Graduate Program in Biology Policy

Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Admission to Program
  3. Advisory Committee
  4. Course Work
  5. Advancement to Candidacy
  6. Completion of Degree
  7. Teaching Expectation
  8. Continuous Enrollment
  9. Leave of Absence
  10. Progress Report
  11. Adjunct Faculty Advisors
  12. Important SSU Offices

Overview

The Department of Biology has 11 permanent faculty who are actively involved in a wide range of disciplines, including ecology and evolutionary biology, molecular and cell biology, physiology, functional morphology, and organismal biology. three additional faculty from other departments on campus have expertise in biology and are adjunct members of the graduate program.

The Master of Science degree in the Department of Biology is a thesis research program. Students complete course work that allows them to master the concepts and techniques of their chosen discipline. They also conduct original research under the direction of a member of the faculty, and write up their findings as a Master's Thesis. Typically, students take two to three years to complete their graduate degree requirements.

Graduate students in the Department of Biology are supported through a variety of sources. The Department has approximately 7 teaching assistantships (two laboratory sections) available each semester and these positions are filled one semester in advance (contact the Graduate Coordinator for details). In addition, students may receive research assistantships through individual faculty members and their research grants. The University offers a limited number of tuition fee waivers for qualified teaching assistants. Students can also obtain academic scholarships as well as financial aid (usually in the form of low-interest loans).

Graduates of this program find themselves with an enhanced understanding of biology and first-hand experience in the practice of science. Many of our students go on to doctoral programs and careers in teaching and research. Others use their degrees to pursue careers in teaching, research, environmental consulting, resource management, industry, and various health professions.

Application and Admission to the Program

Students are strongly encouraged to review the information on faculty members contained in the departmental brochure or in their web pages and contact them prior to completing an application. This document may be found on the Department's website.

A graduate application package consists of the following:

  1. A completed University application (obtain from Admissions and Records Office).
  2. Official copies of all undergraduate transcripts.
  3. A 1-2 page Statement of Purpose essay detailing the student's background in biology, objectives for graduate school and career goals.
  4. Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the student's background in biology and able to comment on their potential for conducting original work.
  5. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the General test (Biology Subject scores strongly recommended).

The originals for items 1-3 must be submitted to SSU's Admissions and Records Office. Photocopies of items 1-3 and originals of items 4 and 5 must be submitted to the Department of Biology (Graduate Coordinator). A complete application package must be received before an applicant will be considered for admission.

Admission to the program requires:

  1. Meeting California State University admission requirements.
  2. Acceptance by a Biology faculty member (tenure-track or approved SSU adjunct) to serve as a faculty advisor.
  3. Approval of the Graduate Committee.

Applications will be reviewed for evidence that the prospective student is capable of initiating and performing original research. As a general guideline, the Department uses the following criteria to determine this potential:

  1. An undergraduate degree in biology or equivalent, including:
    1. One course in calculus or statistics;
    2. One year of general chemistry and one semester of organic chemistry;
    3. At least one other course in physical sciences;
    4. Upper division coursework demonstrating competence in three of four core areas (organismal biology; physiology; molecular or cellular biology; ecology or evolutionary biology).
  2. A 3.0 GPA or higher in the last 60 units.
  3. A score at or above the 50th percentile on each section of the General Examination of the GRE.
  4. Evidence in letters of recommendation of potential for conducting independent and original research in biology.

Application deadlines in the department are January 31 for the Fall semester and October 31 for the Spring semester. The SSU Admissions and Records Office will notify students about the status of their applications. Notice of acceptance typically occurs one month following application deadlines.

Students will be admitted into Classified Standing. Applicants deficient in undergraduate course preparation will be expected to demonstrate competency before being advanced to candidacy.

Prospective transfer students in other SSU Masters programs must meet the requirements of incoming Biology Masters students.

Advisory Committee

During the first semester in attendance, students will consult with their acting faculty advisor (defined as the faculty member who agreed to serve as the student's advisor upon acceptance to the graduate program) to guide them in choosing courses and planning research activities. By the end of the first semester, the student and acting faculty advisor must identify two other people to serve on the student's Advisory Committee. The proposed Advisory Committee must be approved by the Graduate Committee. The Advisory Committee consists of the advisor (chair of committee) and two other members. A minimum of two members of the Advisory Committee must be tenure-track members of the Department of Biology. The third member of the Advisory Committee may be from another institution or agency, subject to approval of the Graduate Committee. The advisor is the principal guide in the student's academic work and research, and assists in filing necessary forms. Within the first year, students may change faculty advisors in consultation and agreement with the new advisor, and approval of the Graduate Committee.

The student meets with the Advisory Committee by the end of the first semester to complete a draft of the Completion of Requirements Form (download form: GSO 2) listing the Committee approved courses that the student intends to apply to the degree. This draft is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator for filing. A final version of this form will be submitted to the SSU's Graduate Studies Office when students have completed all requirements, but the draft copy informs the Department of each student's plans. Without filing additional forms, students can make changes in their course work if changes meet the approval of their Advisory Committee.

Course Work

From the time of initial enrollment until awarding the graduate degree, students must have enrolled in at least 30 units of committee-approved course work (maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0). The allocations of these units must be as follows:

  1. A maximum of 9 units of extension or transfer credit is allowed. Post-baccalaureate courses taken prior to entry into the Masters program may be included, with approval of the Graduate Committee.
  2. A minimum of 18 units must be in Biology.
  3. A minimum of 15 units must be at the 500-level, and must include:
    1. a maximum of 6 units in BIOL 599 (M.S. Thesis). Students must have advanced to candidacy to enroll in these units. Students will be given an "SP" grade ("satisfactory progress") until the final approval of the thesis. If work is not completed within four semesters, including the semester of their enrollment, students will be required to re-enroll in this course.
    2. a minimum of 2 graduate-level seminar-style courses (at least 4 units).
    3. a maximum of 6 units may be in BIOL 595 (Special Studies).
  4. Up to 4 units of BIOL 598. Students involved in the development or delivery of instructional material and are not doing so as a paid Teaching Associate, are encouraged to complete 2 units of BIOL 598 (Graduate Practicum).
  5. Students are encouraged to attend Biology Colloquium regularly, and can apply 2 units of BIOL 390 to their 30 unit total.
  6. Certain credits taken in the last semester of a student's senior year may be applied to the M.S. degree if they are in addition to units required for the B.A. or B.S. degree. See the University catalog or consult Admissions and Records for details.

Advancement to Candidacy

To advance to candidacy, students must:

  1. Demonstrate competency in the breadth of biology. This can be met by
    1. Course work reported on transcripts that includes:
      1. One course in calculus or statistics;
      2. One year of general chemistry and one semester of organic chemistry;
      3. At least one other course in physical sciences; and
      4. Upper division coursework in three of four core areas (organismal biology; physiology; molecular or cellular biology; ecology or evolutionary biology). Or,
    2. Equivalency to the above courses as determined by the Graduate Committee.
  2. Complete or have in progress a minimum of 12 units of advisory committee required course work (as outlined on the draft GS02 form).
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in written English. This may be met by three mechanisms:
    1. a. Possess a bachelor's degree from a CSU institution.
    2. Obtain a score of at least 4.5 in the analytical writing portion of the GRE general test.
    3. Pass the campus Written English Proficiency Examination (WEPT) (obtain details from the SSU Writing Center Office).
  4. At least two weeks prior to the Qualifying Examination (see below), circulate a completed Advancement to Candidacy Form (download form: GSO 1) to all Advisory Committee members. This document must include a written proposal outlining the student's thesis research (2-4 pages in length). The proposal shall be developed in close consultation with the student's thesis advisor.
  5. Pass a two-hour-Oral Qualifying Examination. This examination is administered by the student's Advisory Committee and a fourth member selected by the Graduate Coordinator from the biology faculty. For full-time students, this examination should be completed no later than the end of their second semester. During the examination, students must demonstrate that they are able to articulate the purpose of their proposed research project and are competent to complete the work. Students are also required to demonstrate an ability to integrate general principles of biology with their proposed work. Procedures for the examination are as follows:
    1. Request that the Graduate Coordinator appoint a fourth member to the Qualifying Examination committee.
    2. Meet with the Qualifying Examination Committee (Advisory Committee and external member) after all of its members have reviewed the Thesis Proposal. In this meeting the committee will establish ground rules for the examination and give students an idea of how to prepare for it. The date and time of the examination is communicated to the Graduate Coordinator in writing by the student's advisor.
    3. Complete the Qualifying Examination. Each student's performance is evaluated as a pass/no pass, based on consensus of the Examination Committee.
      1. A "pass" may be conditional upon additional course work determined by the Examination Committee. This course work is added to the earlier draft of the GS02 form and given to the Graduate Coordinator.
      2. If a student passes the Qualifying Examination, members of their committee sign the Advancement to Candidacy Form, and the student submits this form to the Graduate Coordinator. Once the form has been signed by all committee members and the Graduate Coordinator, it must be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office for final approval by the Associate Vice President for Academic Programs. The student will then have officially advanced to candidacy.
      3. If a student fails the Qualifying Examination, their committee will decide if this result is final or if the student will be offered a second attempt. In the latter case, the student may take the examination one more time with the same or a different thesis proposal and committee. The fourth member of the examination committee will remain the same unless this person has become a member of the student's new thesis committee, in which case a new fourth member will be appointed.

Completion of Degree

After advancing to candidacy, students must complete the following tasks to meet their graduate degree requirements:

  1. Submit a thesis based on original research. The details of editorial format and procedures for submitting work to SSU's Graduate Studies Office are contained in "Guidelines for Master's Theses and Projects". Thesis design format (manuscript or traditional) is to be agreed upon by the student and Advisory Committee. A complete draft of the written thesis, approved by the Advisory Committee Chair, must be presented to the Advisory Committee two weeks prior to the thesis defense.
  2. Present thesis research as the "Thesis Defense." Steps for thesis defense are:
    1. Students present results of their research in a public forum such as the Biology Colloquium. The presentation should not exceed 35 minutes and students should be prepared to address questions and comments. All three members of the committee must be present at this seminar. To notify the Department of the upcoming defense, the student must submit a title, date, time, and meeting room for the defense, one week in advance to the Graduate Coordinator who will notify the Department by e-mail.
    2. Later the same day, the student and their committee meet to further discuss, evaluate and comment on the thesis. At the end of this meeting, the student is excused and the committee decides on the acceptability of the thesis. The Committee may require the student to revise the thesis. Once accepted, step 4 must be completed and the thesis will be signed for final submission to the Graduate Studies Office.
  3. Submit a final copy of the thesis abstract to the Graduate Coordinator.
  4. Approximately 1 semester before graduation (see dates to Apply for Graduation) submit the Application for Award of Degree Form to the Office of Admissions and Records (available from that office).
  5. Submit the signed copy of the thesis to the Graduate Studies Office for final review, accompanied by the signed Completion of Requirements Form (GSO 2).

Teaching Associateships

All graduate students, including those supported by extramural sources of funding, are required to participate as a paid Teaching Associate in the Department of Biology in a minimum of 2 laboratory sections.

Graduate students must be a paid Teaching Associate for one academic year to be eligible for a University Fee Waiver.

Continuous Enrollment

Continuous enrollment is expected of all graduate students during their entire degree program. If students have completed their course work and do not register for thesis units, they must enroll in BIOL 578 through Extended Education. This involves a $250 fee and requires written permission from the Graduate Coordinator.

Leave of Absence

An approved leave of absence from the Graduate Program may be granted in cases of extenuating circumstances. The student must submit a written request to the Graduate Committee for approval, followed by submission to the Graduate Studies Office for final approval. Approved leaves of absence will be granted for one semester.

Progress Report

By the end of the second full year in the program, students are expected to provide to their Advisory Committee a completed draft of the thesis (see Section 5.1), or a progress report(PDF) (MSWORD). The critical section of the progress report is a time line indicating the work to be completed in the upcoming (terminal) year. A copy of the Advisory Committee-approved progress report is submitted to the Graduate Coordinator.

Policy for Adjunct Faculty Advisors

Tenure-track faculty in other departments at SSU are eligible to chair Advisory Committees for the Masters degree program in the Department of Biology. To serve as a chair of an Advisory Committee, faculty must have:

  1. Demonstrated research expertise in the biological sciences.
  2. Adjunct faculty status in the Department of Biology.
  3. Approval of the Biology Graduate Committee.
  4. Approval of the faculty member's home department in the form of a memorandum.

Adjunct faculty are expected to provide office space and financial support for students they advise. The Department will aid in financial support (Teaching Assistantships) when available and provide access to the Department's facilities.

For those Advisory Committees with Adjunct faculty chairs, a Department faculty representative must be chosen from the remaining committee members, both of whom are Biology faculty (in accordance with Section 2). This individual serves as the student's advocate in all administrative matters in the Department.

Important SSU Offices

Admissions and Records Office
Salazar Hall, Salz 2030
Tel: 707/664-2778

Campus Information
Tel: 707/664-2880

Department of Biology
Department Office: 707/664-2535 (Kathleen Hardy)
Department Chair: 707/664-3058 (James Christmann)
Graduate Coordinator: 707/664-2995 (Dan Crocker)

Financial Aid Office
Salazar Hall, Salz 2050A
Tel: 707/664-2389

Graduate Studies Office
Stevenson Hall, Room 2010
Tel: 707/664-2237

Information Technologies
Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center
Tel: 707/664-2346

Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center (Library)
Tel: 707/664-2397

Open University/Extended Education
Stevenson Hall, Room 1012
Tel: 707/664-2394

Scholarship Office
Salazar Hall, Salz 1072
Tel: 707/664-2261

University Bookstore (where SSU catalogs can be purchased)
707/664-2329

Writing Center
Tel: 707/664-4401

Revised Policy approved 5/02/00
Changes approved and added 3/22/06