Application Requirements for Requests for a Change of Degree
The Graduate Field of Natural Resources and the Environment (GFNRE) requires that applications for students seeking a change of degree (MS to MS/PhD, or PhD) be reviewed with all other field applications. Similarly, the field requires any students seeking a change from another field into GFNRE submit applications to be reviewed with all other field applications. In order to be reviewed by the admissions committee the student will need to follow the process below.
1. Fill out the Graduate School Student Program Change form located at https://gradschool.cornell.edu/forms/
2. The graduate school will then move your prior graduate school application into the Field of Natural Resources and the Environment application pool for the current admission cycle.
3. Send the following materials to the NRE Graduate Field Assistant, nregrad@cornell.edu
Required documents:
- A Letter of Explanation from the student’s current committee chair indicating why the change is being requested.
- A new Statement of Purpose.
- Minimum of two Letters of Recommendation from Cornell faculty — other than the committee chair — familiar with the student’s work, including members of the student’s special committee.
- Updated transcript showing Cornell coursework
If available:
- An example chapter of the student’s MS thesis or other publication associated with their Cornell degree program.