Master of Science in Biology - Thesis

The Department of Biology offers both thesis and non-thesis Master of Science degree programs. Both programs require a minimum of 30 semester hours of courses at the 300 level or higher. A minimum of 18 semester hours of formal course work is required for the thesis degree, and a minimum of 24 semester hours of formal course work for the non-thesis degree. The remaining credits may be research credits (BIOL 601 Research and BIOL 651 Thesis M.S.). The Entrepreneurial Biotechnology (EB) is a two-year Plan A professional MS degree in Biology. The program includes four (4) required courses, an internship and electives to make up the 30 semester hours. The thesis is based on a real entrepreneurial project with an existing company or your own startup (the internship). Plan A (Thesis) The Plan A Master of Science degree in biology is a thesis graduate degree program. The purpose of the program is to provide advanced exposure to biology for interested professionals, to provide additional training for those wishing to resume or change careers, or to provide additional preparation in biology for students interested in pursuing professional studies in the health sciences. Students are required to write a Master of Science thesis. Program of Study All candidates must complete a total of 30 credit hours in course work at the 300 level or higher within 5 years of matriculation into the graduate program. At least 18 of these credit hours must be must be at the 400 level or above. Further, at least 15 credit hours must be in courses offered by the biology department. The remaining course work may include courses offered by any department within the University, subject to an advisor’s approval and School of Graduate Studies regulations. Candidates are limited to 3 credit hours of BIOL 601 Research, but may take up to 9 credit hours of BIOL 651 Thesis M.S. According to rules of the School of Graduate Studies, once a candidate registers for BIOL 651, the registration must continue for a minimum of 1 credit per semester until completion of the degree program. Students who are uncertain about completing requirements for a Plan A master’s degree should consult the regulations for the Plan B Master’s degree. These two master’s degrees have different regulations concerning use of BIOL 601. A candidate may wish to use BIOL 599 Advanced Independent Study for Graduate Students; the letter grade assigned will reflect the evaluation by the entire Advisory Committee. The candidate’s program of study must also include a formal oral presentation in a seminar or journal club on a topic different from the candidate’s research topic.