Prerequisites for admission include a bachelor's or master's degree in a physical or life science with a strong background in the program discipline of interest (biochemistry, molecular biology, entomology, or plant pathology). A graduate screening committee, composed of members of the Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology faculty, screens all applicants. Final acceptance into a graduate program is contingent upon the availability of a suitable major professor. A minimum 2.75 overall grade point average on a 4.00 scale is required for admission. Test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are not a required component of a completed application, but may be submitted for consideration if a candidate feels they may help offset another component of the application, such as a low GPA. International students are required to have a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 500 PBT (61 iBT) or an IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems) score of 5.5 (non-English speaking international students).