Microbiology
Application process
Admission requirements
Professional licensure disclosure
- If you plan to apply for licensure in a state other than Wisconsin after completion of this program, you should contact that state's appropriate licensing board and refer to the Professional Licensure Disclosure to determine whether this UWL program meets licensure requirements in a specific state.
How to apply
Contact the graduate program director
We encourage you to make contact with our program director to introduce yourself and ask any questions you might have about the program. This contact also helps to alert us to your interest in the program. Complete the form below to get the process started!
Microbiology & Clinical Microbiology
Associate Professor
3036 Cowley Hall
pschweiger@uwlax.edu
608.785.8254
Specialty areas:
Microbial Metabolism and Physiology
Synthetic and Molecular Biology
Applied Microbiology
Biotechnology
Contact me if you have any interest in undergraduate or graduate (MS) research in these fields!
Submit a UW System application
- Follow the link to the UW System application. Register as a new user, unless you already have an account.
- The email you enter on this application will be used to send you important information related to completing your graduate school application. You should use an email address that you monitor on a regular basis.
- There is a $56 UW System application fee, which you can pay online at the time of application. Alternatively, you can send a check (payable to UWL) to the address below. *Application fee assistance is available to McNair Scholars.
Graduate Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
Watch your email
Following UW System Application submission, you will receive two emails.
The first email is an invitation to your WINGS Student Center and includes information about your NETID/WINGS Username. Access your WINGS Student Center to check the status of your application fee and transcripts.
The second email provides login information for your Applicant Dashboard. This email will be sent within 3 business days of submission of your UW system application; you may need to check your junk/spam email folders. You will use your Applicant Dashboard to submit the supplemental application materials described below (including reference requests) for this program. If you have problems with the Applicant Dashboard, please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu.
WINGS (example) |
Applicant Dashboard (example) |
 WINGS example |
 App Dashboard example |
Submit transcripts
Request that ALL previously attended institutions of higher education send official transcripts to the UWL Admissions Office. This includes college level courses taken while in high school. If you enrolled in fewer than 10 undergraduate semester credits at an institution, you do not have to send an official transcript unless the courses completed are prerequisites for the graduate program. Additional transcripts may be required at the university or graduate program's discretion. All graduate transcripts must be submitted. UWL accepts transcripts mailed directly from the issuing institution(s) or through an electronic secure document sending service. Transcripts should be sent to:
UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
admissions@uwlax.edu
- Applicants can check transcript status via their WINGS account.
- Applicants who are current UWL undergraduate students/alumni do not need to request formal transcripts for UWL coursework. Admissions can access your UWL transcript.
- It may take a week or more for transcripts to be received/uploaded to your application file. Please plan accordingly in order to meet application deadlines.
Submit GRE scores (optional)
Completion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required, but scores may be considered if available. To submit scores, select UW-La Crosse (code 1914) when taking the GRE.
Log in to Applicant Dashboard to submit supplemental application materials
All supplemental application materials and information listed below will be submitted via your Applicant Dashboard. You will receive an email invitation to login to your Applicant Dashboard within 3 business days of UW System Application submission. Contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.
Personal statement
This program requires submission of a personal statement. This statement should detail:
- Academic and professional goals
- Previous relevant experiences
- Reasons for selecting program
- Intent to pursue thesis or non-thesis track or undecided
- Research interest(s) if there is a desire to pursue the thesis track
- Possible faculty mentor(s) for research if pursuing the thesis track and if known
- Interest in Graduate Assistantships that include teaching responsibilities.
Recommendation letters
3 letters of recommendation are required.
You will submit your recommendation request(s) using the Applicant Dashboard by providing the name and email address for each reference. The system will automatically send the reference an email, including a link through which their recommendation should be uploaded to your application file. Your reference(s) should receive the emailed link within one business day of your request.
It is your responsibility to notify your reference(s) of the emailed request (they may need to check spam/junk folders) and provide information regarding deadlines for completion of the recommendation.
You will be able to monitor the status of your recommendation requests, resend requests, and change reference information on Applicant Dashboard. Please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.
Additional requirements for international applicants
In addition to the application requirements listed above, international applications will need to submit the following items:
- Transcript information: As noted above, official, certified or attested transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted. Additionally, documents issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
- Proof of English language proficiency: Non-native English speakers must submit evidence of one the following language proficiency requirements for admission:
- TOEFL score (within last 2 years) of at least 79 iBT or 550 pBT - Institution Code: 1914
- IELTS score (within last 2 years) of at least 6.0
- Duolingo English Test (DET) score of at least 110
- 60 PTE score
- A bachelor’s or higher degree from UWL or another approved institution where English is the sole language of instruction.
- Degree must be earned within two years of expected enrollment in this UWL graduate program.
- Applicant must have attended the institution for a minimum of two years.
- Proof of funding: Submit a bank statement and completed Affidavit of Support form.
- Applicants who require F-2 visas for dependents (spouse and/or children) must submit additional proof of funding and passport copies for each dependent.
- Applicants who require F-2 visas for dependents (spouse and/or children) must submit additional proof of funding and passport copies for each dependent.
- Passport information: Submit a photocopy of the photo page of your passport.
Please contact International Admissions at intladmissions@uwlax.edu if you have questions. Each of the items listed in this section "Additional requirements for international applicants" can be sent directly to the UWL Admissions Office.
UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
USA
Deadlines
Completed applications are due by January 10 (January 3 for international students) for full consideration. Late applications will be considered if enrollment objectives have not been satisfied. Consideration for graduate assistantships is less likely with late applications.
It may take a number of weeks to complete a graduate program application. Specifically, you need to allow sufficient time for transcripts and recommendations to be received. Please plan accordingly.
Selection process
A review committee will assess all complete applications and a letter of decision will be sent to the applicant by February 12.
*Microbiology MS and Clinical Microbiology MS acceptance is also dependent upon being admitted to the lab of a Graduate Faculty mentor. Instructions on this part of the process will be sent to students who receive preliminary acceptance. An interview may be required in some instances.