• Admissions Standard
• Application Procedure (includes Graduate Study Plan Forms)
• Recommended Application Deadlines
• Admissions Review Procedure
• Admissions Decisions
• Application Status

Admissions Standard:

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited institution an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 or graduate GPA of at least 3.5 if the undergraduate GPA is below 3.0.
• GRE scores are required for admission to the Interdisciplinary Program. Most students admitted to the interdisciplinary graduate degree program receive GRE scores above the 50th percentile.
• TOEFL = 80 (Internet-based exam), 213 (electronic exam) or 550 (paper exam) is required if an applicant is not a citizen of the U.S. and requires an F-1 visa.

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Application Procedure

• Complete the application form.

• Deadlines: For Fall semester = March 1. For Spring semester = October 1.
• Three letters of reference that address the academic qualifications for the degree program to which you are applying. Reference letters must be dated not earlier than one year prior to the date of application to the INDS program. Reference letters should specifically address the applicant's qualifications to pursue a Ph.D. or Master's degree at UAF.
• Submit copies of all transcripts (they must be official transcripts).
• Resume/Vitae
• Statement of Academic Goals
• Master's degree INDS (Interdisciplinary ) applicants must submit a proposed INDS Master's degree Graduate Study Plan (GSP) Form and a brief outline of his/her thesis or research project. The proposed Graduate Study Plan Form must be filled out completely. The courses proposed in the GSP must reflect the interdisciplinary nature appropriate for the degree. The GSP must be signed by each proposed committee member, your proposed advisor, the department head, and the dean of your proposed advisor. Without these signatures the proposed GSP is void. The proposed GSP is for admission review purposes.
  • INDS Master's degree GSP Form (.pdf format)
  • INDS Master's degree GSP Form (Word format)
• Ph.D. degree INDS (Interdisciplinary ) applicants must submit a proposed INDS Ph.D. degree Graduate Study Plan (GSP) Form. A proposed Graduate Study Plan Form must be filled out completely. The courses proposed in the GSP must reflect the interdisciplinary nature appropriate for the degree. The GSP must be signed by each proposed committee member, your proposed advisor, the department head, and the dean of your proposed advisor. Without these signatures the proposed GSP is void. The proposed GSP is for admission review purposes.
  • INDS Ph.D. degree GSP Form (.pdf format)
  • INDS Ph.D. degree GSP Form (Word format)
• INDS Ph.D. degree applicants should have a Master's degree in a related field (or be scheduled to complete one before the semester they intend to enroll), unless their academic qualifications substantially exceed minimum standards.
• INDS Ph.D. degree applicants should include a Statement of Research Goals (in addition to the Statement of Academic Goals). This statement should be relatively brief (no longer than two pages) and need not constitute a complete, detailed research proposal. The statements of research and academic goals are important in the committee's evaluation process and hence must be the work of the applicant. It is appropriate and necessary to consult with the proposed major advisor about the overall research objectives, particularly if the work will be part of a funded project. The applicant should describe the questions to be
  addressed by the research, their linkages to the academic disciplines of the proposed INDS program (as described in the Academic Goal Statement and their Graduate Study Plan), the intended approach, and the potential significance of the work in a concise, personal statement.
• INDS Ph.D. applicants are instructed that their proposed major advisor must review and approve their completed application, including the statement of research goals, before it is submitted to the Graduate School. The INDS application form includes the statement "I have reviewed and approved the application of (student's name) to the INDS Ph.D. program, including the statement of research goals, and am willing to serve as the student's major advisor", with a signature line for the proposed major advisor. This signature must be obtained before the application will be reviewed.
• INDS Ph.D. applicants must include a current curriculum vitae of the proposed major advisor with the application.
• Successful INDS Ph.D. applicants will be required to write a formal thesis research proposal and pass an oral defense of that proposal within the first two years that they are enrolled in the INDS Ph.D. program. This will be part of the INDS Ph.D. Comprehensive Exam, which consists of both a written and an oral exam. As with all oral examinations at the Ph.D. level, the Graduate School will appoint an outside examiner to read the thesis proposal and attend the defense.

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Recommended Application Deadlines

The Interdisciplinary Review Committee does not meet during the summer months.

INDS applicants are advised that complete applications must be received by the Graduate School not later than March 1 and October 1 (or the first Monday thereafter) to allow review to be completed in time for admission the following Fall or Spring, respectively. Applications received after this date will be reviewed as quickly as possible, but the applicant may not receive an admissions decision until after the beginning of the semester.

Send the complete admissions application form with all the required documents to:

Office of Admissions
P.O. Box 757480
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775

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Admissions Review Procedure

1. Master's degree:
   Interdisciplinary Master's degree applications will be reviewed by a faculty committee appointed by the Graduate Dean. The admission review committee members should match the applicant's academic interest as well as Graduate School's interest in improving the quality of the INDS program.
   
   The admission review committee will include at least four members who must agree to serve on the student's advisory committee if the student is recommended for admission by the review committee. The Chair of the review committee will be outside and in addition to the four identified as potential advisory committee members.
   
2. Ph.D. degree:
   Interdisciplinary Ph.D. applications are reviewed by the Interdisciplinary Steering Committee.

• Does the applicant meet the standard required for admission to the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program? Undergraduate GPA is 3.0 or better or Graduate GPA is 3.5 or better.
• Is the student's undergraduate discipline relevant to the proposed interdisciplinary graduate study?
• Do the courses listed in the proposed Graduate Study Plan (for admission review purposes) adequately reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed interdisciplinary degree? If not, what courses should be added to the graduate study plan?
• Is the proposed thesis or project well thought out in content and feasibility?
• Are the comprehensive exam subject areas that are listed on the GSP adequate for the proposed interdisciplinary program? If not, the student should not be admitted.
• Does UAF have adequate research expertise and facilities to support the proposed interdisciplinary study?
• Is the proposed degree designation appropriate?
• Propose the home base department or program if the student is admitted.
• For Master's degree applications: If a student is recommended for admission, would you be willing to serve on the student's Graduate Advisory Committee (three for Master's degrees, four for Ph.D. degrees)? Members of the admission review committee are carefully chosen as the primary candidates to serve on the student's Advisory Committee.
• Interdisciplinary Ph.D. student' Advisory Committee must have at least one committee member from a Ph.D. degree granting program.

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Admission Decision Depends On:

1. The Admission Review Committee recommendation.
2. The home base department head's recommendation.
3. The availability of UAF faculty members with expertise needed to serve on the student's Graduate Advisory Committee.
4. Final decision of admission will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School after meeting with both the advisor and student in person to discuss the responsibility and commitment to the degree program.

APPLICATION STATUS:

The Interdisciplinary (INDS) graduate application review process is coordinated by Laura Bender. Contact Laura regarding the status of your graduate interdisciplinary application:

Laura Bender - Manager
Graduate School
202 Eielson Building
(907) 474-7319

 

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