Biological Sciences (M.S.)

Course Requirements

Course Title Credits
Core Requirements 1
BISC 7501Population & Community Biology4
BISC 7502Eukaryotic Molecular Biology4
BISC 7503Community and Ecosystem Ecology4
BISC 6734Cell Biology of Eukaryotes4
Non-Core Requirements
BISC 6525Biostatistics 23
BISC 7801Methods in Cell and Molecular Biology1
BISC 8999Independent Study (graded on a letter scale)2
BISC 8801Biological Colloquium I (taken twice)0
Concentration-Specific Requirements3 to 4
Cell & Molecular Biology Concentration
BISC 7804
Techniques in Molecular Biology
Ecology & Systematics Concentration
BISC 6535
Ecological Methods
One Additional Elective Credit 3
Electives/Research Tutorials9
BISC 6999
Research for M.S. in Biological Sciences (6-credit thesis, graded pass/fail) 4
BISC 8999
Independent Study (graded on a letter scale)
Graduate-Level Biological Sciences Electives 5
Comprehensive Exam
BISC 0936Master's Comprehensive Examination-Biology 60
Total Credits34-35
1

Please note:

  • For M.S. students, only one grade of "C" may count towards the Core requirements.
  • BISC 7501 Population & Community Biology is the prerequisite for BISC 7503 Community and Ecosystem Ecology.
  • BISC 7502 Eukaryotic Molecular Biology is the prerequisite for BISC 6734 Cell Biology of Eukaryotes.
2

A grade of "B" or higher is required in Biostatistics for the course to fulfill the GSAS Language Requirement.

3

See "Electives/Research Tutorials" for courses that can count towards this additional required credit.

4

For the 6 credits of BISC 6999 Research for M.S. in Biological Sciences to apply towards the M.S. degree, students must earn all passing grades in BISC 6999 Research for M.S. in Biological Sciences, submit a thesis document that is approved by the thesis committee, and successfully defend their thesis (passing grade in BISC 0900 M.S. Thesis Defense). Students who do not receive approval of their thesis document or fail their thesis defense must retake 6 credits of electives.

5

Any course with the subject code BISC, numbered 5000-8998 (not otherwise applied to other requirements) may fulfill this requirement.

6

Please note:

  • For students in the Ecology & Systematics concentration, BISC 7501 Population & Community Biology and BISC 7503 Community and Ecosystem Ecology are considered concentration-specific core course subject to testing in the comprehensive exam. For students in the Cell & Molecular concentration, these courses are considered breadth core courses, and are not subject to testing in the comprehensive exam. 
  • For students in the Cell & Molecular concentration, BISC 7502 Eukaryotic Molecular Biology and BISC 6734 Cell Biology of Eukaryotes are considered concentration-specific core course subject to testing in the comprehensive exam. For students in the Ecology & Systematics concentration, these courses are considered breadth core courses, and are not subject to testing in the comprehensive exam. 

Degree Requirements

  1. A minimum of 34 (Ecology & Systematics concentration) and 35 (Cell & Molecular concentration) course credits including at least 2 credits of research tutorial. For the M.S. degree with thesis, credits must include a minimum of 6 M.S. research credits, submission of a thesis document approved by the thesis committee, and an oral defense of the thesis is also required. All research tutorial credits and M.S. tutorial credits earned during years 1 and 2 count as course credits. It is not unusual for students to take more than 35 credits to complete their degree.

  2. Reading knowledge of a foreign language (a computer language or statistics may be substituted for a foreign language).

  3. Acceptable performance on the M.S. comprehensive examination (BISC 0936), which is achieved by a score of 70% or higher (grade of Pass).

  4. Maintenance of a 3.0 GPA.