The department offers a strong curriculum and provides numerous professional opportunities for its students. This student-centered focus is reflected in the many awards received by the students and in their consistent placement in professional careers.
The Department of Entomology is part of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and is involved in research, teaching, and extension arenas. Department faculty are internationally recognized and work in both applied and basic entomology. The department has research sites across Nebraska and collaborative relationships with both domestic and international scientists and educators.
Prospective graduate students may contact our faculty members to see if the faculty person has graduate student openings in their labs. Students in the resident master's degree program are not admitted to the Entomology Department unless they have a faculty member who agrees to advise and provide assistantship funding to the candidate.
Options
Option A
- Minimum 30 cr, including 20-24 cr of regular coursework. This option is better suited for on-campus students.
- Thesis required, equivalent to 6-10 cr. At least half of the required work, including thesis, must be in one major subject.
- Minor optional, at least 9 cr.
- 8 cr, in addition to the thesis, must be in graduate-only courses.
Option B
- Minimum 30 cr, a major. This option is better suited for online students.
- Project, but no thesis required.
- Minor optional, at least 9 cr.
- At least 15 of the 30 cr must be in graduate-only courses.
| Colleges: | College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources Graduate College |
|---|---|
| Degree: | M.S. in Entomology Graduate Chair: Tom Weissling Graduate Coordinator: Kathy Schindler |
| Application Deadlines: | Fall – July 15 Spring – Nov. 1 Summer – April 1 Check your application at https://go.unl.edu/gradappstatus. FAQ webpage: https://graduate.unl.edu/admission/faq. |
| Graduate Handbook: | Entomology Graduate Handbook (pdf) |
| Entomology Courses: | List of Graduate Courses |
| Graduate Student Club: | Bruner Club |
Entomologists are:
- Growing Food– working with farmers to manage insect pests and protect crops while simultaneously protecting beneficial insects and the environment.
- Saving Lives – finding ways to prevent insects from spreading diseases and helping to discover new medicines and treatments.
- Helping Animals – working with zookeepers, ranchers, forest rangers, and veterinarians to help them protect animals from dangerous insects.
- Understanding Nature – studying insects in their roles in the environment, such as pollinators, decomposers, parasites, predators, and sources of food for other animals.
- Discovering Species – finding new species allows us to better understand insect evolution, biodiversity, and the role of insects in nature.
- Saving our Forests – studying insects that harm wild plants and forests and ways to prevent and control them.
- Fighting Crime – examining bodies to find insects that may give clues to the time of death, and whether the body has been moved since then.
- Protecting the Quality of Life – Entomologists help us keep our homes, schools, hospitals, and recreational areas free of pests.
Career Outlook
Almost 50% of our graduates go on for advanced degrees.
- Science Teacher*
- Scientist*
- Marketing Specialist
- Extension Educator*
- Navy Medical Entomologist*
- Research Technician
- Insect Zoo Coordinator,
- Dept. of Health and Human Services
- Medical School*