Welcome to GDPE

Welcome to GDPE – we’re happy you’re here! Our graduate community is made up of 100+ students across many of CSU’s colleges and departments. While Fort Collins is already home to some members of our community, we also welcome non-Colorado residents and international students. Whether you’re new or returning, please peruse the following materials to learn more about our program!

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Getting Started with GDPE

New Student Orientation

Orientation is a chance for new students to meet each other, meet GDPE Graduate Student Mentors & staff, learn about the program, and have fun with their new Ecology family!

Fall 2024 Orientation will be held on August 14th from 10am-1pm in Nutrien 163.

Dual Citizenship

The Colorado State University (CSU) Graduate Degree Program in Ecology (GDPE) is an interdisciplinary program for students with interests in a wide range of ecological subjects. GDPE is designated as a Special Academic Unit (SAU) and is organizationally housed in the Graduate School Office (Grad School) as an intra-university program.

Students are dual citizens where their degree is in Ecology and their “Advising Department” is the department where their faculty advisor is located. Because the degree is granted in Ecology, academic paperwork goes through GDPE and is signed by the GDPE director. A student’s faculty advisor has primary responsibility for overseeing the degree program, along with the student’s graduate committee. The degree programs include taking core courses in ecology, a variety of other courses, and by completing original research or a major project.

A student’s faculty advisor has primary responsibility for overseeing the degree program, along with the student’s graduate committee.

GDPE Program Listserv

GDPE has multiple listservs for academic, program, and job announcements that are sent out in a GDPE Weekly Digest and as seperate emails. Graduate students are added to the GDPE students’ listserv once they are admitted into the program. When a student leaves the program, their email is automatically moved from the student to general announcements listserv. To be added or removed from the listserv, email us at [email protected]

GDPE Social Listserv

For non-program, non-academic, political, housing, and social information, sign up for the GDPE Social Listserv which is managed by the GDPE Social Committee. After your enrollment has been approved, you do not need permission to send an email, just be respectful of the number of emails people receive when considering if you want to send one.

Getting Started with CSU

Non-GDPE Orientations
  • Graduate Student Orientation: Students are encouraged to attend the Graduate School’s campus-wide New Graduate Student Orientation. This event is only held online.
  • International Graduate Student Orientation: A mandatory orientation for graduate international students will be held on Tuesday, August 13th from 8am-2pm. You can register for this in-person event here.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Training: The Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) provides mandatory training for new GTAs in both hybrid and online formats. This is a great opportunity to learn from our pedagogy experts about the ins-and-outs of being a TA. Please visit the Training for First-Time GTAs site for more information and to register (deadline early August). For fall 2024, hybrid orientation will consist of an online training from August 5th-11th and an in-person session on Monday, August 12th from 8am-1pm. Online orientation will occur August 12th-18th. Note that some GTA positions (e.g. LIFE102/103) often hold separate course-specific orientations/trainings. Please coordinate with your specific instructor/lab coordinator for details.
  • Advising Department Orientation and Events: GDPE students are encouraged to participate in orientation and other start-of-the-year events with their advising department (this is your advisor’s department). Please check with your advisor or your advising department’s administration for details on these events.
RamCard

Your RamCard is your personal ID card on campus and is your ticket to just about everything at Colorado State University – getting into events, using the gym, checking out books at the library, eating at the Dining Centers, and more!

You can pick up your RamCard during GDPE Orientation or visit this link to navigate the process yourself.

Offices, Mailboxes, and Keys

Graduate student mailboxes are provided by your advising department. Ask your advising department Program Coordinator where the graduate student mailboxes are located.

Graduate students are usually issued keys to their offices, labs, and their corresponding buildings. Ask your advising department Program Coordinator how to request keys. The location of your office should be listed in your Offer Letter.

Health Insurance

Students will be enrolled in the University’s health program (SHIP), or they may elect coverage under their own insurance or through another employer. SHIP provides comprehensive coverage on campus as well as in the community and nationally. If enrolled, student receive several services for free or at a reduced cost at the Student Health Center. You can find more information here.

Register for Classes

RAMweb provides online access to course registration, financial information, billing and tax information, personal records, and more. For information on suggested coursework, visit our Curriculum and Courses page.

How to sign up for classes:

  1. Go to https://ramweb.colostate.edu/registrar/Public/Login.aspx
  2. Use your CSU credentials to log in.
  3. Complete any requirements in the registration box in the center of the page.
  4. Click “Go to registration.”
  5. Scroll down and click “Continue to Registration.”
  6. Click “Register for classes”.
  7. Use the drop down menu to select the correct semester (i.e., Fall 2024).
  8. In the subject section, add the department code for the course you’d like to register for (e.g. ECOL).
  9. In the course number section, add the 3 digit course number (e.g. 505).
  10. Search and add the desired classes.
  11. When you’ve added the classes you are interested in, submit your schedule with the “Submit” button on the lower right.

Getting Settled in Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Residency (for domestic, out-of-state students only)

Colorado residents pay significantly lower tuition than non-residents. CSU typically covers out-of-state tuition for domestic graduate students for one year. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain CO residency before the second year starts. If you have not gained residency by your second year, your assistantship will not cover the additional expense of out-of-state tuition. 

As soon after you’re admitted to CSU, complete the online Residency Orientation to know what documents you need to obtain CO residency. Note: some of these documents need to be obtained before the first or second Monday of the semester – see here for domicile deadline.

Housing

Fort Collins Basics:

  • You plus two: Fort Collins only legally allows you and two other non-related people to live together. There are landlords who break this law which you should be aware of so you can make an informed decision

Finding roommates:

  • Ask labmates 
  • Reach out to GDPE social listserv.
  • CSU housing facebook group

Where to live:

  • If you want to drive to school you could live in many places in Fort Collins, although it is best if you stay north of Harmony Rd. (CSU campus outlined in green). Information about parking on campus can be found in the next section.
Transportation

Driving:

  • You can obtain a parking permit on campus for ~$600 for the 9-month academic year. Remote lot parking is available for ~$350. To learn about parking options or to purchase a permit, click here. 

Biking:

  • Fort Collins is a Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community and Colorado State University is a Platinum Bicycle Friendly University.

    Bicycles are a practical way to travel between classes across campus, and 16,000 bike parking spaces await you. Miles of bike lanes and trails allow you to venture around Fort Collins. Click here for information about cycling around campus.

Transit:

  • Public transportation options are available to get you to campus and around Fort Collins. All students receive a Transfort transit pass (on their Ramcard) included in their student fees. You can ride any Transfort route in the city, via bus or MAX. On campus? Catch the Around the Horn shuttle. We recommend downloading the RideTransfort App to know when the bus is coming.