Degree Requirements
- Credit Hours: Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours in Biology at the 500 level or above. Up to 6 credits of coursework at the 400 level may be used.
- Grade Point Average: Students must earn a minimum overall GPA of a 2.75, and a minimum GPA of 3.00 in coursework applied to their graduate program.
- Thesis: Students must write and defend a Master's Thesis.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE COURSES: | 12 | |
| Any Biology Coursework at the 500 level or above. * | ||
| RESEARCH: | 9 | |
| Research (Repeated) | ||
| PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES: | 6 | |
| Graduate Seminar (Repeat twice - offered each year) | ||
| Scientific Integrity | ||
or BMS 701 | Scientific Rigor and Ethics | |
| Research Project Development | ||
| Teaching Practicum | ||
or GRAD 710 | Scholarly Teaching | |
| COLLOQUIUM REQUIREMENT: | 3 | |
| Biology Department Colloquium | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- *
May include up to 6 credits at the 400-level. Biology Coursework excludes BIOL 484/5/6/7, BIOL 490, BIOL 590, BIOL 690, BIOL 788, BIOL 790, BIOL 796, BIOL 797
Major Learning Outcomes
Biology
The graduate programs in the Department of Biology provide rigorous training in several fields of biology. The central mission of our graduate program is to train the next generation of Biologists for careers in the field, laboratory and several other professional settings that rely on deep expertise in the biological sciences.
Students earning a M.S. in Biology will be able to:
- Explain general biological principles as well as those specific to their research sub-discipline
- Demonstrate familiarity with the literature published within their field
- Independently perform experiments and provide quality data, analysis and interpretation, critical to progress in their research area
- Effectively communicate their research in oral and written formats, including the ability to co-author manuscripts suitable for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals
- Learn and apply the role of ethics in personal and professional behavior
- Learn and apply best laboratory practices (i.e. proper laboratory safety procedures and experimental protocols)