SDSU. Your SDSU faculty advisor must be designated on both your UCD and SDSU application. Students must have an EPA faculty member willing to accept them into his or her laboratory as a condition of acceptance to the program. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact faculty whose research interests are compatible with their own to determine if these faculty are accepting students, and if so, to arrange a visit to the campus. Most faculty members will request to see a curriculum vitae and a statement of research interests from prospective students. Applicants are encouraged to communicate directly with EPA faculty members who have interests in common and, if possible, to meet in person with potential thesis advisors prior to admission.

Listed below are all necessary documents and delivery information for the application procedure. Applications are due on January 2nd. Review of applications for each Fall semester will commence in early January. Admittance decisions are typically decided in April.

Required documents To be sent to

Official copy of transcripts to both SDSU and UCD

All degree and recent transcripts that reflect the last 60 semester (90 quarter units). Students with international coursework must submit all official transcripts and proofs of degree. If certificates and transcripts are not in English, they should be accompanied by certified English transcriptions.

SDSU Graduate Admissions

Graduate Group in Ecology Office

SDSU Graduate Studies application - CSU Mentor

All students must complete an electronic application through CSU mentor. There is a $55 application fee. After submitting your online application, you will receive an e-mail containing instructions for obtaining your Red ID Number. This Red ID number can be used to track the status of your application and submitted materials online.

SDSU Electronic application

UCD Graduate Studies application - online

This is a multi-stepped process that requires you to create a logon ID, etc. You will need a Statement of Purpose to complete the application. You will also be required to pay an admissions fee.

 UCD Graduate application

GRE scores from General GRE test sent to both SDSU and UCD

SDSU Institution Code is 4682. UCD Institution Code is 4834.

TOEFL test score is required (if postsecondary instruction is in a language other than English)

Sent directly by Educational Testing Service

Application to SDSU Biology Dept to include:

  1. SDSU Faculty Advisor
  2. Statement of Research Interests and Professional Goals
  3. Curriculum Vitae
    If you've never written a CV, tips are available here
  4. Three letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes
 Graduate Programs Coordinator

Supplemental material to UCD

  1. Curriculum Vitae
    If you've never written a CV, tips are available here
  2. Three letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes
Graduate Group in Ecology Office

Graduate Admissions Enrollment Services San Diego State University 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego, CA 92182-7416

Sandra Talley, Graduate Programs Coordinator San Diego State University, Department of Biology 5500 Campanile Drive San Diego CA 92182-4614

Graduate Group in Ecology 2148 Wickson Hall University of California, One Shields Ave Davis CA 95616

For more information about the JDPE program, contact the Program Coordinator:

Walter C. Oechel Coordinator of the Ecology Doctoral Program Department of Biology San Diego State University San Diego, California 92182-4614