Admission Requirements

Students who wish to enter a program of graduate study in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSUHSC-S are expected to have completed an undergraduate program with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 system. Undergraduate course credits should include:
(1) one year of general biology or biological science,
(2) one year of calculus,
(3) two years of chemistry, including one year of organic chemistry. Physical chemistry is desirable as well.
(4) one year of physics

In some cases, deficiencies in the above requirements may be removed by taking appropriate courses during the first year of graduate study.

The department also requires both the verbal and quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examination (School code 6356 and Department code 0202 for the submission of test scores). A composite score of 1000 is normally required. Students should take the Graduate Record Exam in October or December, if possible.

Prior to making formal application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, the interested student should should complete the online Preliminary Application Form, or mail the printed version of the completed Preliminary Application Form to the Department. In addition, the applicant should arrange to have three letters of reference or Rating Forms (in this folder) mailed directly to the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology by faculty members who know the applicant well enough to judge his or her potential as a graduate student. All correspondence with the Department should be addressed to: Dr. Robert E. Rhoads, Professor and Head, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, LSU Medical Center-Shreveport, P.O. Box 33932, Shreveport, LA 71130.

Application for Admission to the School of Graduate Studies

An application for admission to the School of Graduate Studies may be submitted after the Preliminary Application Form has been received and approved by the Department. The Application for Admission and two official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be sent directly to the School of Graduate Studies. In addition, Graduate Record Examination scores are to be mailed directly to the School of Graduate Studies. To be admitted to the School of Graduate Studies, all foreign students must present scores of 550 or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination (School code 6356 and Department code 034 for the submission of test scores). Documents of personal financial responsibility are also required of all foreign students before a student visa application can be filed with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service. This process requires a minimum of three months and can be initiated only after acceptance into the graduate program.

Check out our Graduate Recruitment video