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Graduate training can be pursued in each of the following programs:
The graduate program is planned by selection of an appropriate sequence of courses in consultation with the major professor and advisory committee. However, training has been formalized in several areas of specialization. Financial support is provided in the form of fellowships or traineeships from such federal agencies as NIH and NSF. Departmental teaching fellowships, assistantships, and University fellowships are available to qualified PhD students. The Department of Biology offers both the Master of Arts (MA) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. Students may apply for direct admission to either program. Applicants should have completed 32 credit hours in biology, and college-level courses in calculus (one semester), general chemistry (two semesters), organic chemistry (two semesters), and general physics (two semesters), or equivalent courses as determined by the Graduate Committee. The Graduate Committee may impose extra prerequisites without graduate credit if the candidate's background is found to be lacking. All applicants for admission to the MA and PhD programs are required to submit the results of the Graduate Record Examinations (General Test and Subject Test in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry). Seminars, with and without credit, are held in the various major areas. Participation is expected for at least one year, and often throughout the predoctoral period. Teaching Requirements The department requires a minimum of two semesters participation in teaching during the student's graduate career as part of the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Facilities
for Training and Research The department's research laboratories are located primarily at 2 Cummington Street, the Biological Science Center, 5 Cummington Street, the Biology Research Building, and 24 Cummington Street, the Life Sciences and Engineering Buiding. Teaching laboratories are located in the adjacent Metcalf Science Center. Associated research and teaching support facilities at Boston University are represented by animal quarters, prep rooms, and warm, cold, and environmental rooms, the Science and Engineering Library, and common facilities in the chemistry, physics, and biomedical engineering departments. In addition, the department has extensive research facilities. Special features include an aquarium room for experimental work on fresh and saltwater fish, a Laboratory Animal Care Facility, and environmental chambers. Specialized modern equipment is available for electron and confocal microscopy, automated DNA sequencing, tissue culture, and a variety of biochemical, physiological, and genetic applications. Field study is enhanced by a facility at the 900-acre Human Environment Institute at Sargent Center for Outdoor Education in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Boston University Marine Program Undergraduate and graduate training and research in marine biology is offered by the Boston University Marine Program (BUMP, a subsection of the Biology Department). Ancillary Facilities Through cooperative arrangements with affiliated senior scientists in such other institutions as the New England Aquarium, Blood Research Institute, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Manomet Bird Observatory, and Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, supplementary facilities may be available for graduate training and research. Consortium of Graduate Schools Graduate students may cross-register for graduate courses at Boston College, Brandeis University, and Tufts University in consultation with their advisors and with written departmental approval. Procedures for cross-registration are outlined in the front section of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. BA/MA in Biotechnology The BA/MA program in biotechnology is a 5-year, 38-course program including many of the elements of standard degree programs in biology and chemistry, augmented by advanced-level courses in recombinant DNA techniques, molecular cell biology, and protein technology. Interested students should consult the biochemistry, molecular biology, and biotechnology pages in the Undergraduate Programs Bulletin for a more detailed description of the program. Further information may also be obtained from the Academic Administrator for BMB/MCBB in the Department of Biology. MA in Biology Two programs lead to the MA degree. One involves research and one does not (see "Research or Nonresearch Master's Programs" section below). In both programs, students are assigned to faculty advisors in the area of special interest at the time of acceptance. Course Requirements Students must complete eight full-semester courses (32 credits) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. For the research degree, at least five courses must be lecture, laboratory, or seminar courses. For the nonresearch degree, at least seven courses must be lecture, laboratory, or seminar courses. The eighth course may be satisfied by GRS BI 701, 702 Graduate Readings in Biology. Research or Nonresearch Master's Programs Students select one of the following options: Research Nonresearch
PhD in Biology The PhD is a research degree and normally necessitates four to five years of academic study including summer work. Students are assigned to a faculty advisor in the area of special interest at the time of acceptance. After short rotations through research groups, a research advisor is chosen. The advisor, along with a thesis committee, directly supervises the student's progress toward the degree. Together with other faculty appointed with the approval of the Graduate Committee, the advisor ensures that the student meets the degree requirements and that the qualifying and final oral examinations are conducted properly. Course Requirements Students admitted with only a bachelor's degree must complete 16 semester courses (64 credits) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0; at least eight of these courses must be lecture, laboratory, or seminar courses. For students admitted with a master's degree, the requirement is eight semester courses (32 credits), of which four must be lecture, laboratory, or seminar courses. Qualifying Examination This exam is held no later than five semesters after matriculation. It consists of a written examination to determine the student's knowledge of his or her chosen and cognate fields, followed by a comprehensive oral examination. PhD candidates in the postbachelor's program may apply for the MA degree upon successful completion of the qualifying examination. Dissertation The dissertation must describe original research carried out by the student in a chosen field of biology; the research should make an important contribution to knowledge of that field. Students must satisfy the student's dissertation committee that at least part of the dissertation is of sufficient quality to be published in a recognized scientific journal. The results of the dissertation must be presented at a department colloquium. Residency, Dissertation Prospectus, and Final Oral Examination See the "General Requirements for the PhD" in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin. Questions
and comments are always welcome. |
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Program
Areas within the Biology Department
Marine
Biology
Cell
and Molecular Biology
Ecology,
Behavior, and Evolution
Neurobiology
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