Combined B.S./M.S. Program

Candidates for departmental honors may be admitted to a special four-year B.S./M.S. program upon recommendation of the department and approval by the Graduate School. Application must be made by May 1 preceding the senior year; applications should include a proposed course of study, specifying how all degree requirements will be met, a transcript, and a brief description of the proposed research project. To qualify for the B.S./M.S. degree in biology, students must complete a total of 38 courses; these courses must include those needed to satisfy requirements A, option II, and B, as indicated above plus three additional electives in biology or biochemistry or as listed under requirement A, option II, above. Of the eight electives required for the B.S./M.S. degree, at least six must be at the graduate level (and completed with a grade of B- or above) and they must include courses from at least three of the research areas of the biology department. Research areas include genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology, immunology, and neurobiology. In addition, a substantial research contribution is required and students must submit a research thesis to the biology department Graduate Committee for review. A thesis submitted for the master's degree may also be submitted to the biology department for departmental honors.