Biological Sciences, M.S. (4+1)
The School of Biological Sciences offers both the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy, although emphasis at the graduate level is placed on the Ph.D. programs. Most training takes place within one of the departments, although full facilities and curricular offerings are available to all graduate students in all departments of the Biological Sciences. Interdisciplinary study and research are encouraged.
Students are expected to maintain a B average at all times. The normative time to degree for the contiguous B.S./M.S. in Biological Sciences is four years for the B.S. and one year for the M.S.
Students plan their academic program in consultation with the graduate advisor or a faculty committee. Faculty advisors may be changed to meet the needs and interests of the student. In addition, it is possible for students to transfer to another program in the School, subject to the approval of the dean of Graduate Studies, and acceptance into that program. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty members with regard to their research and academic interests.
The Master of Science may be completed by submission of a research thesis (plan I) or by course work and a comprehensive examination (plan II).
Plan I: Thesis Plan
The student is required to complete at least four didactic graduate courses (16 units) offered at the department level, and elective course work with an additional eight units of graduate or upper-division undergraduate course work. In addition, the student will typically take additional seminar courses during the graduate study. Students in the M.S. program may be employed as teaching assistants, but units earned through enrollment in University Teaching (399) will not be counted toward degree completion. The student engages in thesis research with a faculty thesis advisor, and will prepare and submit a thesis to the thesis committee. The final examination is an oral presentation of the thesis to the committee. The normative time to degree is two years for the thesis M.S.
Plan II: Comprehensive Examination Plan
The plan II M.S. is awarded based on completion of at least 36 units of course work and satisfactory completion of a comprehensive examination. The student is required to complete at least four courses of didactic graduate course work offered at the department level. In addition, the student will take a minimum of 12 units of research. An additional eight units or more of elective course work will be completed from other graduate courses offered at the department level. A maximum of four units of upper-division undergraduate courses may be included in the program with the approval of the associate dean for Graduate Studies. Students in the M.S. program may be employed as teaching assistants, but units earned through enrollment in University Teaching (399) will not be counted toward degree completion. The comprehensive exam will be administered by a committee of at least three departmental faculty, and may include written and oral sections. The comprehensive examination format will include presentation of research or a capstone project and may include additional sections such as a research proposal, presentation of a project, critical analysis, or other components.
A contiguous B.S./M.S. in Biological Sciences may be completed for the research-active student with a normative time to degree of four years for the B.S. and an additional one year for the M.S.