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Biological Sciences - Cell Biology -M.S. Program Requirements PDFDownload to print

Students must complete a minimum of 32 hours of graduate coursework, which includes a minimum of 14 hours of formal graduate coursework and six credits of Thesis I. After completing 6 hours of Thesis I, continual registration for Thesis II is required. Students are required to present at least one departmental seminar about their research.

  1. Students must enroll in appropriate coursework for their focus area, including courses in their major area. Students majoring in Cell Biology must take appropriate, available courses in cell and molecular biology.
  2. Students in the Cell Biology program must take at least one course in each of the following areas: Cell biology/molecular biology (such as Eukaryotic Cell Biology) and biochemistry (such as Bioenergetics). Students are required to enroll in at least one graduate level statistics course.
  3. All students are required to attend seminar; students must enroll in seminar each semester in Physiology.
  4. Students should enroll in additional courses that provide necessary skills for completion of research projects and that will be beneficial for their professional development.
  5. Students who will serve as teaching assistants are required to take BSCI 60184 Responsible Conduct in Research and Teaching-Biological Sciences their first semester (or for those starting in Spring, the following Fall).
  6. Students must complete the required OSHA Training Session prior to working with radioactive materials.
  7. Students with coursework deficits in curricula of prior degrees, should enroll in appropriate graduate-level courses (permission must be obtained form the department to enroll in undergraduate-level courses)

Prospectus: An M.S. student begins research by successfully preparing, presenting and defending a formal prospectus for their research project to their committee.

Thesis and Final Defense: The student must complete a master's thesis. It is expected that the student will present the results of their study in a defense open to students and faculty. The thesis must be presented and defended before the Guidance Committee with not more than one negative vote in order to be recommended to the Department and College of Arts and Sciences for degree conferral.