Master of Science Program
Students must complete 30
credits of course work. Up to 8 credits may be earned in advanced
undergraduate courses (300 to 400 level) at Rutgers. Up to 12 graduate
credits (with grades of B or better) may be transferred from other
institutions.
Plan A: Thesis.
Up to 6 credits (in the
form of 56:120:701,702 Research in Biology) can be awarded for the
investigation of a research problem leading to a thesis. Of the
remaining 24 credits, a minimum of 16 credits is required in
graduate-level (500- to 600-level) courses. Students also are
encouraged to report on their research at meetings of professional
biologists and to publish their own research results in journals. They
are expected to present the results of their research in the graduate
program seminar.
Students following Plan A are expected to comply with the following regulations pertaining to thesis work for degree credit:
1. Decision
to Become Involved. Either the graduate student contacts the
Rutgers-Camden faculty member under whose direction he or she would
like to work, or a faculty member suggests a particular project to a
student. The faculty member must hold an appointment with the Graduate
School-Camden.
If the student wishes to pursue a
research project at an off- campus location, he or she must suggest
this arrangement to a Rutgers-Camden faculty member whose interests are
most closely related to the subject matter of the proposed project and
who would be able to serve as an on-campus adviser. It is expected that
a qualified individual at the off-campus location serves as director of
the student`s research. The student must, therefore, make arrangements
with the appropriate individual(s) at the off-campus location as well
as with the Rutgers-Camden faculty member.
2. Thesis
Committee. This committee will be composed of at least three members
who are employees of Rutgers University and shall include the student`s
adviser who, under normal circumstances, will act as chair. Additional
members may be added to the committee as appropriate, with the approval
of the Graduate School-Camden dean. Responsibility for the appointment
of the committee members and committee chair lies with the program
director in consultation with the student and the student`s adviser.
3. Initiation
and Conduct of the Thesis Project. The chairperson of the thesis
committee arranges for the student to present to the full committee an
outline of the proposed work, which must be in written form. A meeting
is arranged between the student and the committee to discuss the
outline. The purpose of this procedure is to demonstrate that the
student has some knowledge of the area of concentration; that the
project is feasible in terms of equipment, materials, and time; and
that the student has a goal in mind.
In most
instances, the research project outline must receive full committee
approval before the student may register for research credits (up to a
total of 6 credits toward the degree). If, as the research work
progresses, some aspect not covered in the original outline proves more
interesting or more profitable to pursue, deviation from the original
proposal is possible with committee approval.
At
the end of each term following approval of the research proposal, the
student prepares a short (one- or two-page) written progress report for
the research director. The report is circulated to other committee
members for their information and becomes part of the student`s file in
the Department of Biology.
4. Completed Thesis. The
thesis must be approved by the director of the student`s research and
then accepted by the other committee members. It is the student`s
responsibility to check with the Office of Graduate Studies in Camden
to obtain information concerning the final thesis form, number of
copies required, and deadlines.
Plan B: Nonthesis.
The
completion of 30 credits, with a minimum of 22 credits in
graduate-level courses, and an essay on some problem in biology of
current research interest are required. The essay may be written as
part of a regular course or seminar or in a special course designed for
such a purpose. The essay must be approved by the student`s committee
prior to the final comprehensive examination. Guided by his or her
departmental adviser, the student has the opportunity to develop a
concentration of 12 or more credits in either cell and molecular
biology, ecology, neurobiology, or physiology.
Examinations
In
both programs, students are expected to complete satisfactorily a final
comprehensive examination. The final comprehensive examination is
administered by a committee of the graduate faculty. The examination
committee is composed of at least three members and includes the
student`s adviser, who normally acts as chairperson. Responsibility for
appointing the committee members lies with the graduate director in
consultation with the student and the student`s adviser.
The
examination normally is taken during the term in which the student
completes his or her course of study. It covers the general field of
biology but, when appropriate, places emphasis upon the student`s area
of concentration. It includes a thesis defense for students in Plan A.
The
examination may be written, oral, or a combination of both. The
student, in consultation with the chairperson of his or her committee,
has the option of selecting the method of examination. This decision
must be made early in the term in which the examination is to be
administered. A written examination of about two to four hours in
duration is administered by the chairperson of the student`s committee
and consists of questions submitted by the student`s committee members.
An oral examination of about two to three hours in duration is
conducted by the student`s committee.
An application for
admission to candidacy must be filed early in the term in which the
final examination is to be administered. Application forms are
available from the director of the graduate program in biology. The
examination must be completed in accordance with the schedule
established by the Office of Graduate Studies in Camden. In the event
of an unfavorable decision, the examination may be repeated twice.
Exceptions to Requirements
Any exceptions to course prerequisites must have the instructor`s permission.
Any
exceptions to program requirements, such as a waiver of preconditions
for admission, must be approved by the program faculty.
