Department of Biological Sciences
375 Dodge Hall (map)
(248) 370-3550 • Fax (248) 370-4225
www.oakland.edu/biology

Program Coordinator:
Sara Blumer-Schuette
biogradprograms@oakland.edu

Program Description

This is a thesis master’s program. This program has a significant research component which provides advanced training to students seeking employment in biological disciplines or entrance into Ph.D. programs.

The graduate program affords students the opportunity to interact closely with the biology faculty as they complete their thesis work. For an overview of research opportunities in Biological Sciences, visit the faculty research web page (https://www.oakland.edu/biology/research).

Admission Terms and Application Deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Oakland University Graduate School by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

Review of applications will begin on the following dates:

March 1 for fall and summer semesters
September 1 for winter semester
International applicants: September 1 for winter semester, and January 1 for fall and summer semester.

Applications for fall semester that are received after the program due date, but before university deadlines, may be reviewed, subject to space availability.

Application Requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:

Graduate application requirements
Additional department application requirements

Requirements for Recommendations:
Two recommendations must be from faculty members or professionals in the field who can evaluate the scholarly achievement and potential of the applicant.
Applicants should have earned a bachelor’s degree in biology or related subject (e.g., biomedical sciences, health sciences, biochemistry, molecular biology, botany or zoology) from a regionally accredited institution or proof of a U.S. equivalent degree for internationally educated applicants.
Applicants with an earned bachelor’s degree in another discipline must have completed 5 lecture courses in biology, 2 lecture courses in college-level mathematics, 1 lecture course in physics and 3 lecture courses in chemistry. Applicants with undergraduate prerequisite course deficiencies in these areas must complete the preparatory course work before being admitted to the program.
Applicants should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
An essay (goal statement) describing their interest in the program, expectations of what graduate study entails, and career goals.

Applicants with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 with the appropriate academic background and evidence of the capacity for graduate study may be considered for admission with limited standing. Applicants who qualify for this admission status must complete a specified number of graduate credits, with a GPA of 3.0 or above within the first year of their program, to be advanced to full admission.

Admission Review and Assessment

Admission to graduate school at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Oakland University Graduate School, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Transfer Credits

Official transcripts must be on file in Oakland University Graduate School. The credits earned must be from a regionally accredited institution and must carry a grade of 3.0 (B) or better. Courses graded Pass/Fail or Credit/Non-Credit are not transferable. Credit must be earned within six years of the time the degree will be conferred and may not have been used toward another degree. Only courses labeled “graduate” (numbered 5000 and above) may be transferred. The total number of credits transferred may not exceed 9, and no more than 1 credit will be awarded per week of instruction (i.e., a 4-credit course must meet a minimum of 14 hours per week for four weeks-a minimum total of 56 class hours or 47 clock hours of instruction).

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Biology degree is awarded upon satisfactory completion of 32 credits in an approved program of study, and completion of the written thesis requirement.

Course Requirements

a. General Requirements

Four 5000-level courses in Biology (3 or 4 credits each, excluding course, course and course) chosen by the students and their research mentor and approved by the Department of Biological Sciences.

course Graduate Research (at least 8 credits)
Electives (0-11 credits) - a combination of course and/or graduate-level courses
course Thesis Seminar (1 credit)

b. Exit

The student must obtain approval of the written thesis by their thesis committee prior to the deadline for submission of approved thesis set by the Graduate School.

Thesis Requirements

a. Thesis Committee and Proposal

During the first semester of studies, the candidate must choose a thesis adviser with whom he or she will plan and conduct the thesis research. The adviser and candidate will then select a thesis committee. The student, with guidance from their mentor, will prepare a thesis proposal which must be completed and approved by the thesis committee before the end of the student’s second semester. Students may not enroll in course, Thesis Seminar, until their thesis proposal has been completed and approved by their thesis committee.

b. Thesis

When completed, the written thesis must also be approved by the thesis committee before it can be submitted to the Graduate School for approval. All theses must conform to university standards (see Thesis and Dissertation).

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good Academic Standing

All graduate students are expected to remain in good Academic Standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

Holding a Graduate Assistantship
Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
Going on a leave of absence
Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related Program Information

Plan of Study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted to the Oakland University Graduate School by the Biological Sciences Graduate Advisor.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework. (See the Graduate Student Responsibility section of this catalog.)

Note: Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.

Biology

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