The Master's Degree Program
The program leading to a Master of Science degree in microbiology is designed to provide you with basic knowledge of this field, to permit you to acquire technical competence in the fundamentals of research and to foster creative and independent thinking. Two calendar years or more are generally needed for the completion of an original thesis, Plan A. Plan B generally take 2 years and does not require a thesis but requires students to pass a series of comprehensive examinations. Plan B is available only to students admitted for the spring of 2007 or earlier. Students admitted for the fall of 2007 and later are required to complete Plan A.
Admission to the Graduate Division and the Department
First semester: student should meet with his/her interim advisor to plan initial course work. The M.S. diagnostic examination will be taken at scheduled times in August and January, during the first week of the semester. The purpose of the exam is to evaluate your background in the field and provide a basis for prescribing a program of course work of maximum benefit.
Plan A (Thesis) Degree Requirements (ALL new MS students):
- Appointment of Thesis Committee, consisting of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty. This committee will include at least two members of the Department. The Committee Chairman must be a member of the Department. Appointment of an outside member is left to the discretion of the Committee Chairman.
- Approval of the thesis proposal prior to the middle of the semester preceding the one in which the candidate expects to complete requirements: consult the University Calendar for exact deadlines.
- Completion of 30 credit hours as follows:
- 12 cr. of classes 600 level and up, excluding MICR 699. It is expected that the majority of these classes will be in Microbiology. Classes from outside the department may be included, upon approval of student's committee chair.
- 2 cr. of Directed Research, MICR 699.
- 1 cr. Seminar, MICR 690.
- 6 cr. Thesis, MICR 700.
- (e) 9 cr. of classes, which can include 400 level and graduate-level Microbiology classes. Directed Research (MICR 699) may not be included. Graduate-level classes from outside the department may be included, upon approval of student's committee chair.
- Completion of the Thesis and passing the Thesis Defense given by the Thesis Committee.
- Provision of two bound copies of Thesis to Department secretary before Graduation, one of which goes to the chairman of the thesis committee
Plan B (Examination) Degree Requirements:
Only students admitted for the spring 2007 or earlier have the option of plan B.
- Appointment of program advisor.
- Completion of 30 credit hours as follows:
- 17 cr. hours in graduate-level classes (600 and up), excluding MICR 699. It is expected that the majority of these classes will be in Microbiology. Student's advisor must give approval of graduate-level classes from outside the Department.
- 1 cr. MICR 690 seminar.
- 6 cr. MICR 699.
- 6 cr. of graduate-level classes from outside the Department, excluding Directed Research. Student's advisor must give approval of graduate-level classes from outside the Department.
- Passing the Comprehensive Examination (written) by the Graduate Faculty of the Department. This is usually given three times a year (Fall, Spring, Summer) three (3) weeks before designated deadline by the Graduate Division for Final Examinations.
- Satisfactory completion of a research paper based on the student's Directed Research, performed under the supervision of a faculty who is a member of the Microbiology Department. The paper should be written in the format of a research publication, and must be approved by the faculty who supervised the Directed Research at least three weeks before the end of the semester in which the student expects to graduate.
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