Program Overview

M.S. in Biology

Curriculum

The M.S. in Biology program offers two options: a non-thesis option and a thesis option.

Non-Thesis Option

Core Requirements

• BIO 510: Graduate Seminar in Biology
• BIO 511: Experimental Design and Analysis (3 credits)
• BIO 520: Topics and Research Methods in Cellular, Microbial, and Molecular Biology
• BIO 521: Topics and Research Methods in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology

Electives

• Select 15 credits of electives from the following options:
  • Any other 500-level biology course.
  • Up to six credits of 400-level biology courses, where no 500-level course is available.
  • Up to six credits of graduate course work from another department or university, pending prior departmental approval.
• Electives may not be repeats of courses unless the course topic changed significantly.

Research and Capstone

• BIO 591: Directed Research in Biology (3 credits)

Total Minimum Credits Required

• 30 credits

Thesis Option

Core Requirements

• BIO 510: Graduate Seminar in Biology
• BIO 511: Experimental Design and Analysis (3 credits)
• BIO 520: Topics and Research Methods in Cellular, Microbial, and Molecular Biology
• BIO 521: Topics and Research Methods in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology

Electives

• Select nine credits of electives from the following options:
  • Any other 500-level biology course, with the exception of BIO 591.
  • Up to six credits of 400-level biology courses, where no 500-level course is available.
  • Up to six credits of graduate course work from another department or university, pending prior departmental approval.
• Electives may not be repeats of courses unless the course topic changed significantly.

Research and Capstone

• BIO 608: Thesis Proposal (3 credits)
• BIO 609: Thesis Research (3 credits)
• BIO 610: Thesis and Defense (3 credits)

Total Minimum Credits Required

• 30 credits

Sample Course Plan

M.S. in Biology

• Year One:
  • Fall: BIO 510, BIO 520, Elective 1 (9 credits)
  • Spring: BIO 511, BIO 521, Elective 2 (9 credits)
• Year Two:
  • Fall: Elective 3, Elective 4, Elective 5 (9 credits)
  • Spring: BIO 591 (3 credits)

M.S. in Biology (Thesis Option)

• Year One:
  • Fall: BIO 510, BIO 520, Elective 1 (9 credits)
  • Spring: BIO 511, BIO 521, BIO 608 (9 credits)
• Year Two:
  • Fall: BIO 609, Elective 2, Elective 3 (9 credits)
  • Spring: BIO 610 (3 credits)

Additional Requirements

• To complete BIO 591 successfully, the student must present the results of the project in an open seminar. In addition, the student must pass a written comprehensive examination prepared by the student's advisory committee.
• To complete BIO 610 successfully, the student must present the thesis research in an open seminar and also pass a final thesis defense before the thesis committee. The degree will not be awarded until the student's committee has accepted the thesis and signed by the dean of graduate studies.