Biology Program Graduation Requirements

  1. Students must complete an application for graduation one semester prior to their expected graduation date.
  2. A 3.0 cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation.
  3. No grade below a “C” will be credited toward the degree.
  4. Students must successfully complete a competency exam covering biology, general subject areas, course work, and specific areas of research to achieve candidate status for degree and graduation. Exams may consist of written and oral questions developed and administered by the thesis committee. Students not successfully passing competency exams may, at the thesis committee’s discretion, be re-examined after completion of appropriate remedial work as determined by the thesis committee.
  5. Students are required to design, conduct, write, and defend a formal research thesis in their chosen area of study in order to graduate with the Master of Science degree with a major in biology.

Thesis

A master’s thesis in biology should be a written work suitable to a relevant, professional sub-discipline of biology demonstrating competent and substantial research coupled with an innovative approach to the subject matter. The thesis will be directed by a faculty member and a committee of at least two other faculty members (at least one of whom must be from outside the Department of Biology). Once the thesis has been submitted, students will have an oral defense covering both the thesis and their coursework. Students must complete a minimum of 30 hours of coursework and 6 hours of thesis credit.