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Columbia Campus    
2018-2019 Graduate Studies Bulletin 
    
 
  Mar 29, 2024
 
2018-2019 Graduate Studies Bulletin [Archived Catalog]

Biological Sciences, M.S.



Learning Outcomes

  • Students become broadly knowledgeable of their area of research as well as neighboring areas within their field of study.
  • All students will possess the experimental design and problem solving skills needed for conducting independent research.
  • All students will possess the critical thinking skills to design independent research and to assess their own work and the work of others.
  • All students will possess the communication skills necessary to present their research orally and as publications.
  • All students are encouraged to participate in the Graduate Association of Biological Sciences (GABS). All students are eligible to serve on Departmental Committees including serving as student representatives for Faculty Meetings, Faculty hiring committees, Graduate Studies.
  • Production of Masters students ready to pursue advanced studies or productive careers.

Degree Requirements (30 Hours)

Students choose a Major Professor and form an Advisory Committee during the first year. This Advisory Committee serves as the students Thesis Committee. A curriculum, tailored to each student, is developed with and approved by the Advisory Committee and submitted to the Graduate School as the Program of Study. Students take a Qualifying Examination at the end of their first year, comprised of a short written and orally defended Research Plan focusing on planned research in the laboratory of their Major Professor; this Research Plan is developed in consultation with the Major Professor and presented to a committee selected by the Department Chair. Students present a thesis plan in the form of a Research Proposal to their Thesis Committee; the format of this Research Proposal is determined by the Thesis Committee. Finally, students write and orally defend a research based Thesis; the Thesis and its defense serve as the M.S Comprehensive Examination. M.S. students must complete at least 30 hours of course credits including multiple credits of BIOL 798 and 3 credits of BIOL 799. M.S. students are required to have teaching experience equivalent to one semester as a Teaching or Instructional Assistant, unless waived on appeal by the Department Graduate Studies Committee.