Biology M.S.
Requirements
Requirements for Graduation
1. A minimum of 45 quarter units of acceptable graduate-level work included in the formal program, with no less than 32 units completed in residence at this university and with at least 24 units gained from 600-level courses in biology;
2. Advancement to candidacy for the degree and approval of the specific program of courses;
3. A grade point average of 3.0 ("B") in all graduate course work fulfilling the requirements of the Master of Science in Biology and grades of "C" (2.0) or better in each course in the program;
4. Completion of a final oral examination concluded by acceptance of the thesis (Plan I); or satisfactory completion of the Comprehensive Final Examination (Plan II);
5. The graduation writing requirement is met upon successful completion of the thesis or the written portion of the comprehensive examination;
6. Any additional general requirements not cited above.
Department Graduate Committee and Major Advisor
The Department of Biology Graduate Committee consists of the graduate program coordinator and two or more faculty members. This committee has general supervision over the work of students progressing toward the Master's degree, and will determine whether students are adequately prepared for graduate study in biology.
Each new graduate student should consult with the graduate program coordinator for advice in selection of the appropriate graduate program. Students wishing to complete a thesis are responsible for contacting potential major advisors. Students may only enter the Thesis Program (Plan I) if they are accepted by a thesis advisor, and the Biology Graduate Committee approves the student's petition to enter the Thesis Program. The major advisor in consultation with the student will develop a program of specific courses and an acceptable thesis research proposal based on the student's interests, abilities and preparation. The major advisor will direct the thesis research. The program of courses and the thesis topic, as well as any subsequent modification of these, are subject to approval by the Department of Biology Graduate Committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
Students following the non-thesis program should consult directly with the Department of Biology graduate program coordinator.
Students currently enrolled in the graduate program wishing to take courses off campus and include them in the degree program must petition the Department of Biology for approval through the graduate program coordinator and the Graduate Committee, otherwise the course may not be accepted as part of the program. 1000- to 9999-level extension courses are not applicable to the graduate program.
300-level courses taken will be accepted only by written approval of the department. 300-level courses are seen as support courses and therefore are not generally applicable to the graduate degree program.
Courses taken to satisfy quantitative or qualitative deficiencies cannot be applied toward a master's degree.
Repeat of courses or the comprehensive final examination require approval of the Department of Biology Graduate Committee and may be granted for serious and compelling reasons.
Thesis Program (Plan I)
Students electing this program, Plan I below, must conduct an original research study and from these efforts write a thesis acceptable to the major advisor, the department graduate committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies. The student should consult the Department of Biology for details on preparing the thesis manuscript.
A final oral examination consisting primarily of discussion of the thesis and thesis research is required. The official examiners are the major advisor, the department graduate committee, and a representative from outside the Department of Biology chosen by the Dean of Graduate Studies. Successful completion of the final oral examination includes acceptance of the thesis by the examiners.
Non-Thesis Program (Plan II)
Students pursuing this program are required to pass the Biology Department graduate comprehensive examination in addition to the completion of required course work selected from the three major curricular areas in biology as described in Plan II below. Students must register for BIOL 999 during the quarter they take the comprehensive final examination. The comprehensive final examination may be repeated one time only if justified by serious and compelling reasons and approved by the Biology Graduate Committee. Satisfactory completion of the Plan II must be certified by the Department of Biology Graduate Committee before graduation from the program is possible.
Degree Requirements (45 units)
Plan I: Thesis Program
1. BIOL 601. Teaching Assistant Training in Biology (2)
2. BIOL 690. Graduate Seminar in Biology (2)
3. BIOL 692. Graduate Research Methods in Biology (2)
4. BIOL 699A. Thesis Research and Thesis I (3)
5. BIOL 699B. Thesis Research and Thesis II (3)
6. BIOL 699C. Thesis Research and Thesis III (3)
7. Five of the 600-level courses in Biology listed under "Course Categories" A, B, and C. (List follows Plan II below.) At least one of these must be taken from each of the three categories (minimum of 10 units.) Course categories are:
A. Cellular and Molecular Biology
B. Physiology and Organismal Biology
C. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
8. Twenty units of electives to be chosen from biology or related courses at the 600-, 500- and 400-levels (excluding BIOL 601). A maximum of 12 units from any combination of BIOL 596, BIOL 692, and BIOL 696 may be applied toward the student's degree. Courses taken outside the department to fulfill this requirement require prior approval of the Graduate Committee and thesis advisor.
9. Attendance of at least one per quarter Biology Department graduate presentations or selected colloquia, until the thesis has been defended satisfactorily.
Plan II: Non-Thesis Program
1. BIOL 601. Teaching Assistant Training in Biology (2)
2. BIOL 690. Graduate Seminar in Biology (2)
3. Eight courses, with a minimum of 16 units, of 600-level courses listed under "Course Categories" below. Must include at least two 600-level courses from each of the following categories:
A. Cellular and Molecular Biology
B. Physiology and Organismal Biology
C. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
4. Twenty-five units of electives to be chosen from biology or related courses at the 600-, 500- and 400-levels, with at least one course in each of the categories (A, B, and C) below. A maximum of six units from any combination of BIOL 596, BIOL 692, and BIOL 696 may be applied toward the student's degree.
5. Upon completion of all course work, attendance of at least one per quarter Biology Department graduate presentations or selected colloquia, until the comprehensive examination has been passed.
6. Successfully complete BIOL 999.
Course Categories
A. Cellular and Molecular Biology
BIOL 502. Genetic Engineering (4)
BIOL 528. Concepts of Molecular Genetics (4)
BIOL 572. Virology (4)
BIOL 590A. Senior Seminar: Molecular (2)
BIOL 590C. Senior Seminar: Cellular (2)
BIOL 590I. Senior Seminar: Microbiology (2)
BIOL 592. Recombinant DNA Techniques (4)
BIOL 600. Advanced Topics in Molecular Biology (2)
BIOL 605. Advanced Topics in Cell Biology (2)
BIOL 678. Advanced Microbiology (2)
B. Physiology and Organismal Biology
BIOL 424. Comparative Animal Physiology (6)
BIOL 431. Comparative Plant Physiology (6)
BIOL 440. Principles of Development (5)
BIOL 524. Advanced Vertebrate Morphology (3)
BIOL 576. Endocrinology
BIOL 573. Immunology (5)
BIOL 580. Neurobiology (4)
. BIOL 590D. Senior Seminar: Physiology (2)
BIOL 590F. Senior Seminar: Animal Use (2)
BIOL 590J. Senior Seminar: Zoology (2)
BIOL 590K. Senior Seminar: Botany (2)
BIOL 620. Advanced Topics in Plant Biology (2)
BIOL 624. Advanced Topics in Physiology (2)
BIOL 660. Advanced Topics in Development (2)
BIOL 675. Advanced Topics in Parasitology (2)
BIOL 677. Advanced Immunology (2)
C. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
BIOL 522. Population Genetics (4)
BIOL 565. Physiological Ecology (6)
BIOL 590B. Senior Seminar: Biosystematics (2)
BIOL 590E. Senior Seminar: Ecology (2)
BIOL 590G. Senior Seminar: Genetics (2)
BIOL 650. Advanced Topics in Genetics (2)
BIOL 664. Biosystematics (2)
BIOL 670. Advanced Topics in Ecology (2)
BIOL 680. Advanced Topics in Evolution (2)
Please refer to the University catalog at http://catalog.csusb.edu for official information.