Climatology Track

Course work requirements for overcoming background deficiencies will be clearly defined by the Graduate Advisory Committee at the time of acceptance and must be satisfactorily completed before receiving an advanced degree in Soil Science, unless approved by formal petition to the Graduate Advisory Committee. All academic background course work shall be taken on a regular grading system (A-N). Research or teaching assistantships normally will not be awarded until most background deficiencies have been satisfied.

2. Basics of Acceptance into the Graduate Program in Soil Science

In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, to be considered as acceptable for admission into the Graduate Program in Soil Science, we prefer applicants whose native language is English to have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 out of 4.0 during their undergraduate and other post-graduate studies, and to have achieved scores in the Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical sections of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) which would place them in the 50th percentile or higher for each section of this exam. However each applicant will be judged on their overall record with trends in the student's performance in upper division courses, in those courses most pertinent to the study of Soil Science, or to superior scores in the Quantitative and Analytical sections of the GRE, considered especially important in marginal cases.

Students for whom English is a second language must show academic qualifications equivalent to a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0. They should also provide evidence that they ranked in the top 20% of the graduating class. Such students will also be expected to demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to achieving a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score meeting the Graduate School minimum, currently 550 points. (The format of the TOEFL examination is currently being restructured; so acceptable score levels may change in the near future.) The TOEFL is now also offered by computer and the minimum computer score is 213.

Applicants who do not meet the preferred standards above, but who are judged to have sufficient academic strength to warrant their admission to the M.S. program, may be accepted on conditional status. If accepted on conditional status, the following conditions will prevail:

• a faculty advisor will usually be assigned on a temporary basis;
• the academic record will be reviewed each semester by the Graduate Advisory Committee;
• unsatisfactory progress in coursework will result in termination of graduate enrollment; and
• conditional appointments normally will not carry stipends for at least the first semester.

The conditional appointment may not extend beyond two semesters. Within this period, the student must be cleared of conditional status by the Graduate Advisory Committee and must have made final arrangements for a faculty advisor.

3. Diversity

The Graduate School embraces the University of Minnesota's position that promoting and supporting diversity among the student body is central to the academic mission of the University. We define diversity to encompass many characteristics including economic disadvantage, special talents, evidence of leadership qualities, race or ethinicity, a strong work record, and disability. A diverse student body enriches gradute education by providing a multiplicity of views and perspectives that enhance research, teaching, and the development of new knowledge. A diverse mix of students promotes respect for, and opportunities to learn from others with the broad range of backgrounds and experiences that constitute modern society. Higher education trains the next generation of leaders of academia and society in general, and such opportunities for leadership should be accessible to all members of society. The Graduate School and its constituent graduate programs are therefore committed to providing equal access to educational opportunities through recruitment, admission, and support programs that promote diversity, foster successful academic experiences, and cultivate the leaders of the next generation.

4. Financial Assistance

While acceptance into the Graduate School is a requirement for receiving financial assistance, Graduate School admission does not automatically assure the availability of such assistance. Financial assistance is more frequently in the form of research or teaching assistantships which are awarded to the best qualified applicants. Because research assistantships are generally funded by award of external research grants, their availability is difficult to predict; consequently, availability will vary from time to time. Most assistantship stipends are based on 0.5 FTE (full time effort) appointments, although appointments between 0.25 and 0.5 time may be made on occasions. Advanced students may be eligible for appointment at a high FTE rate under some circumstances. Half-time research assistants are expected to carry out research activities during the period of their stipend. The actual time spent on such activities varies, and in some case, such as summer, may be more than 20 hours per week. The schedule of research is worked out with the advisors. While research assistantship appointments do not accumulate vacation time, some time each year away from the daily routine is encourages for all students. Students should work with their advisor in making arrangements for such time.

Retention of regular appointment is contingent on continued registration and satisfactory performance in the academic, research, and teaching aspects of the graduate program and the availability of assistantship funds. You must register each semester that the appointment is held during the academic year. Registration during the summer session is not required.

Graduate students not on a regular assistantship may be supported by fellowships administered by the Graduate School or by non-University agencies, and some may be self-supporting. The same standards of performance and the same obligations to assist in teaching activities pertain to all graduate students in Soil Science irrespective of status of financial support.