Program Description

The inter-disciplinary Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences Program prepares students to pursue scientific research or technology driven careers in multiple fields ranging from agriculture to medicine, from forensics to environmental sciences, from food sciences to renewable energy. The program provides training and research opportunities integrating molecular, genomic, cellular and developmental concepts, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches and state-of-the-art technologies to address real world problems.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission into the Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences Program must meet the admission requirements of Graduate Admissions in addition to the Program’s specific requirements that includes graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the Verbal, Analytical and Quantitative tests. Scores from the Graduate Record Examination showing a score of 150 on both the verbal and quantitative tests or a combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections for scores that used the old scoring system are the minimum requirements.

Each applicant must have a B.S. in basic or applied science. Some required MBS courses have prerequisites which must be met in order to succeed in these classes. These courses may include general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, introductory biological science, and cell biology. Based on previous undergraduate coursework, students may be required to pass one or more of these prerequisite courses before attempting graduate level study in this field. In addition each applicant should submit one copy of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate coursework directly from the institutions that they attended. Applicant also need to submit three letters of recommendation to be reviewed by the program committee. Applicant should also include a current curriculum vitae, and a personal statement (maximum of two pages) describing the student’s academic and research goals. Applicants are encouraged to identify areas of research interest as well as possible research mentors within the faculty of the Molecular Biosciences Program.

Course Requirements

All candidates Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences are required to complete the specified core courses and elective courses, or their equivalent, as directed by the student’s advisor and the members of the student’s Advisory Committee. All candidates must attend Molecular Biosciences Seminar for a minimum of two semesters when in residence on campus. Each student must complete a minimum of 15 hours of Molecular Biosciences approved course work (including the specified 9 credits in Core Technical courses, 1 credit in Responsible Conduct in Research and 3 credits from the Techniques in Molecular Biosciences course and two credits of seminar). Students must also take 6 hours of thesis research credits along with any other academic studies required by the student’s Advisory Committee. The committee may alter or require additional academic work as it deems appropriate to meet the student’s specific program needs. The committee will also provide a written plan of study by semester for each student. Thus the student for the Master of Science degree will complete a minimum of 30 to 36 credit hours of coursework.

Any additional coursework requirements will be determined by the Graduate Advisory Committee to meet the student’s specific program needs. Each candidate for the Master of Science in Molecular Biosciences degree must execute an original research project culminating in the completion and defense of a thesis.

There are two public defenses: 1) thesis proposal and 2) thesis defense of their completed research. Each of these defenses is followed by an oral examination given by the MS Advisory Committee. A MS level research scientist must have the ability to form a research hypothesis based on previous knowledge in the area, design the critical experiments necessary to test the hypothesis, analyze the experimental data, propose additional experiments based on the data, and come to a successful completion of the research. Passing all exams implies that the student has sufficient critical thinking skills to be able to solve any problems that might arise during the research. Students must also acquire sufficient knowledge in the research area. Thus, these examinations are important milestones for assessing whether the graduate student has the necessary knowledge and skills to advance toward completion of the Masters of Science Degree (Thesis) in Molecular Biosciences.

Research Advisor

A student must select a permanent research advisor by the end of the first semester. Students who fail to choose a permanent research advisor before the second week of the second semester in the program jeopardize their academic standing in the program. If a research advisor is not selected by the end of a student’s second semester, the student risks dismissal from the program.

Changing A Research Advisor

Changing the research advisor after the student has begun his/her program of study can be done, but is often not in his/her best interests. If such a change is necessary the student must consult with the MBS Program Director before initiating the change.

MS Advisory Committee

Consulting with the research advisor, the student should form a thesis advisory committee that should have a minimum of three members including the research advisor. It is strongly recommended that the students discuss their proposed Program of Study and research area with their committee members by the end of the second semester. The MBS Program recommends one formal meeting of the student, their research advisor and their MS Advisory Committee each semester

Changes in the MS Advisory Committee

To petition for a change in the membership of their MS Advisory Committee, the student MUST gain approval of the MBS Program Director.

Thesis Proposal and Defense (Qualifying Examination)

It is recommended that the student completes writing a thesis proposal by the end of the second semester in residence. This document must first be approved by the MS Research Advisor before the MS Advisory Committee review. A final draft of the thesis proposal must be submitted to the MS Advisory Committee at least two weeks before the proposal seminar and defense. With the approval of the advisory committee members, student should arrange for the oral defense of the thesis proposal. A Seminar Announcement to the MBS Program Office must also be submitted two weeks prior to the scheduled seminar so that the program office can make a public announcement in time. Possible outcomes of the proposal defense are i) pass, or ii) fail with option to retake (one time only) the examination, or iii) fail. It should be noted the Graduate Council requires at least ten calendar weeks must pass before a retake of a qualifying examination can be scheduled. If a student fails to pass this examination may no longer be in good standing with the program and may lose graduate student status at the discretion of the MS Advisory Committee.

Thesis Defense

After completing an extensive research project approved by the Research Advisor and MS Advisory Committee, the student is required to present the written thesis to his or her MS Advisory Committee, and hold the final public defense. The format of this defense is identical to that of the Thesis Proposal Defense. A completed draft of the Thesis must be first approved by the Research Advisor before the Thesis is given to all committee members a minimum of 21 days before the defense date. Students must get approval from all committee members that the defense can take place as scheduled. A seminar announcement to the MBS Program Office must also be submitted and the Graduate Program section of the Registrar’s office notified no less than two weeks prior to the defense. Thus there are two public defenses: 1) thesis proposal and 2) thesis defense of their completed research. Each of these defenses is followed by an oral examination given by the MS Advisory Committee. These examinations are important milestones for assessing whether the graduate student has the necessary knowledge and skills to advance toward completion of the Masters of Science Degree (Thesis) in Molecular Biosciences.