Biology

Degree Offered Master of Science in Biology

Program Overview

The graduate program is designed to serve both teachers and those who intend to work in various capacities for which advanced biological training is necessary. A sound basis is also provided for further graduate study. Laboratory work and introduction to research methodology are integral to the program. Topical areas include Genetics, Molecular Biology, Morphology, Taxonomy, Physiology and Ecology.

Admission Requirements

Application forms for admission to the program may be obtained only from, and must be submitted to, the Graduate College. Admission requirements include:

1. A minimum of 15 credit hours in Biology, including course work in Genetics, Molecular Biology (Biochemistry or Microbiology), Ecology, Taxonomy/Morphology, and Physiology are required for full admission to the program. Students should have a minimum of one botany and one zoology course.

2. A minimum of 26 hours in the cognate areas of Chemistry (at least eight credit hours, including laboratory work and one course in Organic Chemistry); Physics (at least four credit hours of laboratory Physics); Math (at least three credit hours of advanced mathematics - Pre-calculus, College Algebra, or Statistics) also are required. The balance of credits may be been earned in any combination of Chemistry, Physics, Math, and Earth Sciences courses. General Education courses can not be used to satisfy the Biology or cognate area requirements.

3. Students lacking 9 credit hours or less of required Biology or cognate area prerequisite course work may be eligible for conditional admission.

4. An undergraduate GPA of 2.75, with a GPA of 3.0 in major/cognate area, is required for full admission to the program. Students with a major/cognate GPA of 2.50 - 2.99 may qualify for conditional admission.

Degree Requirements

The Biology program allows students to tailor their program of study to meet their individual needs. Students may attend full-time or part-time and have up to 6 years to finish their Master’s Degree. Graduate courses are offered during the late afternoon and evening hours, and students can arrange their schedule so that they are on campus only two days a week, if desired.

The department offers three Graduate Tracks:

- Molecular/Cellular
- Morphological/Physiology
- Ecology/Environmental

Students must take at least five courses from one of the above tracks. Additional credits may be taken in any of the above areas.

Biology Graduate Students have three-degree options:

Option 1: Research Thesis - students are invited by the department to pursue a research thesis. Students interested in this option should arrange appointments with faculty in their area of interest and the graduate program advisor early in their program, to discuss potential thesis topics. Students must have received candidacy before they can pursue the research thesis option. Following candidacy, students need to submit a thesis proposal to the department for approval before they can receive thesis credit.

Students pursuing this option must complete a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate course work, including BIOL 499: Research Thesis (6 cr.) and BIOL 481: Biological Literature (3 cr). An oral defense of the completed thesis also is required. This track is recommended for individuals who are interested in a career in biological research, are working in applied fields of Biology or are interested in further graduate/professional studies.

Option 2: Library Thesis - this option is recommended for students who are interested in exploring a particular topic through literature research. Following candidacy the student chooses a library thesis advisor, whose is responsible for approving the topic, and outlining the expectations of the library thesis. A library thesis provides a novel or unique original treatment of a given topic, through exploration of scientific literature.

Students in this option must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate course work, including BIOL 481: Biological Literature (3 cr.), BIOL 403: Seminars in Biology (1 cr.) and BIOL 497: Thesis Seminar (3 cr.). Students also are required to pass the Graduate Comprehensive Exam to graduate.

Option 3: Non-Thesis - this option is recommended for students who desire a more flexible approach to graduate training in Biology, and who are not interested in a research career. It is a popular track for those in teaching.

Students must complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate course work, including BIOL 481: Biological Literature (3 cr.), and BIOL 403: Seminars in Biology (1 cr.). Students are required to pass the Graduate Comprehensive exam to graduate.

Candidacy

Students need to apply for candidacy after they have completed 12 credit hours of course work with a GPA of at least a B (3.0). A maximum of 6 hours of graduate transfer credit may apply. Students admitted conditionally need to satisfy all prerequisite deficiencies before they can receive candidacy. Students need to satisfy their candidacy requirements and be declared candidates for the degree before they can register for thesis research credits. Candidacy also is a requirement for eligibility for the Graduate Comprehensive Exam, and for graduation. Candidacy forms can be obtained through the Graduate College. Allow at least a month for the form to be processed by the Graduate College and departmental graduate advisor.

Graduate Comprehensive Exam

Graduate students pursuing Options 2 or 3 need to pass a Graduate Comprehensive Exam to be eligible for graduation. Students admitted Fall 2000 and later are required to take a Comprehensive essay exam, covering course work they have completed within the Biology graduate program. The exam is offered once each semester (Fall and Spring only), and is tailored to the individual student. It is administered in two parts - a morning and afternoon session (each lasting @ 3 hours) with a lunch break separating the two sessions. Each part consists of 7 essay questions, with students required to answer 5 out of the 7 questions. A combined average of a "B" grade is needed to pass the test. Students should consider applying for the exam after they have qualified for candidacy and completed 8 Biology graduate courses. A list of potential essay topics for all Biology graduate courses is available to help prepare for the exam, and students should pick this up and begin their review of material the semester prior to the exam, if possible. The topic list is available in the Biology Office (S-358G), or may be downloaded here. Students should take the exam at least one semester before they intend to graduate.

Students admitted to the Graduate College prior to Fall 2000 have two exam options - the essay exam, or a multiple choice test which covers general knowledge in the biological sciences.

Applications for both versions of the Graduate Comprehensive Exam are available at the beginning of each semester from the main Biology Office (S-358G). The exams are typically administered in early October (Fall Semester) and early February (Spring Semester).

Thesis Proposal

Students interested in pursuing a research thesis need to submit a research proposal for review and consideration by the department before they will be permitted to register for thesis credits. Potential topics are first discussed with a prospective research thesis advisor to determine a project focus. The student drafts a proposal for review by the faculty advisor, which presents the background and scope of the project, hypothesis/hypotheses to be tested, methodology, anticipated time-table, and literature review. If the proposal is acceptable to the faculty advisor, it is then submitted to the Biology faculty for review and consideration. Faculty are typically given a minimum of one week to provide comments and recommendations about the proposal. Students should attempt to have their proposal circulated to the department several weeks before the semester they want to register for thesis credits. The deadline for registering for thesis credits is usually by the end of the second weeks of classes during a given semester. Check the current schedule of classes for more details.

Thesis Research (under construction)

Graduate Degree Time-Limit

Students in Options 1-3 have a maximum of 6 yrs to complete their degree. Students requiring an additional semester or more to complete their degree should petition the Graduate College and Biology Program, before the deadline is reached, to request an extension. Students taking more than 6 yrs may loose credits earned early in the program and may be required by the Graduate College to complete additional course work. Students not taking courses regularly (every year) may be dropped from the Graduate College.

Course Offerings

Only 400-level and a limited number of 300-level courses (maximum of 10 cr.) can be applied toward the graduate degree.

Transfer credit: a maximum of 9 hours of transfer graduate credit can be applied to the program. Students interested in transferring credit need to submit official transcripts and rationale for transfer to the Graduate College.

Courses from other NEIU departments: Students may have up to 9 cr. hours of course work taken in other departments counted toward their Biology degree. All course work from other departments must be approved by the Biology Graduate advisor. Students interested in taking courses outside the Biology Department should first check with the Graduate Advisor to determine if the course is acceptable towards a Biology degree; the student needs to then contact the Department housing the course to request permission to enroll in the course. Lastly, to be considered as part of the student’s degree requirements, the student must submit a written rationale for the course, as well as a copy of the course syllabus. This should be done no later than the first week of classes that semester.

The following graduate courses have been offered in recent years by the department.
Check the schedule of classes for current availability.

BIOL 401: Analysis of Development
BIOL 402: Biochemical Genetics
BIOL 403: Seminars in Biology
BIOL 406: Physical Biochemistry
BIOL 407: Enzymology
BIOL 408: Bio-Environmental Analysis
BIOL 410: Advanced Immunology
BIOL 420: Metabolism
BIOL -BOT 402: Plant Biochemistry
BIOL-ZOOL 402: Comparative Vertebrate Physiology
BIOL-ZOOL 404: Advanced Vertebrate Physiology
BIOL 4Quaternary Ecology
BIOL 4XX Historical and Contemporary Patterns in Species Diversity
BIOL 498: Advanced Topics in Biology

* Conservation Biology

* Restoration Ecology

* Woody Plants Taxonomy and Ecology

* Biology of Aging

* Biology of Viruses

* Evolutionary Biology

BIOL 497: Thesis Seminar

BIOL 499: Research Thesis

BIOL 331: Ecological Methods

BIOL 316: Biochemistry

BIOL -ZOOL 312: Vertebrate Physiology

BIOL-ZOOL 324: Endocrinology

Contact Information