Biology

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Director: Joseph F. Sucic

Program Faculty: Professors Steven F. Myers, David L. Wigston; Associate Professors Gary L. Pace, Bruce D. Parfitt, Jerry D. Sanders, Joseph F. Sucic; Assistant Professors Ann Sturtevant, Stephen Trumble; Lecturers Mary Ann Cardani, Nanette Kelly, Elizabeth A. Malinowski, Ernest J. Szuch, Dennis P. Viele, Jr., Tracy L. Wacker, Margaret Ware.

Program Mission and Assessment

The mission of the Master of Science Program is to update as well as increase breadth and depth of training in students who have completed undergraduate degrees in biology or related life science. The Program emphasizes varied methods and techniques that have proven useful in both teaching and research settings. Program core requirements survey cellular/molecular, organismal and ecology/evolutionary biology, and levels of biological organization; other coursework expands breadth and depth of student understanding of living systems. The Program participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://www.umflint.edu/assessment/.

Admission to the Program

To begin in Spring or Summer term, students must apply for Regular Admissions no later than March 15. To begin in Fall or Winter term, applications must be received no later than July 15 or November 15, respectively. Conditional Admission may be granted if all prerequisites are not completed. Applications for this program may be obtained from the Office of Graduate Programs.

Admission Criteria

1. Bachelor of Science degree in Biology or a related life science (e.g., zoology, botany) from an accredited institution.
2. Two or more letters of recommendation.
3. Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in required prerequisite undergraduate courses or their equivalents.
4. Submission of a written statement delineating personal goals for graduate study.
5. A personal interview may be conducted by the graduate admissions committee of the Biology faculty of the UM-Flint.
6. General and advanced GRE Scores.
7. Application Fee.

Prerequisites. Students must complete the following courses or their equivalents prior to Regular Admission to the program:

1. Cell Biology, Ecology, Genetics.
2. Organic Chemistry.
3. Pre-Calculus Mathematics.
4. General Physics.
5. Statistics (preferably, Biostatistics) recommended.

Transfer or NCFD Course Credit

All students, with approval of the graduate committee, may transfer in or take as an NCFD up to two graduate level courses (8 maximum credits) in biological sciences. No more than two courses (8 maximum credits) of cognate, transfer, or NCFD credits may be applied toward completion of this degree.

Grading System

The following grading system is used by the MS in Biology program. Courses in which grades of D or E are earned cannot be used in fulfillment of degree requirements.

Cumulative grade point averages are computed by dividing the total number of honor points earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. A final grade point average of at least 5.0 is required for successful completion of the MS in Biology program.

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