Graduate School Bulletin
Spring 2025
Requirements for the M.A. Degree in Biological Sciences
A. Concentration in Applied Ecology
Required Graduate Courses:
- BEE 550: Principles of Ecology
- Two graduate seminars, selected from BEE 692, BEE 693 and BEE 695
- BEE 552: Biometry
- WRT 621: Writing in the Academic Disciples
- BEE 556: Research Areas of Ecology & Evolution
- BEE 599: Research (between 2 and 4 credits required)
- BEE 671/672: Ecology & Evolution Colloquium
Electives include:
BEE 520: Advanced Human Genetics
BEE 521: Genomics Lab
BEE 555: Mathematical Methods in Population Biology
BEE 560: Advanced Ecology
BEE 562: Bayesian Data Analysis and Computation
BEE 571: Ecology Laboratory
BEE 572: Conservation Biology
BEE 574: Landscape Ecology Laboratory
BEE 577: Ecological Genetics
BEE 585: Research Design and Analysis in Ecology & Evolution
BEE 586: Introduction to Ecological Modeling
BEE 587: Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology Lab
ANT 536: Adv. Biostatistics and Phylogenetic Comparative Methods
GSS 513: GIS Fundamentals I
GSS 525: GIS Fundamentals II
GSS 526: Project Management
JRN 501: Communicating Science: Distilling Your Message
JRN 505: Connecting with Community
MAR 507: Marine Conservation
MAR 522: Environmental Toxicology and Public Health
MAR 536: Environmental Law and Regulation
MAR 569: Programming Statistics in R
MAR 581: Next Gen Sequencing Apps in Functional Genomics
and additional courses as determined by the GPD.
B. Concentration in Applied Evolution
Required Graduate Courses:
- BEE 551: Principles of Evolution
- Two graduate seminars, selected from BEE 690, BEE 691 and BEE 692
- BEE 552: Biometry
- WRT 621: Writing in the Academic Disciplines
- BEE 556: Research Areas of Ecology & Evolution
- BEE 599: Research (between 2 and 4 credits required)
- BEE 671/672: Ecology & Evolution Colloquium
Electives include:
BEE 520: Advanced Human Genetics
BEE 521: Genomics Lab
BEE 554: Population Genetics and Evolution
BEE 562: Bayesian Data Analysis and Computation
BEE 567: Molecular Diversity Laboratory
BEE 572: Conservation Biology
BEE 577: Ecological Genetics
BEE 585: Research Design and Analysis in Ecology & Evolution
BEE 587: Applied Ecology & Conservation Biology Lab
AMS 533: Numerical Methods and Algorithms in Computational Biology
AMS 536: Molecular Modeling of Biological Molecules
AMS 561: Introduction to Computational and Data Science
AMS 589: Quantitative Genetics
ANT 536: Advanced Biostatistics and Phylogenetic Comparative Methods
ANT 564: Primate Evolution
ANT 565: Human Evolution
CSE 549: Computational Biology
HBA 550: Vertebrate Evolution
HBA 551: Phylogenetic Systematics, Biogeography and Comparative Methods
HBM 503: Molecular Genetics
JRN 501: Communicating Science: Distilling Your Message
JRN 505: Connecting with Community
MAR 569: Programming Statistics in R
MAR 581: Next Generation Sequencing Apps in Functional Genomics and additional courses as determined by the GPD
C. Capstone paper
A capstone paper is required for completion of the M.A. degree. This paper will be completed when the student is enrolled in BEE 599: Research and WRT 621: Writing in the Academic Disciplines. The capstone project is an opportunity to dive into a specific line of intellectual inquiry. The project promotes organizational and writing skills and results in a product that is evidence of the graduate experience. Each student's project is overseen by their faculty advisor, including defining the project topic and scope. The paper may be composed of a literature review, systematic review, or original research, depending on the goals of the student and subject to the approval of the faculty advisor. Completion of the paper is subject to the approval of the advisor and a second reader.
D. Credit limits
Without approval from the Graduate Program Director, no more than 4 credits from BEE 670, 671 or 672 and no more than 4 credits of BEE 599: Research, may count towards the M.A. degree.
Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Ecology and Evolution
A. Course Requirements
1. In the first year in residence, students are normally required to take BEE550 Principles of Ecology, BEE551 Principles of Evolution, BEE552 Biometry, and BEE556 Research Areas in Ecology and Evolution. A grade of B- or better is required for these classes.
2. In later semesters, students must take a minimum of three other graduate courses, other than seminars, within this or other programs of this or other universities. Upon the recommendation of a student’s dissertation committee and with the approval of the Graduate Program Director, one elective course may be waived.
3. BEE671 and BEE672, Colloquium in Ecology and Evolution must be taken each semester in residence.
4. Four graduate seminar courses are required under normal circumstances.
5. Most students will require advanced training in various ancillary disciplines appropriate to their chosen field of research. Requirements will be determined by the student’s advisory committee and may include a foreign language or advanced studies in mathematics, statistics, computer science, molecular biology, taxonomy, or other areas.
B. Entering Student Advising and Evaluation
Early in the first semester of study, each student meets with his or her advisor and other faculty member(s) as needed to discuss additional courses beyond required first-year courses. At the end of the second semester, a Preliminary Examination is given testing students' knowledge in the fields of ecology and evolution. Failing the preliminary exam may be cause for dismissal from the graduate program.
C. Oral Examination
In the second year of study, each student takes an Oral Examination tailored to the student’s interests and administered by his or her advisory committee. The student and his or her committee decide in advance on the areas to be covered in this examination. This examination is concurrent with the submission of a Dissertation Research Proposal that is written by the student and must be approved by the advisory committee before advancement to Ph.D. candidacy. As part of his or her dissertation proposal, each student writes a substantial review of the topic of the dissertation
D. Advancement to Candidacy
The faculty will recommend a student to the Graduate School for advancement to candidacy upon satisfactory completion of the Oral Examination and any language requirement established for the student, and upon acceptance of the written Dissertation Research Proposal by the graduate program faculty.
E. Research and Dissertation
A dissertation is required for the Ph.D. degree. It must contain the results of original and significant investigation. A student’s progress in research is monitored by regular evaluations by the faculty in meetings held twice a year. Continued lack of progress may result in probation or dismissal.
F. Dissertation Committee
Students select a temporary advisor during the first semester and a permanent advisor at the beginning of the third semester. The advisory committee, consisting of the permanent advisor and at least two other GPEE faculty members, is nominated by the student in consultation with his or her permanent advisor and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director. Additional members from outside GPEE and/or the University may be appointed to the dissertation committee.
G. Final Examination
The dissertation must be approved by the student’s advisory committee. A dissertation examining committee (which must include an external examiner) is then approved by the Dean of the Graduate School. A formal public oral dissertation defense is held, at which the student presents his or her findings and is questioned by members of the audience and then by the examining committee in a meeting immediately following the presentation.
H. Teaching Requirement
All graduate students completing a doctoral degree will function as teaching assistants during at least one semester of their graduate careers.
I. Residence Requirement
At least two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study are required. The demands of the course of study usually necessitate a longer period of residence.
J. Time Limit
The time limit imposed by the Graduate School is observed by GPEE. Students must satisfy all requirements for the Ph.D. degree within seven years after completing 24 credit hours of graduate courses in GPEE.
