Students may pursue studies in one of the following degree programs:

• Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Ecology and Conservation Biology

Other degree programs may be available on an individual basis. Please contact the respective department regarding individual admission requirements.

Research Topics

Research opportunities include a wide variety of topics such as GIS/RS data development, natural resources assessment, forest inventory, forest biometrics, forest fire risk management and fuels mapping, urban and rural interface issues, flood modeling and damage assessment, environmental, weather, and water quantity and quality modeling. The SSL works with federal, state, and local agencies as well as private industry and foreign governments utilizing the technology of GIS, Remote Sensing, and Global Positioning Systems. Individual research projects will depend on student interest and available funding.

Research/Teaching Assistantships

MS Stipends - $1200-$1300/mo; PhD Stipends - $1250-$1400/month. Appointments are 50% time for 12 months. Graduate students are expected to assist in teaching undergraduate courses for two semesters, as well as, assist with on-going research projects. All assistantships provide health insurance benefits and out-of-state tuition waivers as provided by state regulations. Start dates are the beginning of either the fall or spring semesters.

Qualifications

The student will have completed a BS in engineering, natural resources, forestry, rangeland ecology or other related field, with a proven record of excellence in academics and competitive GRE scores. Students must submit three letters of recommendation (at least one must be from a professor). The students must also receive and provide written confirmation of acceptance of an agreement with a faculty member to serve as their major professor. It is the responsibility of the prospective students to investigate a specific department's requirements for acceptance to graduate school.

International Students

International students may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, prior to admission to Texas A&M University. The TOEFL may be waived if the student's GRE-verbal score is greater than 450. International students who wish to be eligible for graduate teaching assistantships are required to take the English Language Proficiency Examination and obtain a score of at least 80 on each module. This exam is also offered on campus each semester. Since service as a teaching assistant is a requirement of this program, the TOEFL exam will be required of all graduate students admitted to this program. International students MUST meet the following deadlines:

• Fall Semester - March 1
• Spring Semester - August 1
• Summer Session - November 1

*Individual degree programs may have different deadlines.
*For more information, visit the Office of Graduate Studies.

For more information, please contact Dr. Raghavan Srinivasan, Associate Professor and Director of the Spatial Sciences Laboratory, by e-mail (r-srinivasan@tamu.edu) or by phone (979-845-5069).