About Ecology And Evolutionary Biology in Cornell University

Ecologists study the interactions between organisms and environments, and the consequences of those interactions at the individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels. Evolutionary biologists document the history of organisms through study of the tree of life and the fossil record as well as through study of processes that have resulted in adaptation, phenotypic variation, and biotic diversity. The study of ecology has greatly enhanced our understanding of both natural ecosystems and how those systems are changing due to human impacts, and evolutionary biology has deeply altered our understanding of the origins of plants and animals, including humans.

Learning in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (E&EB) concentration is not confined to the classroom and lab. In “Field Ecology,” for example, students spend one afternoon each week in the fields, forests, and ponds of the area, investigating animals and plants by observation and experiment. In many of our courses (e.g. Ichthyology, Ornithology, Limnology, Stream Ecology) students also participate in field trip and short field-based projects. E&EB students can also earn credit for off-campus field courses, such as courses at Shoals Marine Lab and through the Organization for Tropical Studies. Hands-on laboratory work is a basic feature of many courses. Quantitative methods are used in laboratory and field research and in theoretical studies, and molecular biology is increasingly important in all areas of ecology and evolutionary biology.

With its broad range of faculty research, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology offers students many opportunities to participate in original field and lab-based research. Undergraduates can do research either as a member of a research team, or independently under the guidance of a faculty member.

Graduates from this concentration have entered a wide variety of careers. Many go on to graduate school in ecology or evolutionary biology. Others take jobs with government agencies doing conservation work, management, or environmental education, or with non-governmental organizations such as the Nature Conservancy or the World Wildlife Fund. Students have also used their background as a way to enter careers in environmental law, journalism, medicine, and business. This concentration provides insights and perspectives that enrich students’ lives regardless of their career path.

Academic qualification equivalents

• Applicants must have passed 12th with 55% marks, Second Division

English language requirements 

• IELTS :7.5
• TOEFL IBT: 100
• PTE: 70

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Cornell University Cost of Attendance

Tuition, books, fees, housing, meals, and personal things all contribute to the projected cost of attendance. The following table lists the anticipated costs for undergraduate and graduate students.