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Entomology (MS, PhD)
The Entomology (ENT) Program offers M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Either option requires the completion of a research thesis (M.S.) or dissertation (Ph.D.)
Students earning a graduate degree in Entomology will be prepared for careers in academia, industry, and extension. A successful graduate will demonstrate expertise in arthropod identification, ecology, physiology, and biodiversity, as well as modern methods of pest management.
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Specialization & Research Emphasis
Areas of specialization within entomology are aligned with those of the major advisor (advisory committee chair). The most common areas of specialization include research topics in:
- integrated pest management
- arthropod biodiversity
- urban entomology
- insect physiology
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Admission Requirements
(in addition to Graduate School requirements)
- A Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. There is no minimum score requirement, but scores exceeding 150 for verbal and quantitative components, and 4.0 on the analytical writing portion, are typical for successful applicants.
- For students from countries where English is not the official language, TOEFL or IELTS scores must be reported; TOEFL scores should generally exceed 90 (combined) IELTS scores should generally exceed 7.0.
- Ordinarily, a Master's Degree with a thesis requirement is expected of students applying to the Ph.D. program. Students who wish to transit directly to a Ph.D. degree Program from a B.S. or B.A. must demonstrate competence in independent research and exceptional academic ability.
- Strong letters of recommendation from at least two referees familiar with the applicant's academic history.
Other expectations:
- A Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or its equivalent in undergraduate coursework during the last two (2) years of continuous enrollment or the last 60 credit hours of discontinuous enrollment (M.S. degree candidates), or a GPA of at least 3.00 or its equivalent in graduate coursework.
- In nearly all cases, an applicant should have identified and contacted a prospective major advisor from among the Entomology faculty, whose areas of specialization closely correspond to the applicant’s goals, and who should have established some plan for funding the student’s tuition and research work.
- Some of the above expectations may be offset by other evidence of accomplishments, such as high-quality publications or other evidence of involvement in entomological research; or by strong recommendations by one or more Entomology Graduate Program faculty with whom the student would work.
All applicants are strongly urged to visit Clemson University and meet the Entomology Graduate Program's faculty, staff, and students.
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Requirements for Degree
MS – A minimum of twenty-three (23) semester hours of graduate credit (exclusive of thesis research) and seven (7) semester hours of thesis research (ENT 8910) are required. At least one-half of the total graduate credit hours (exclusive of research credits) required by the advisory committee must be selected from courses numbered at the 8000 level or above.
Ph.D. – The Graduate School requires that Ph.D. students receive ≥30 hours of coursework beyond the M.S. degree (if previously awarded), or ≥ 60 hours beyond that of the B.S./B.A., if the student has not previously obtained an M.S. Doctoral degree advisory committees are encouraged to require courses other than those that directly support the dissertation research. Twenty-six (26) or more hours of doctoral research (ENT 9910) are required, along with Entomology Graduate Program Core Courses and any other requirements established by the student's Advisory Committee.
Please reference the complete Entomology Graduate Student Handbook for the full degree requirements.
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Financial Information
No Program-specific Fees apply to the Entomology Graduate Program.
The most common mechanism of support is a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA). Interested students are encouraged to contact prospective advisors regarding GRA availability and eligibility. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis directly by the Principal Investigator of each research project.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA) are sometimes available but are much less common than GRAs. Some students may have the opportunity to combine GRA and GTA support.
A few recruitment fellowships and other merit-based scholarships are also available to be awarded on a competitive basis. Prospective advisors should inform interested students of these opportunities as appropriate.
The Entomology Program is fortunate to have several awards and grant opportunities for enrolled graduate students. Review guidelines and application details for available Assistantships, Fellowships and Awards.
Assistantships, Fellowships and Awards -
Job Placement
Graduates of the Entomology graduate program may enter careers in
- academia
- agriculture
- public and private museum science
- pest diagnosis and control
- forestry
- wildlife biology
- military and other health management organizations
- biotechnology
- a wide variety of government regulatory agencies
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Contact Information
Program Coordinator: Dr. Jeremy Greene
Email: greene4@clemson.edu
Office: Edisto Research & Education Center
Phone: 803-284-3343Program Admin. Assistant: Kim Phillips
Email: kimp@clemson.edu
Office: Poole 171
Phone: 864-656-4964
Entomology Club
The Clemson University Entomology Society (Entomology Club) is open to anyone in the Clemson community with an interest in insects. Full-time students make up the core membership, but faculty and staff also participate in Entomology Club events.
Visit the Ent. Club's WebsiteGraduate Faculty and Staff
Clemson’s Entomology program dates to the University’s founding as the ‘Clemson Agricultural College’. Clemson entomologists take an integrative approach to a diverse array of basic and applied research questions. The program resides within the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, providing students and faculty opportunities for close interactions with a wide variety of environmental and natural resource scientists.
Faculty expertise is concentrated in three Emphasis Areas, Biodiversity, Systematics & Evolution; Agricultural & Applied Ecology; and Urban & Medical Entomology. The Entomology group also supports research programs in Insect Genomics & Physiology and Apiculture.
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Faculty - Active
Brett R. Blaauw
Assistant Professor (UGA/Clemson split appointment)
Office: 413 Biological Sciences Bldg., Athens, GA
Phone:
Email: bblaauw@clemson.edu
Research:- Peach entomology
- Integrated Pest Management of insects and pollination ecology on peaches, particularly in Georgia and South Carolina
Thomas R. Bilbo
Assistant Professor
Office: Coastal REC, Charleston, SC
Phone: 843-402-5393
Email: tbilbo@clemson.edu
Research:- Sustainable pest control in vegetable and small fruit crops.
Carlyle C. Brewster
Professor and PES Chair
Office: 172 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-4964
Email: carlylb@clemson.edu
Research:- Applied Ecology
Michael S. Caterino
Professor
Office: E254 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-3105
Email: mcateri@clemson.edu
Research:- Biodiversity, Systematics & Evolution
- Systematics and evolution of beetles; population genetics and phylogeography; insect conservation.
Juang-Horng Chong
Professor
Phone: 843-662-3526 Ext. 224
Email: juanghc@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology & Urban Entomology
- Ecology, biodiversity and management of insect pests and their natural enemies in turfgrass and ornamental plant systems.
Elizabeth J. Cieniewicz
Assistant Professor
Office: 216 Biosystems Research Complex
Phone: 864-656-6930
Email: ecienie@clemson.edu
Research:- Ecology of plant viruses and virus-vector interactions.
Jeremy K. Greene
Professor
Office: Edisto Res. & Ed. Center
Phone: 803-284-3343 Ext. 245
Email: greene4@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Dr. Jeremy Greene has statewide responsibilities for research and Extension programming for insect management in cotton and soybean.
Francis P. F. Reay-Jones
Associate Professor
Office: Pee-Dee Res. & Ed. Center
Phone: 843-662-3526 Ext. 208
Email: freayjo@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Ecology and management of stink bugs. Sampling and spatial ecology. Corn insect pest management. Tobacco insect pest management.
Matthew W. Turnbull
Associate Professor
Office:327 Jordan Hall
Phone: 864-656-2328
Email: turnbul@clemson.edu
Research:- Insect Cell Biology & Physiology
- Insect physiology, immunology, cell biology; evolution and role of gap junctions in development and cellular organization.
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Faculty – Emeritus
Peter H. Adler
Professor Emeritus
Office: Cherry Farm Insectary
Phone: 864-656-5044
Email: padler@clemson.edu
Research:- Biodiversity, Systematics & Evolution
- Ecology of medically important insects, vectors, and pathogens; interactions with endangered vertebrates; ecology, and systematics of black flies; and the butterfly proboscis as a model for nanofluidic medical probes.
Robert G. Bellinger
Professor Emeritus
Office: 258 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-5042
Email: bbllngr@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator; Management of on-farm stored grain insects, forage insects, and forest insects; Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Eric P. Benson
Professor Emeritus
Office: 266 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-7860
Email: ebenson@clemson.edu
Research:- Urban/Medical Entomology
- Extension and research responsibilities for urban pest management, specializing on termites, bed bugs, cockroaches and ants. Teaching responsibilities include urban entomology, insect biology and insect diversity.
Gerald R. Carner
Professor Emeritus
Office: 265 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-5040
Email: gcarner@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Insect pathology and microbial control.
Jay Chapin
Professor Emeritus
Office: Edisto Res. & Ed. Center
Phone: 803-284-3343 Ext. 226
Email: jchapin@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Research and extension involving insects of cotton, peanuts, soybeans and wheat.
Joseph D. Culin
Professor Emeritus
Office: 101 Barre Hall
Phone: 864-656-2810
Email: jculin@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Population and community dynamics and arthropod biodiversity; biological control of the hemlock woolly adelgid; and biodiversity surveys in national and state parks in SC.
M. Hood
Professor Emeritus
Office: ENTOX Center
Phone: 864-617-2251
Email: mhood@clemson.edu
Research:- Apiculture
- IPM involving pests of honeybees.
John C. Morse
Professor Emeritus
Office: 310 Long Hall
Phone: 864-656-5049
Email: jmorse@clemson.edu
Research:- Biodiversity, Systematics & Evolution
- Biology and systematics of caddisflies; stream ecology and conservation; and the use of insect communities to monitor water pollution.
Merle Shepard
Professor Emeritus
Office: Coastal Res. & Ed. Center
Phone: 843-402-5393
Email: mshprd@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- IPM and microbial control of insect pests; rice breeding; insect biodiversity of the South Carolina lowcountry.
Alfred G. Wheeler, Jr.
Adjunct Professor
Office: 261 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-5061
Email: awhlr@clemson.edu
Research:- Biodiversity, Systematics & Evolution
- Ecology of terrestrial Heteroptera, especially Miridae; insects of specialized communities; detection and distribution of adventive insects in North America.
Geoff Zehnder
Professor Emeritus
Office: 162 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-6644
Email: zehnder@clemson.edu
Research:- Agriculture/ Applied Ecology
- Coordinator, IPM and Sustainable Agriculture Programs.
Patricia A. Zungoli
Professor Emeritus
Office: 264 Poole Ag.
Email: pzngl@clemson.edu
Research:- Urban/Medical Entomology
- Ecology and management of insects in the urban environment.
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Research and Administrative Staff
Eddie Beard
Research Technician
Office: Cherry Farm Insectary
Phone: 864-656-5070
Email: cbrd@clemson.edu
Research assistant, Adler Laboratory of biting fly ecology and systematics.Rex Blanton
Lab Specialist
Office: 212 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-3501
Email: rexb@clemson.edu
Research technician; building and grounds maintenance; safety and security coordination of Cherry Farm Insectary, Poole, and McAdams; departmental vehicle maintenance; equipment liaison; lab instructor.Michael Ferro
CUAC Collection Manager
Office: 307 Long Hall
Phone: 864-656-5035
Email: mferro@clemson.edu
Overseeing operations of the Clemson University Arthropod Collection; research on systematics and evolution of a wide variety of beetles, particularly those associated with dead wood.Kim Phillips
Administrative Assistant
Office: 171 Poole Ag. Center
Phone: 864-656-4964
Email: kimp@clemson.edu
Administrative assistance to PES Department Chair; PES graduate programs assistant.