The Department of Biology offers both the
Plan A (thesis) and the
Plan B (non-thesis) Master of Science degrees.
Plan A
Plan A requires completion of six credit hours in BIO 798 (Thesis), one credit hour in BIO 730 (Seminar), 23 hours of graduate course work approved by your advisor and advisory committee, and an oral defense of the thesis. Plan A is recommended if you wish to prepare for a research-oriented career or for doctoral study.
Plan B
Plan B requires the completion of 36 credit hours of graduate-level course work approved by your advisor and advisory committee and a written and/or oral comprehensive examination over the course work. Students must submit an approved Plan B paper demonstrating either research, independent study, or internship.