2007-09 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama
2007-09 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama
2007-09 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama
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<strong>Graduate</strong> Catalog: Section 6.4http://graduate.ua.edu/catalog/15400.htmlTHE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA GRADUATE CATALOGTable <strong>of</strong> Contents > College <strong>of</strong> Arts & Sciences6.4 DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (BSC)Chairperson: Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Harriett Smith-Somerville, Office: 319 Biology Building.<strong>The</strong> department <strong>of</strong>fers programs leading to the master <strong>of</strong> science, master <strong>of</strong> science in marine science (biologicalsciences), and doctor <strong>of</strong> philosophy degrees. <strong>The</strong> graduate program is designed to make available to students a broadbasic training in the biological sciences, with a specialization in the field <strong>of</strong> the research problem. Research problemsare available in the following fields: aquatic entomology, biochemistry, coastal oceanography, comparative animalphysiology, developmental genetics, estuarine processes, ichthyology, immunology, limnology, marine andfreshwater biology, microbial ecology, microbial genetics, microbial physiology, molecular and cellular biology, plantand animal ecology, plant and animal physiological ecology, plant taxonomy, stream ecology, systematics, virology,and wetlands ecology.<strong>The</strong> J. Nicholene Bishop Biological Station (480 acres in Hale County), the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Alabama</strong> Arboretum (60 acresin Tuscaloosa County), the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Dauphin Island ), the Point Aux Pins Marsh Lab, and extensiveplant and animal collections are available to students for study and research.Admission RequirementsBefore entering graduate study in the biological sciences, the student is expected to have a substantial knowledge <strong>of</strong>chemistry, mathematics, and physics, and to have completed basic courses in the biological sciences with highstandards <strong>of</strong> scholarship. In general, a curriculum equivalent to that required <strong>of</strong> undergraduate majors in theDepartment <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences is expected. Students admitted without this background may be required to makeup course deficiencies without receiving graduate credit.Two types <strong>of</strong> admission to the graduate program in the biological sciences are possible: regular admission andconditional admission. In general, to be considered for regular admission, a student must have an overall scholasticaverage <strong>of</strong> 3.0 (based on a 4.0 system), including a 3.0 grade point average for the last 60 hours attempted and a3.0 average in all biological sciences courses attempted. In addition, the applicant must have received a combinedscore <strong>of</strong> at least 1200 on the verbal and quantitative portions on the general test <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Graduate</strong> RecordExamination.Consideration for conditional admission requires an overall scholastic average <strong>of</strong> 2.5 (based on a 4.0 system),including a 3.0 average for the last 60 hours attempted and a 3.0 average in all biological sciences coursesattempted. Also required is a combined score <strong>of</strong> at least 1000 on the verbal and quantitative portions on the generaltest <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Graduate</strong> Record Examination. Each student admitted conditionally to the biological sciences graduateprogram must maintain a 3.0 average for his or her first 12 hours in the Department <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences at <strong>The</strong><strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Alabama</strong>. All hours taken in the semester in which the student reaches 12 hours will be considered,even if by so doing the total exceeds 12 hours. If this requirement is not met, the student will be automaticallydismissed without appeal following the semester in which these 12 hours are earned, except in those cases that areobviously beyond the student's control.Degree RequirementsStudents should refer to the <strong>Graduate</strong> Student Handbook <strong>of</strong> the Department <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences for additionalinformation.Master <strong>of</strong> science. Two plans, I and II, are available for the M.S. degree. A student pursuing an M.S.degree under either plan is expected to submit a formal research proposal by his or her secondsemester in residence, and to take final written and oral examinations before the degree is granted.Plan I requires 24 hours <strong>of</strong> coursework and a formal thesis; Plan II requires 30 hours <strong>of</strong> courseworkand a written research report approved by the student's graduate committee. A "B" average must bemaintained in all coursework.Doctor <strong>of</strong> philosophy. A minimum <strong>of</strong> 48 semester hours <strong>of</strong> graduate course credit is required for thePh.D. degree. A "B" average must be maintained in all coursework. Students are also required to takeat least 24 hours in BSC 699 Dissertation Research. All requirements for the Ph.D. must be completedwithin a period <strong>of</strong> seven years following admission to the doctoral program. <strong>The</strong>re is no generalrequirement for a foreign language, although individual graduate committees may require a language.A formal dissertation is required, in addition to preliminary written and oral examinations and a finaloral examination.Additional information on the various degree programs is available on request from <strong>The</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Alabama</strong>,Department <strong>of</strong> Biological Sciences, Box 870344, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0344 ; or visit our website:
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