Steps to Graduation - Graduate Students

Overview

Three Concentrations: One Master of Science degree in Biology

  • Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) Concentration - merging Microbiology and the CMB stem cell emphasis
  • Physiology and Behavior (PB) Concentration - renaming Physiology and Behavioral Biology
  • Integrative Biology (IB) Concentration - renaming Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (and merging Marine Biology) Curriculum: 30 units required for the degree, 15 units shared between concentrations
     

Curriculum: 30 units required for the degree, 15 units shared between concentrations

Core Requirements (for all concentrations)

  • 3 units - BIOL700 Introduction to Fundamental Research Skills (NEW course): Students are introduced to the theory and practice of skills used by research scientists that include: research literature searches, basic concepts in visualizing and interpreting data, analyzing conclusions of research articles, ethics, and safety.
     
  • 2 units - BIOL 870 Biology Colloquium: Students analyze oral presentations of recent developments in biological research presented by outside speakers. Student participate in discussion with the speaker and learn to write critiques.
     
  • 6 units - BIOL 897 Research: Applied practice of research skills in the laboratory or field.

     

  • 4 units - Culminating Experience: is a choice of either of these two courses. Students present their final research findings in written form – either a format suitable for publication in journals that are applicable to the scientific discipline OR a thesis.

    BIOL 895 Research Project (Units: 4) or BIOL 898 Master's Thesis (Units: 4)

Total Core Requirements = 15 units as required by EO1071

Additional Requirements
(these requirements differentiate the concentrations from one another):

  • For Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration:
    2 units of BIOL 861 Advances in Cell and Molecular Biology
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
    Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated with different topics.

     

  • For Physiology and Behavioral Biology  Concentration:
    2 units of BIOL 865 Advances in Physiology and Behavioral Biology
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
    Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated with different topics.

     

  • For Integrative Biology Concentration:
    2 units of BIOL 862 Advances in Ecology and Systematic Biology
    Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
    Topic to be specified in Class Schedule. May be repeated with different topics.

Total Requirements for each concentration = 17 units

Plus additional 13 units of Electives

Students would choose courses across the department upon advisement with their research advisor that is tailored to the student’s scientific discipline, research project, experience, and career goals.

Note:

  • We are allowing 2 units of BIOL881 to be used on the Advancement to Candidacy (ATC) form
  • A maximum of 9 units may come from upper division courses  

30 units

  • 15 units from exclusively graduate courses (700-899 level)  
     
  • A minimum of 4 units must be seminars (45 min oral presentation; Biology 860-866)  
     
  • A maximum of 4 units may come from colloquium (Biology 871 or 872)  
     
  • A maximum of 6 units may be Independent research (Biology 897)  
     
  • 6 units may be from graduate courses or paired courses (grad students must always register for the graduate member of the paired course)  
     
  • A maximum of 9 units may come from upper division courses  
     
  • You must enroll in Biology 898 (4 units, formal) or Biology 895 (4 units, unstructured) the semester you want to graduate (except summer)

First Semester

  1. First level English Proficiency Exam [given at New Grad Student Orientation]  
  2. Sign the Department Graduate Student Policy [given at New Grad Student Orientation]  
  3. Move from Conditionally Classified to Classified  
  4. Assemble a thesis/project committee

Second semester

  1. Meet with your thesis/project committee.  
  2. File your Thesis/Project Prospectus (Second Level English Proficiency Exam)

Third Semester

  1. Meet with your thesis/project committee.  
  2. File your Advancement to Candidacy Form  
  3. File your Culminating Experience Form  
  4. File your Animal/Human Subjects Protocol Form (if required).  Note that filing this form requires that you file your Culminating Experience Form at the same time. Discuss this with your advisor immediately if you work with vertebrate animals.  

Fourth Semester

  1. Meet with your thesis/project committee.  
  2. Enroll in Biology 895 or 898. You must have your ATC and Culminating Experience forms on file at Graduate Studies prior to being permitted to enroll in Biology 895/898.  
  3. Write, Defend, and File your masters thesis/project. This is the final stage of completing your M.S. degree.  
  4. Apply to graduate

     

SFSU Biology Graduate Program - Requirements Overview

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