Course description
The College of Natural and Applied Sciences offers a Masters of Science Degree in Biology. Courses for the Master of Science Degree in Biology are taught by faculty from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, the Marine Laboratory, and the Water and Environmental Research Institute. The program is designed to serve those students who are pursuing a research-oriented career at the master's level, those using the master's degree as a stepping stone to the doctorate, and biology teachers who have fulfilled requirements for teacher's certification but seek a broader knowledge of biology.
In addition to obtaining the Master of Science in Biology, candidates have the Underwater reef survey.opportunity to study in one of the most interesting regions of the biosphere. The Graduate Program in Biology has many facets comparable to mainland programs and provides outstanding opportunities in tropical marine science. The Marine Laboratory, situated at the edge of Pago Bay's diverse coral reef, provides facilities for research and instruction requiring a running seawater system and basic and advanced instrumentation.
Prerequisites for the program are one (1) term (semester or quarter) of Calculus, two (2) terms ofPhysics or Geology, four (4) terms of Chemistry, and four (4) terms of Biology, of which at least two (2) are upper division. Students may make up these prerequisites while in the program, however courses taken to make up any deficiencies shall not be applied to the total credits required for a graduate degree. Applicants must also submit test scores on the Graduate Record Examination (General and Advanced Biology Tests taken within the last five years) and three letters of reference.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate students in the field with Dr. Raymundo.Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in order to graduate, with at least 20 of these at the 500 level or higher.
COURSEWORK REQUIREMENTS
Required Courses (14 credit hours)
All students enrolled in the Graduate Biology Program must take all of the following required core courses.
BI412G Biometrics - (4 credit hours)
BI503 Biological Literature and Scientific Writing - (2 credit hours)
BI505 Advanced Ecology - (3 credit hours)
BI520 Current Topics in Cellular Biology - (3 credit hours)
BI695 Seminar (1 credit hour) - This course MUST be taken at least twice.
Elective Courses (10 credit hours)
In addition to the required courses, students should complete ten (10) hours of elective graduate courses (400G level or higher). Syllabi for each course are available in the current Graduate Bulletin. Below is a list of the current courses offered by Graduate Biology Faculty.
BI/CH419G Biochemistry– (3)
BI/CH419G/L Biochemistry Lab – (1)
BI440G Ichthyology - (3)
BI440G/L Ichthyology Lab – (1)
BI474 Marine Botany – (4)
BI/EV522 Conservation Biology - (4)
BI525 Evolutionary Biology – (3)
BI/EV529B Environmental Contamination & Toxicology I: Fundamental Principals and basic concepts – (3)
BI/EV529B Environmental Contamination & Toxicology II: Major classes of environmental pollutants
BI/EV530 Chemical Ecology – (3)
BI531 Behavioral Ecology – (3)
BI546 Tropical Marine Invertebrates (4)
BI547 Fisheries Biology (4)
BI/EV550 - Biogeochemistry (3)
BI596 – Special Projects (3)
Thesis credits (6 credit hours)
When the thesis proposal is approved by the thesis committee and Form A-99 is completed and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office, students can enroll and take Thesis credits (Thesis BI695). Consult with your advisor on how to schedule these credits until the semester of expected graduation to avoid the need to take (and be charged for) more than necessary.
