BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LEADING TO THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.)
Purposes
The purposes of the Department of Biological Sciences are to:
- Provide a broad academic program on both the undergraduate and graduate levels for
students of diverse biological interests.
- Render various services to the community, schools, educational groups, business organizations,
and all other interested groups within the geographical locale of Southeastern Louisiana
University.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for regular admission to the Master of Science Degree program in
Biological Sciences, an applicant must:
- Meet all University admission requirements.
- Satisfactorily complete at least thirty (30) semester hours of undergraduate biology
courses.
- Submit a score on the General Test of the GRE (Verbal and Quantitative). ETS has changed
the GRE scoring methodology. Please check with your graduate advisor for details regarding
GRE requirements for admission.
- Submit transcripts documenting a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average.
- Submit two letters of recommendation, a curriculum vita, and a letter of intent to
the Biological Sciences Graduate Coordinator, following procedures outlined on the
department's web page.
Requirements for the Degree (Thesis Option)
- All thesis students must pass the written biology entrance exam with a score of 70%
or higher in the first semester of enrollment. Students have two chances to pass the
exam. If a student does not pass the exam in the second attempt, he/she must switch
to the non-thesis master's degree option.
- All thesis students must have a thesis advisor.
- All thesis students must choose a thesis committee consisting of the thesis advisor
and two faculty members from the department. Additional committee members from other
departments or institutions may sit on the committee with the approval of the thesis
advisor and/or graduate coordinator.
- All thesis students must pass an oral exam in front of a committee consisting of the
thesis committee and one or more additional faculty members from the department by
the end of the second semester. Students have two chances to pass the exam. If the
student does not pass the exam in the second try, he/she must switch to the non-thesis
master's degree option.
- All thesis students must complete thirty-six hours of approved courses in Biological
Sciences, including: six hours of Thesis (GBIO 770) and at least 12 hours in courses
at the 600-level, which must include GBIO 601: Professional Aspects of Biology (one
hour) and two or more hours (up to four) of GBIO 691: Graduate Seminar. (NOTE: 50% or greater of the total hours of all course work must be at the 600-level, excluding
hour from GBIO 770); not more than 10 hours of transfer credit; and not more than
two hours of Research Problems (GBIO 660). All credit hours earned in the graduate
degree program must be completed within six years with a cumulative grade point average
of 3.0 in all graduate work pursued and not more than 6 hours with grades of “C” in
the degree plan (grades below “C” are not acceptable for graduate credit). All course
work must be approved by the thesis advisor and graduate coordinator.
- All thesis students are expected to gain teaching experience while in the program.
Biology Teaching Assistants are required to take GBIO 600 each of their first two
semesters (maximum two hours credit). This requirement may only be reduced with the
consent of the graduate coordinator and the Department Head.
- All thesis students are required to present an oral defense of their thesis that demonstrates
independent research and competency in scholarly activity. The thesis must be approved
by the student's thesis committee.
- Requirements for awarding of the degree include the recommendation of the student's
thesis committee, the Graduate Coordinator, the Department Head, and the Dean of the
academic college, and completion of necessary paperwork including, but not limited
to, the Degree Plan, the Application for Candidacy, and the Application for Graduation.
More detailed information on all of these requirements is listed on the departmental
web page.
Requirements for the Degree (Non-Thesis Option)
- All non-thesis students must complete thirty-six hours of approved courses in Biological
Sciences, including four hours of Non-Thesis Research Problems (GBIO 661) and GBIO
601: Professional Aspects of Biology, and one or more hours (up to four) of GBIO 691:
Graduate Seminar, with grades of "B" or better, at least one-half of total graduate
credit in 600-level courses (i.e., no more than 50% of total course load can be in
500-level courses), and no more than 10 hours of transfer credit. Students may take
up to eight hours of approved courses from other departments at Southeastern. All
credits earned in the graduate degree program must be completed within six years.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all graduate courses and not more than
six hours with grades of "C" in the degree plan (grades below "C" are not acceptable
for graduate credit). All course work must be approved by the Non-Thesis Coordinator
and Graduate Coordinator.
- All non-thesis students must arrange with a graduate faculty advisor to conduct a
research project in conjunction with GBIO 661 (Non-Thesis Research Problems). The
student must submit a brief research proposal for the project and the Non-Thesis Research
Agreement form to the Non-Thesis Advisory Committee for approval before beginning
the project. The research project must be completed no later than one semester before
graduation.
- All non-thesis students must submit a research paper based on the non-thesis research
project conducted in GBIO 661. The graduate faculty advisor and the Non-Thesis Advisory
Committee must approve the completed project and research paper before the departmental
seminar can be scheduled.
- All non-thesis students must present a seminar to the department describing the non-thesis
research project. Students must contact the Non-Thesis Advisory Committee to arrange
a seminar date and the seminar must be approved by the Non-Thesis Advisory Committee.
Students have one opportunity to repeat the seminar in the event of an unsatisfactory
performance prior to dismissal from the program.
- All non-thesis students must pass a comprehensive oral or written exam based on their
graduate course work after completing 30 credit hours or in their last semester. The
exam is administered by three to four faculty members from whom the student has taken
courses. To pass the exam, students must receive an overall average of 'satisfactory.'
Students have two chances to pass the exam. Students not passing the exam on the second
attempt will be dismissed from the program. Thesis students who have completed the
written and oral entrance exams prior to switching degree plans to the non-thesis
option are also required to pass the non-thesis comprehensive exam, i.e., prior oral
and written exams do not exempt students from taking and passing the non-thesis comprehensive
exam.
- Requirements for awarding of the degree include the recommendation of the student's
thesis committee, the Graduate Coordinator, the Department Head, and the Dean of the
academic college, and completion of necessary paperwork including, but not limited
to, the Degree Plan, the Application for Candidacy, and the Application for Graduation.