Master's Requirements

Master of Science Degree Requirements

A. Core Requirements - Major: Biology (33-37 hours)

Required:

BIOL 5000 - Methods of Biological Research (4 hours)
BIOL 5735 - Contemporary Issues in Biology (2 hours)
BIOL 5915 - Seminar in Biology (1 hour)

TOTAL 7 hours

All students seeking a master's degree must register for the appropriate research foundations course (BIOL 5000) the first time it is offered after they are admitted to the College of Graduate Studies. Students selecting Plan I will submit a paper* approved by the student's Graduate Committee Chair, to the Graduate Office for acceptance and final approval. Students following Plan II after completing the research foundations course and being admitted to candidacy, may register for BIOL 5950, Research Paper, with the approval of their major professor. Students following Plan III may register for BIOL 5990 (Thesis) with the approval of their major professor after (1) completing the research foundations course, (2) being admitted to candidacy and filing a program of study, and (3) completing a thesis proposal.

B. Degree Options

Plan I - Coursework Option - 7 hours as listed above.
*Elect 28 hours listed in department offerings.

TOTAL 35 hours.

*Students electing Plan I (coursework option) for a Master's Degree in Biology will be required to submit a paper to the College of Graduate Studies for review and approval after the paper has been approved by the student's graduate committee chair.

Plan II - Research Paper Option - 7 hours as listed above.
BIOL 5950 - Research Paper - 2 hours
*Elect 24 hours listed in departmental offerings

TOTAL 33 hours

*The paper written in connection with BIOL 5950 and has no reference to other papers that may be required in regular courses or problems courses. The research must be based on an original, scientific investigation conducted under the supervision of the student's graduate committee chair. After approval by the student's graduate committee chair, the research paper must be submitted to the Graduate School for acceptance and final approval.

Plan III - Thesis Option - 7 hours as listed above.
BIOL 5990 - Thesis - 6 hours
*Elect 20 hours listed in departmental offerings

TOTAL 33 hours.

*The candidate for the degree must file with the Graduate School a thesis proposal, PRIOR to the registration for BIOL 5990. The thesis proposal must be approved by all three members of the student's advisory committee and it must follow the outline (see below) developed by the Department of Biology. The format and style of the thesis must conform to regulations for thesis writing approved by the Graduate Council and must contain the signatures of all three members of the student's advisory committee. The use of the Tennessee Conference of Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations and current literary and/or research style manuals are expected. After the thesis is approved by the student's graduate committee, it must be submitted to the College of Graduate Studies where it will be reviewed and approved.

Thesis Proposal Outline
Title Page
Introduction
Objectives - concise statement of objectives
Research Plan and Methods - this section should show literacy and proficiency of the proposal; should include design and proposed statistical analysis of data;
Preliminary Data - if available;
Significance of Research;
Literature Cited;
The format of the Thesis Proposal should be written in accordance with the Tennessee Conference of Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations.

*Electives: Selected from graduate biology courses in consultation with committee.

C. Retention Requirements

Graduate instruction assumes on the part of the student professional interest and ability to do independent study of satisfactory quality. In meeting the requirements for the degree, the candidate must maintain a minimum scholastic average of "B" (3.0) on all work attempted. For more information about general regulations see the Austin Peay State University Graduate Bulletin.