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Biology         Description Degree Offered Admission Master of Science in Biology Contact Info

Description

The Master of Science degree in Biology is offered with the following areas of specialization: Biology, Botany, Cell Biology, Development, Genetics, Limnology, Conservation Biology, and Zoology. Thesis and non-thesis options are available. A graduate certificate in Conservation Biology is also offered. Qualified certificate program students in Conservation Biology may apply to and be accepted into the Biology M.S. program.

Degrees Offered

Master of Science in Biology

Admission

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions and Registration section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. Please be sure to submit all requested material by the established deadline(s).

In addition to the general admission requirements, applicants must provide:

• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score of at least 1000 (combined) from test taken within the last five years
• GPA of 3.0 or higher for the last 60 attempted semester hours of undergraduate study
• Three letters of recommendation
• A written statement of past experience and research, area of interest, and immediate and long-range goals.
• For applicants from countries where English is not the official language, or for an applicant whose bachelor’s degree is not from an accredited U.S. institution, an official score of at least 220 (computer-based test; or equivalent score on the paper-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required.

Additional Notes on Admissions

Personal interviews are strongly encouraged but not required. Applicants who fail to meet either the minimum program GPA or GRE requirement may occasionally be accepted if there is other convincing evidence of potential for high achievement and success. Applicants failing to satisfy minimum program criteria should submit a GRE Subject (Advanced) Biology Test score at or above the 50th percentile. In no case will GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, or advanced) older than five years be accepted. Applicants need not have an undergraduate degree in a biological science but are expected to have 18 hours of biological sciences, including ecology and genetics. Courses in organic chemistry, calculus, and statistics are also recommended. After acceptance, minor deficiencies must be remedied by enrollment in the appropriate course at the first opportunity.

Application Due Dates

All students applying for fellowships or assistantships must apply by the Fall Priority deadline date.

U.S. Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Science in Biology		Jan 15	Jan 15
Students applying for summer or spring admission will be considered on an ad hoc basis.

International Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Science in Biology		Jan 15	Jan 15
Students applying for summer or spring admission will be considered on an ad hoc basis.

International Transfer Applicants

Program(s)		Fall Priority	Fall	Spring	Summer
Master of Science in Biology		Jan 15	Jan 15
Students applying for summer or spring admission will be considered on an ad hoc basis.

Master of Science in Biology

There are two options available: (1) a thesis option, which includes a minimum of 30 semester hours of courses; and (2) a non-thesis option, which includes a minimum of 40 semester hours of courses. Thesis students need to receive a commitment from a faculty advisor for admission. M.S. students have five years to complete the program.

Thesis Option

Requirements for M.S. Thesis Option—30 Credit Hours Minimum

A student selecting the biology thesis option will include in their program of study:

Group A—At Least 12 Credit Hours

(Minimally, one course approved by the thesis committee from at least three of the five core areas listed below.)

1. Ecology
2. Evolutionary Biology
3. Genetics
4. Physiology
5. Cell and Developmental Biology

Group B—8 Credit Hours (both courses)

• BSC 6938 Biology Seminar (2 credit hours)
• BSC 6971 Thesis (6 credit hours)

Group C—Remaining Credit Hours (typically 8-10 Credit Hours)

Restricted electives acceptable to the student’s graduate advisory committee. Completion of a graduate certificate in Conservation Biology will satisfy electives in this category.

Non-Thesis Option

Requirements for M.S. Non-Thesis Option—40 Credit Hours Minimum

A student selecting the biology non-thesis option will take the following courses:

Group A—At Least 12 Credit Hours

The requirements are the same as the thesis option.

Group B—4 Credit Hours (both courses)

• BSC 6909 Research Report (2 credit hours)
• BSC 6938 Biology Seminar (2 credit hours)

Group C—Remaining Credit Hours (typically 22-24 Credit Hours). Restricted electives acceptable to the student’s graduate advisory committee.

Examinations

A comprehensive examination is required of all students in the program. The comprehensive exam must be taken no later than the semester preceding that of thesis defense. If a student fails the comprehensive examination, a minimum of four weeks must elapse before reexamination. The comprehensive exam may be taken a maximum of two times. In addition, an oral thesis defense is required in the thesis option. A minimum of four weeks must elapse between the comprehensive and thesis defense examinations.

Financial Support

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see Financing Grad School, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Key points about financial support:

• If you’re interested in financial assistance, you’re strongly encouraged to apply for admission early. A complete application for admission, including all supporting documents, must be received by the priority date listed for your program under "Admissions."
• You must be admitted to a graduate program before the university can consider awarding financial assistance to you.
• If you want to be considered for loans and other need-based financial assistance, review the UCF Student Financial Assistance website at http://finaid.ucf.edu and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form, which is available online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Apply early and allow up to six weeks for the FAFSA form to be processed.
• UCF Graduate Studies awards university graduate fellowships, with most decisions based on nominations from the colleges and programs. All admitted graduate students are automatically considered in this nomination process. To be eligible for a fellowship, students must be accepted as a graduate student in a degree program and be enrolled full-time. University graduate fellowships are not affected by FAFSA determination of need.
• Please note that select fellowships do require students to fill out a fellowship application (either a university fellowship application, an external fellowship application, or a college or school fellowship application). For university fellowship applications, see Financing Grad School.
• For information on assistantships (including teaching, research, and general graduate assistantships) or tuition support, contact the graduate program coordinator of your major.

Contact Info

John Weishampel, Ph.D. , Associate Professor
Phone Number: 407-823-6525
jweisham@mail.ucf.edu