All students must meet the Requirements for the Master's Degree
Overview
Students pursue coursework and conduct their thesis research with Biology Graduate Program faculty in one or several biological sub-disciplines.
Learning goals for the M.S. in Biology Thesis-based (T), or Course-based (C) degree students:
- (T) Learning Goal 1: Be able to design and execute scientific experiments; analyze and communicate experimental results orally and in writing.
- (C) Learning Goal 1: Be able to design scientific experiments and analyze and communicate results orally and in writing.
- (T/C) Learning Goal 2: Have a working knowledge of the fundamental literature, concepts and ideas of their field of study.
- (T/C) Learning Goal 3: Have a broad factual and conceptual knowledge and understanding of biology.
Specific Requirements
Requirements for Admission to Graduate Studies for the Degree of Master of Science
An undergraduate major in the life sciences. Acceptability to the faculty member with whom the candidate wishes to do thesis research. There is no GRE requirement for any Biology graduate program.
Minimum Degree Requirements
Thesis-based
A total of 30 credits, 15 of which must be graded course credits. Students may take up to 3 credits of 3000- or 4000-level coursework for graduate credit with approval of the course instructor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate College. Thesis research (6 to 15credits) and successful defense of thesis are required.
| Requirement Description | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (10 credits) | ||
| BIOL 6005 | Graduate Seminar | 1 |
| BIOL 6000 | Professional Skills and Ethics | 2 |
| BIOL 6100 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 6015 | Scientific Writing in Life Sci | 2 |
| BIOL 6020 | Foundations in Eco & Evo | 1 |
| or BIOL 6025 | Foundations in Cell & Dev | |
| Electives (Minimum of 5 credits chosen from the list below or other courses approved by studies committee) | ||
| CLBI 6010 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| CLBI 6020 | Science Communication | 2 |
| CLBI 7010 | Critical Reading & Analysis | 2 |
| CLBI 7020 | Biomedical Data Analysis | 2 |
| CS 6020 | Modeling Complex Systems I | 3 |
| CS 6520 | Evolutionary Computation | 3 |
| MMG 6200 | Cellular Microbiology | 4 |
| NR 6430 | Fndmtls of Geog Info Systems | 3 |
| NSCI 6010 | Intr Functional Neuroimaging 2 | 3 |
| NSCI 6270 | Resp Conduct in Biomed Rsch | 1 |
| PBIO 6940 | Data Modeling for Envir Scienc | 3 |
| PATH 6070 | Molecular Pathology | 3 |
| PATH 6280 | Techniques in Microscopy | 3 |
| PHRM 5400 | Molecules & Medicine | 3 |
| PHRM 5720 | Gr Toxicology | 3 |
| PHRM 5900 | Gr Adv Pharmacology Topics | 3 |
| STAT 6870 | Data Science II | 3 |
| STAT 7980 | Applied Geostatistics | 3 |
| BHSC 5000-5900 | ||
| BIOC 6000-6100, 7000-7100 | ||
| BIOC, BIOL, BHSC, CLBI, MMG, MPBP, NSCI, PATH, PHRM 5990, 6990, 7990 | ||
| BIOL 6200-6300 | ||
| MMG 5000-5900 | ||
| MPBP 6000-6300 | ||
| NSCI 5000-5900 | ||
| Research (6-15 credits) | ||
| BIOL 6391 | Master's Thesis Research | 6-15 |
Course-Based
A total of 30 credits, 15 of which must be graded course credits. Students may take up to 3 credits of 3000- or 4000-level coursework for graduate credit with approval of the course instructor, the Director of Graduate Studies, and the Graduate College.
| Requirement Description | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (10 credits) | ||
| BIOL 6010 | Biology Seminar | 1 |
| BIOL 6000 | Professional Skills and Ethics | 2 |
| BIOL 6100 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 6015 | Scientific Writing in Life Sci | 2 |
| BIOL 6020 | Foundations in Eco & Evo | 1 |
| or BIOL 6025 | Foundations in Cell & Dev | |
| Electives (Minimum of 20 credits chosen from the list below or other courses approved by studies committee) | ||
| CLBI 6010 | Cell Biology | 3 |
| CLBI 6020 | Science Communication | 2 |
| CLBI 7010 | Critical Reading & Analysis | 2 |
| CLBI 7020 | Biomedical Data Analysis | 2 |
| CS 6020 | Modeling Complex Systems I | 3 |
| CS 6520 | Evolutionary Computation | 3 |
| MMG 6200 | Cellular Microbiology | 4 |
| NR 6430 | Fndmtls of Geog Info Systems | 0 or 3 |
| NSCI 6010 | Intr Functional Neuroimaging 2 | 3 |
| NSCI 6270 | Resp Conduct in Biomed Rsch | 1 |
| PBIO 6940 | Data Modeling for Envir Scienc | 3 |
| PATH 6070 | Molecular Pathology | 3 |
| PATH 6280 | Techniques in Microscopy | 3 |
| PHRM 5400 | Molecules & Medicine | 3 |
| PHRM 5720 | Gr Toxicology | 3 |
| PHRM 5900 | Gr Adv Pharmacology Topics | 3 |
| STAT 6870 | Data Science II | 3 |
| STAT 7980 | Applied Geostatistics | 3 |
| BHSC 5000-5900 | ||
| BIOC 6000-6100, 7000-7100 | ||
| BIOC, BIOL, BHSC, CLBI, MMG, MPBP, NSCI, PATH, PHRM 5990, 6990, 7990 | ||
| BIOL 6200-6300 | ||
| MMG 5000-5900 | ||
| MPBP 6000-6300 | ||
| NSCI 5000-5900 | ||
Comprehensive Examination
Thesis-based students take Scientific Writing in Life Sciences (BIOL 6015) the spring semester of their first year during which they prepare a written research proposal. The comprehensive exam evaluates the written proposal and has two oral parts. The first oral part is a defense of the written proposal. The second oral part evaluates the student’s understanding of the broad range of concepts in the student's discipline. The comprehensive examination takes place before the end of May of their first year.
Course-based students take Scientific Writing in Life Sciences (BIOL 6015) the spring semester of their first year (dually enrolled year) during which they prepare a written review article on a topic of choice. The Instructor for BIOL 6015 will review the written document and provide a recommendation to the Graduate Affairs Committee, which will make a decision on the outcome before the end of May of the student’s first year.
Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy for the Degree of Master of Science
Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is required for advancement to candidacy.