The combined BS/MS in Biology provides high-achieving students the opportunity to complete both a BS and MS in Biology in 5 years. This program will provide students with the academic and research training necessary for successful careers in biological research and acceptance to research-focused PhD programs. During their fourth year of study, students in the program will complete 12 hours of dual undergraduate/graduate credit courses and conduct independent research. During the fifth year, students will complete the remaining 18 credit hours, continue their independent research, and defend a MS thesis.
Students will complete the regular requirements for the BS in Biology with either the Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, and Biotechnology (MCB) or Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (EEEB) emphasis, but with 12 of the required 24 upper-division hours being taken as prescribed dual-credit undergraduate/graduate courses during their fourth year to finish the BS degree. In their fifth year students will then complete the remaining 18 credit hours required for the MS in Biology. The curriculum for the last two years of the program, which distinguish it from the regular BS or MS in Biology degrees, are as follows.
Year 4 requirements
Complete requirements for the program including 12 hours of dual-credit (55000-level) coursework that count toward the BS and MS:
12 hours of dual-credit (55000-level) coursework including:
A. Required dual-credit courses (7 hours):
Biostatistics | 3 | |
Foundational Skills in Biological Research | 1 | |
Introduction to Scientific Communication | 3 |
B. Elective dual-credit courses (5 hours), selected from:
Research in Biology | 1-3 | |
Assigned Problems in Biology | 1-4 | |
Thesis 1 - graded | 1-3 |
Year 5 requirements
18 hours of graduate-level coursework including:
A. Required Graduate Courses (4-6 hours):
The Teaching of Biology | 1-3 | |
Graduate Seminar: Current Research in Biology | 1 | |
Graduate Teaching in Biology | 1 | |
Professional Development in Biology | 1 |
B. Additional Graduate-level hours, taken as 60000- or 70000- level courses in biology, as needed.
Thesis Requirements
Students will write and defend a written thesis, 6 hours of thesis must be taken within the 30 hours required for the MS portion of the BS/MS degree, as earned through 12 dual-credit hours completed in Year 4 and 18 graduate-level hours completed in Year 5. The thesis requirement is met by the completion of:
A. 3 hours of Thesis 1, satisfied by:
Thesis 1 - graded | 1-3 | |
Thesis 1-graded | 1-3 |
Note that BIOL55980 is a dual-credit course that may only be taken in Year 4.
B. 3 hours of Thesis 2, satisfied by:
Thesis 2-graded | 3 | |