Master of Arts in Biological and Environmental Sciences

Degree Requirements for the Master of Arts in Biological and Environmental Sciences

  1. Advising Committee
    Each student will choose an advisor based on his or her interests. After the student completes six credits with a GPA of 3.0 or greater, the student and advisor will then choose two other faculty members to comprise the student's committee. A committee member from outside the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
    must be approved by the department.
Required Course (3 SH)  
BIO 500 Graduate Seminar 3 SH
Elective Courses (21-27 SH)  
BIO 503 Oceanography 3 SH
BIO 504 Limnology 3 SH
BIO 510 Current Topics in Biology 3 SH
BIO 511 Selected Topics in Animal Development 3 SH
BIO 513 Marine Biology 3 SH
BIO 516 Current Techniques in Cell and Molecular Biology 4 SH
BIO 520 Advanced Topics in Cell Biology 2 SH
BIO 524 The Immune System 3 SH
BIO 530 Population Genetics 3 SH
BIO 534 Advanced Evolution 3 SH
BIO 535 Advanced Molecular Biology 4 SH
BIO 536 Molecular Oncology 3 SH
BIO 537 Molecular Endocrinology 3 SH
BIO 538 Molecular Mechanisms of Animal Development 3 SH
BIO 540 Aquatic Vascular Plants 4 SH
BIO 543 Stream Ecology 4 SH
BIO 545 Advanced Systematic Biology 3 SH
BIO 551 Soil Ecology 4 SH
BIO 555 Environmental Physiology 3 SH
BIO 560 Behavioral Ecology 3 SH
BIO 565 Topics in Animal Behavior 3 SH
BIO 592 Independent Thesis Research 6 SH
BIO 598 Faculty Developed Study 1-4 SH
BIO 599 Student Developed Study 1-6 SH
 
Total : 30 SH   

A maximum of 6 semester hours of 400 level courses may be applied to the degree. Some 400 or 500 level courses from other departments may be approved by the student's committee. A student should obtain committee approval before taking a course in another department.

  1. Thesis or non-thesis option. Students will choose from the following:
    • Thesis - A minimum of 24 semester hours of course work, plus a thesis. All courses must be approved by the student's committee. The thesis must be approved by the student's committee, the Program Coordinator, and the Director of University Admissions. Thesis students will be required to present their research in a department seminar.
    • Non-Thesis- A minimum of 30 semester hours in a planned program of courses. All courses must be approved by the student's committee.
  2. Final Examination- Thesis students must pass a thesis defense. Non-thesis students must pass a comprehensive examination. The examination or thesis defense will be administered by the student's committee during the student's final semester. The student's GPA must be at least 3.0 at the time of the thesis defense or comprehensive examination.
  3. Grade Point Average- A student's cumulative GPA must be at least 3.0 to be eligible for graduation.

 


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