GRADUATE COURSE CATALOG

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Prem S. Kahlon, Ph.D., Graduate Coordinator

The Department of Biological Sciences offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Biology and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Biological Science. Both curricula are designed to prepare scholars for the pursuit of research careers in academia, government, and industry, and to improve the level of competency of high school, college, and university teachers.

The Ph.D. in Biological Sciences is an interdepartmental degree program offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Agricultural Sciences in the School of Agriculture and Home Economics. Admissions procedures for the Ph.D. program are outlined under the Department of Biological Sciences. The department offering the student’s primary emphasis will appoint the major advisor. Course descriptions are listed under the respective departments.

Admission Requirements: M.S. Program

Unconditional admission to the M.S. program requires the applicant to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university, a minimal score of 1250 calculated from the GPA multiplied by 200 and added to the GRE combined verbal and quantitative scores, two letters of recommendation and a personal statement.  Also required is that the student have accumulated a minimum of 24 acceptable semester hours in biology plus a minimum of four semester hours of biochemistry.  The Departmental Admissions Committee will base admission upon these materials and, additionally, will evaluate the applicant’s science course GPA and may request a personal interview to determine the applicant’s potential for success in the program. Conditional admission may be granted to applicants who have not completed 24 semester hours of biology and four semester hours of biochemistry, but the student must complete these courses with a GPA of 3.0 or better to gain unconditional admission to the M.S. program.

Degree Requirements: M.S. Program

The Department offers both thesis and non‑thesis options in the master of science degree program. A minimum of 36 semester hours of approved courses is required for the M.S. degree under the thesis option, and a minimum of 39 semester hours is required under the non‑thesis option. Students who choose the non‑thesis option must pass a comprehensive examination taken no earlier than the term in which they complete their course work. Students interested in pursuing research careers in the academia, government or industry are highly encouraged to take the thesis option.

Required Courses: 23 hours in thesis option, 19 hours in non-thesis option

Elective Courses: 13 hours in thesis option, 20 hours in non‑thesis option

Selection of elective courses must be made in consultation with the student's thesis committee or non‑thesis advisor. Often, depending on the career direction or research interest of the student, a student may be advised to take elective courses in other departments or at other institutions. Included in the elective courses must be a physiology and a genetics course.

Program of Study: M.S. Program

The degree candidate must file a program of study after completing at least nine semester hours of graduate credit, but before completing fifteen hours of graduate credit. The program lists the courses that will be used to satisfy degree requirements, as well as detailing how other requirements will be met. The student may later change the program of study with the written approval of the Department and the Graduate School.

Admission to Candidacy: M.S. Program

When the candidate files the program of study, he or she must also apply for admission to candidacy. The candidate must have a grade point average of 3.0 or above to be eligible for admission to candidacy.

Completion of M.S. Program

After admission to candidacy for the M.S. degree students seeking the thesis option are required to complete their thesis research, successfully defend it and submit an approved final draft to the School of Graduate Studies for publication and to finalize approval for the awarding of the M.S. in Biology degree.   Students seeking the non-thesis option are required to complete a comprehensive examination during the semester in which they plan to graduate.  A score of at least 70% or higher is considered passing on this pass or fail examination, and the Department Head submits to the School of Graduate Studies the results of the examination to finalize approval by the department for the awarding of the M.S. in Biology degree. 

Admission Requirements: Ph.D. Program

Applicants to the Ph.D. program must submit a completed application form, a personal statement describing interest in the program and professional goals, and three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicants' academic work, especially in Biology. The Departmental admissions committee will base admission upon these materials and interviews with selected applicants.  Admission requires the applicant to have a bachelor's degree from a fully accredited four‑year college or university, a minimal score of 1370 calculated from the GPA multiplied by 200 and added to the GRE combined verbal and quantitative scores and a minimum score of 600 on the GRE subject test in Biology.  Students may also be admitted with GRE subject test scores below 600, but such students must take the Departmental diagnostic examination. The admissions committee will evaluate the performance on this examination and design a curriculum to eliminate identified weaknesses. After passing the recommended courses with a grade of B or better in each, the student will begin the Ph.D. curriculum.

Degree Requirements: Ph.D. Program

Degree candidates must complete the core of required graduate courses (24 hours) with a grade of B or better in each course, pass the comprehensive examination, and gain approval of their dissertation proposal prior to obtaining admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. After gaining admission to candidacy the student must complete an approved curriculum (24 hours minimum of electives set by the student's research advisory committee), enroll in Graduate Seminar (BIO 701, 702), complete a dissertation (24 hours), and successfully defend the dissertation prior to gaining the Ph.D. degree.

Required Courses: 24 Hours

To be completed prior to Admission to Candidacy

After Admission to Candidacy: 51 Hours

Graduate Elective Courses

Program of Study: Ph.D. Program

The degree candidate must file a program of study after completing nine semester hours of graduate work, but before completing fifteen hours of graduate work. The program lists the courses that will be used to satisfy degree requirements, as well as detailing how other requirements will be met. The student may later change the program of study with the written approval of the Department and the Graduate School.

Admission to Candidacy: Ph.D. Program

The student must apply for admission to candidacy after completing the 24‑hour core of required courses (See Degree Requirements: Ph.D. program, above.) with an average of B (3.0) or better, passing the comprehensive examination, and gaining approval of the dissertation proposal.

MINOR

The Department offers a graduate minor in Biology as a subject field for graduate students seeking advanced degrees in teaching (M.S., M.Ed., or Ed.D.). A minor consists of twelve semester hours of graduate courses approved by the advisor in the major program.

DESCRIPTION OF COURSES

BIO 5010, 5020. GRADUATE SEMINAR I, II. (1, 1) Current problems in biology. Courses meet weekly during each semester of the regular school year and summer terms. Both courses are required of all degree candidates in the Department.

BIO 5070, 5080. METHODS OF TEACHING SCIENCE IN THE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY SETTING. (3, 3) Teaching methods and techniques suitable for college and university level courses. Instruction in developing course outlines, lectures, and laboratory experiences, and in evaluating student progress is given. Assignment to a faculty mentor for development of teaching skills is a part of this two‑semester course. Individual students work in a specific course (upper‑division undergraduate or lower‑division graduate) and observe classroom teaching and assist with laboratory preparations and operations. The student, under the direction of the faculty mentor, makes preparation and teaches at least one unit of subject matter. Prerequisite: Permission of major advisor and faculty mentor.

BIO 5100. LITERATURE AND METHODS IN RESEARCH. (3) The methods of literature review, with primary emphasis on methods in biological research and research laboratory rotation. The student is expected to concentrate on the literature in the student's proposed area of research and rotate through three research laboratories (4 weeks each) of the student's choice. Required of all degree candidates. Formerly BIO 517.

BIO 5110. RESEARCH IN BIOLOGY. (2) Individual research under the supervision of the research advisor. The student must present a general statement of proposed research and obtain the approval of the guidance committee. Prerequisite: BIO 510. Required of all M.S. candidates. Formerly BIO 516.

BIO 5120. THESIS WRITING. (4) The preparation of a thesis over individual research under the supervision of the guidance committee. The format of the thesis must conform to that adopted by the Department of Biological Sciences. Once students have registered for this course they must continue to enroll in it every semester until they complete the thesis and are examined over it. Prerequisite: BIO 511. Required of all students who write a thesis.

BIO 5130. EVOLUTION. (3) Current evolutionary theory including systematics, with an examination of macroevolutionary patterns and microevolutionary processes. Students use computer simulation techniques to construct models illustrating the concepts discussed.

BIO 5140, 5150. SPECIAL PROBLEMS I, II. (3, 3) Short‑term specialized problems in the area of major emphasis of the research investigator. The student is expected to develop and master techniques that are necessary for carrying out the assigned problem. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and thesis or graduate advisor. Three laboratory periods.

BIO 5160. ENVIRONMENTAL GENETICS. (3) The diversity of organisms, populations, and communities. Specific intricacies of the living world are elucidated. The laboratory work includes the study of organisms treated with mutagens. Chromosomal aberrations as well as phenotypic changes are observed. Students who have had at least 12 hours of Biology, including BIO 212, 212L (Principles of Genetics) and BIO 547 (Special Topics in Immunology) or the equivalents, may elect this course. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period weekly. Formerly BIO 510.

BIO 5170. ADVANCED GENETICS. (3) The nature of the gene, the principles governing genic mutation and change in chromosomal structure, and the results of the operation of these principles. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period. Formerly BIO 511.

BIO 5180. CELL BIOLOGY. (3) The structure and behavior of the cell and its components with special emphasis on mitosis and meiosis. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period. Required of all degree candidates.

BIO 5190. ECOLOGY. (3) Study of how ecological systems function and the reciprocal interrelationships between the structure and composition of a system and its pattern of function. Some time is devoted to an examination of that body of theory which deals with ecological models, both experimental and mathematical. Prerequisite: BIO 4120, 4121 (Principles of Ecology) or permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period.

BIO 5200. GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY. (3) The chemical and physical nature of protoplasm. Considered are its chemical constituents and their properties, its colloidal nature, and the bearing of this state on its physical properties and processes. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period.

BIO 5210. EMBRYOLOGY. (3) The principles and mechanisms of developmental physiology. Prerequisite: BIO 4210, 4211 (Embryology) or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period. Formerly ZOO 530.

BIO 5220. ADVANCED PARASITOLOGY. (3) Life histories, taxonomy, morphology, and general importance of the parasitic protozoa and helminths to man and animals. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period per week. Formerly ZOO 541.

BIO 5230. ARTHROPODS AND DISEASES. (3) Survey of the various orders, classes, genera, and species in the phylum arthropods that act as both ectoparasites and endoparasites in man, food animals, and domesticated animals. The course also explores the hyperparasiticity in which certain genera of arthropods are parasitic to other arthropods belonging to different genera and species. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. One lecture and two laboratory periods per week. Formerly ZOO 542.

BIO 5240. SYSTEMIC PHYSIOLOGY. (3) Functions of different organ systems with emphasis on the human nervous system, muscular system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and endocrine system. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Two lectures and one two‑hour laboratory period. Formerly ZOO 590.

BIO 5300. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY. (3) Current topics in plant growth, development, metabolism, nutrition, and water relations. Research papers in plant metabolism and development are written and reviewed. Prerequisite: 8 hours in botany. Two lectures and one laboratory period.

BIO 5400. MICROBIAL GENETICS. (3) The heredity of viruses, bacteria, molds, yeast, and protozoa, with emphasis on protozoan genetics. Physiologic aspects primarily relating to genetics in these forms are also considered. Prerequisites: BIO 2120, 2121 (Principles of Genetics) and permission of instructor. In addition, BIO 5110 is recommended.

BIO 5410. MOLECULAR GENETICS. (3) The application and utilization of microorganisms, plants and animal systems in biotechnology. Emphasis is placed on the methods and techniques used in these systems.

BIO 5460. IMMUNOLOGY. (3) Topics concerning all aspects of antigen‑antibody reactions. Emphasis is placed on laboratory problems and procedures associated with immunology. Prerequisites: BIO 3400, 3401  (Introduction to Microbial Physiology), 4400, 4401 (Pathogenic Microorganisms), and 4410, 4411 (Immunology and Serology), or permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory period. Formerly MCB 560.

BIO 5470. SPECIAL TOPICS IN IMMUNOLOGY. (3) The study of a variety of sub‑disciplines, including host‑parasite‑environment relations. Recent topics in immunology are presented by students and staff members. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Two lectures and one laboratory per week. Formerly MCB 660.

BIO 6040. INDIVIDUAL STUDIES. (3-9) Doctoral individual study under the guidance of the graduate curriculum advisory committee and may not be credited toward graduate degree programs of the Department of Biology.  May be repeated as topics vary.  Maximum hours nine (9) with three (3) registrations.

BIO 6100. FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR SCIENCE. (3) Survey of current research topics in cellular, developmental, and molecular biology. The use of molecular techniques to study cell structure and function is emphasized. Prerequisites: CHEM 5410, 5420. Required of all Ph.D. candidates.

BIO 6110. INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH. (3-6) Doctoral research of independent nature. May be repeated twice for credit up to six (6) hours. Prerequisite: Candidacy admission to the Ph.D. Program.

BIO 6210. INTRODUCTION TO NEUROPHARMACOLOGY. (3) Course derived from three areas of pharmacology: 1) general principles, 2) pharmacology of drugs affecting cell growth, and 3) central nervous system pharmacology.

BIO 6560. TECHNIQUES OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPY. (3) Introduction to electron optics and types of electron microscopes. Techniques of tissue preparation, fixation, embedment, ultramicrotomy, staining, and EM photography are included. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

BIO 7010, 7020. SEMINAR IN BIOLOGY I, II. (1, 1) Topics relevant to biology, biotechnology, and environmental science presented by faculty, visiting scholars and graduate students. Participating graduate students who have achieved candidacy status present one seminar per year. Both courses are required of all Ph.D. candidates in Biological Sciences. Candidates must register for 7010 and 7020 in their first two semesters of residency, unless they have not completed BIO 5010 and 5020 or the equivalent, in which case they must register for these courses. Each course may be repeated once for an additional hour of credit. BIO 5010 and 5020 are prerequisites to 7010, and 7010 is a prerequisite to 7020.

BIO 7120. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. (3) A detailed introduction to prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular biology. Most of the course focuses on the fundamentals of molecular genetics: the structure and function of the gene, genetic organization of chromosomes, the genetic code, the molecular mechanisms of transcription, RNA processing, translation, DNA replication and recombination, and the molecular mechanisms of transcription, RNA processing, translation, DNA replication and recombination, and the molecular mechanisms of regulation of gene expression and enzyme activity. The model systems studied include both prokaryotes (bacteria and bacterial viruses) and simple eukaryotes (yeast, slime molds, and animal viruses). Prerequisites: CHEM 541, 542. Required of all Ph.D. candidates.

BIO 7130. MOLECULAR GENETICS. (3) An examination of the structure and function of gene systems in prokaryotes, eukaryotes and viruses. This course also explores the process of RNA editing and other regulatory circuits, including DNA repair, control of transcription, translation and post‑translation events. Prerequisites: CHEM 5410, 5420.

BIO 7170. SELECTED TOPICS IN MOLECULAR GENETICS. (3-6) Current research interest in the areas of molecular genetics. May be repeated for credit as topics vary for no more than six (6) hours. Prerequisites: Consent of Doctoral Advisory Committee.

BIO 7180. ADVANCED CELL BIOLOGY. (3) Molecular biology of animal cells with emphasis on assembly of cellular organelles, function and organization of membrane systems receptors, energy mechanisms, and secretion. Properties and functions of microfilaments and microtubules, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, ribosomes, and the nucleus are considered also. Prerequisites: BIO 518,CHEM 5410, 5420, or permission of instructor.

BIO 7190 ADVANCED MOLECULAR BIOLOGY. (3) A review of prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular biology literature. Discussions involve defining the mechanisms and methods used to solve biological problems. Prerequisite: BIO 7120.

BIO 7260. NEUROBIOLOGY. (3) Principles and mechanisms of the nervous system in invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Topics including neurotransmitters, effector control, integration, inhibition, and localized excitation are considered. A study of the ionic and electrical mechanisms involved in the generation and conduction of nerve impulses is also included. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.

BIO 7270. SELECTED TOPICS IN NEUROBIOLOGY. (3-6) Current research interest in the field of neurobiology. May be repeated for credit as topics vary for no more than six (6) hours. Prerequisites: Consent of Doctoral Advisory Committee.

BIO 7410. SELECTED TOPICS IN MICROBIOLOGY. (3-6) Current research interests in the various fields of microbiology. May be repeated for credit as topics vary for no more than six (6) hours. Prerequisite: Consent of Doctoral Advisory Committee.

BIO 8110. DISSERTATION RESEARCH. (1‑9) Individual research under the supervision of the advisor. The candidate must have an approved dissertation proposal. A minimum of three registrations is required with a maximum of nine hours per registration. Dissertation hours must total at least 24. Prerequisites: admission to candidacy and permission of advisor. Required of all Ph.D. candidates.