Biology

Degree:	Master of Science (M.S.)
Specializations:	Biology (thesis) Coastal Zone Studies (non-thesis) Environmental Biology (non-thesis)
Certificates:	Evolutionary Biology Fisheries and Aquaculture Plant Science
Department:	Building 58, Room 79 (850) 474-2748 http://uwf.edu/biology/
College:	Arts and Sciences

The M.S. in Biology offers three areas of specialization:

Biology Specialization (thesis)
Coastal Zone Studies Specialization (non-thesis)
Environmental Biology Specialization (non-thesis)

Admission Requirements

In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the applicant must meet the following minimum departmental admission requirements for regular admission:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Verbal score of at least 450 and Quantitative score of at least 550 or equivalent GRE percentile performance under the new testing platform (based on distributions of scores of recent Life Sciences test takers).
Earned baccalaureate degree
- Thesis Track: Applicants for the thesis track should hold a B.S. in Biology or a related field from an accredited college or university. Applicants applying for admission to the thesis track with a B.A. in Biology or a B.S. degree in another area must have satisfactorily completed all upper and lower division core classes (or equivalents) required of UWF biology undergraduates.
- Non-Thesis Track Applicants applying for admission to the non-thesis tracks with a B.S. or B.A. in another discipline should have completed General Zoology, General Botany, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Ecology.
Submission of a letter describing the student’s area of interest within biology, relevant past experience, future objectives, and, for students applying to the thesis track, the name of a UWF faculty member who has agreed to serve as their thesis advisor.
Submission of three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the student’s academic ability.
Applicants for the thesis track must have a faculty member who has agreed to provide laboratory space and serve as the applicant’s major advisor. Applicants are urged to speak with prospective faculty advisors prior to the application deadline date. Prior to registration, students in the non-thesis tracks must consult with the faculty advisor assigned to oversee the program into which the student has been accepted.

Department Guidelines

Applicants are urged to speak with prospective faculty advisors prior to the application deadline date. Individual faculty members may request exemptions from some of the departmental but not University requirements listed above for specific students. Students desiring to transfer from a non-thesis to a thesis specialization must fulfill all requirements for admission to that specialization.

Departmental Application Deadlines and Review Process

Prospective students must submit the materials by the first Monday in June to be considered for admission in the fall semester, or by the first Monday in October to be considered for spring admission, or by the first Monday in March for admission in the summer semester. To be considered for financial aid within the department, all prospective students for each academic year must also submit these materials by the first Monday in March.

The completed application will be reviewed by the faculty and by the graduate program committee. Conditional admission may require the student to complete the appropriate foundation courses with grades of “B” or better. Only complete applications will be reviewed. Students must also complete a departmental data sheet as part of the admission process. Students will be notified of the final decision on their admission to the program.

Biology Specialization (Thesis)

The thesis program is designed for students seeking advanced studies in areas of modern biology and biotechnology with training in the fields of aquaculture, biochemistry, ecology, environmental studies, fisheries biology, genetics, immunology, marine biology, microbiology, molecular biology, plant science, and physiology.

In addition to the University’s general academic requirements, students seeking the M.S. degree in Biology must meet the following departmental requirements:

Select a thesis advisory committee composed of a chairperson and at least two additional faculty members.
Meet with the thesis advisory committee and complete a written plan of study that specifies courses and other work necessary for the program.
Submit a written research proposal acceptable to the thesis supervisory committee and demonstrate by oral examination that the proposed research is feasible.

Complete a minimum of 33 semester hours of credit approved by the thesis advisory committee. Fifteen of these hours must be at the 6000 level, and must include the following courses:

BSC 6002L	Contemporary Laboratory Skills	4
BSC 6840	Professional Development in Biology	3
BSC 6971	Thesis	1.0-6.0
PCB 5924	Biology Seminar	1
PCB 6074	Experimental Design in Biology	3
5000/6000 level advisor approved electives		16

Up to six semester hours of thesis may be taken towards degree requirements. Other 5/6000 level advisor approved electives may be taken towards completion of degree if student selects not to take the maximum thesis credits allowed. At least 5 semester hours of thesis is recommended in order to help ensure completion of the 15 hours at the 6000 level.
Six semester hours or two courses of UWF upper division undergraduate credit in biology that has not been counted toward another degree may be approved as part of the program. The courses must be annotated for graduate credit (i.e., included in a master's program and requiring additional work to receive graduate credit).
Submit an acceptable thesis and successfully defend it in an oral public presentation.

Coastal Zone Studies Specialization (Non-Thesis)

In this non-thesis specialization, students will learn methods to identify and solve problems, management practices, and procedures for policy-making as they pertain to a coastal zone. Students with bachelor’s degrees in the physical sciences, geography, and resource management are encouraged to apply.

Foundational Proficiencies

Students must take the following courses or their equivalent.

BOT 2010+L	General Botany (+Lab)	4
PCB 2131+L	Cell Biology (+Lab)	4
PCB 3063+L	Genetics (+Lab)	4
PCB 4043+L	Ecology (+Lab)	4
ZOO 1010+L	General Zoology (+Lab)	4
STA 2023	Elements of Statistics	3
STA 4173	Biostatistics	3
GIS 3015+L	Cartographic Skills (+Lab) ^*	4
Total Hours		30

*	A skills test can substitute for GIS 3015 Cartographic Skills/GIS 3015L Cartographic Skills Lab

Degree Requirements

Prior to registration the student will meet with the program advisor and discuss a plan for completing the required course work. The student must complete 36 semester hours of course work composed of the required selections from the list below and from graduate electives as indicated:

BSC 5905	Directed Study	2
BSC 6002L	Contemporary Laboratory Skills	4
BSC 6329	Coastal Studies Seminar	1
BSC 6840	Professional Development in Biology	3
BSC 6905	Directed Study	4
GEO 5225+L	Coastal Morphology and Processes (+Lab)	4
PCB 5446+L	Wetlands Ecology (+Lab)	4
PCB 5924	Biology Seminar	1
PCB 6074	Experimental Design in Biology	3
5000/6000 level advisor approved elective		3
Choose one of the following:		4
GIS 4035+L	Photo Interpretation and Remote Sensing (+Lab)
GIS 4043+L	Geographic Information Systems (+Lab)
Choose one of the following:		3
EVR 4023	Coastal and Marine Environments
EVR 4035	Environmental Law
Total Hours		36

Environmental Biology Specialization (Non-Thesis)

There is a great demand from local, state, and federal government, as well as from industry, for students with a strong background in environmental biology.

Foundational Proficiencies

BOT 2010+L	General Botany (+Lab)	4
PCB 2131+L	Cell Biology (+Lab)	4
PCB 3063+L	Genetics (+Lab)	4
PCB 4043+L	Ecology (+Lab)	4
ZOO 1010+L	General Zoology (+Lab)	4
STA 2023	Elements of Statistics	3
STA 4173	Biostatistics	3
GIS 3015+L	Cartographic Skills (+Lab) ¹	4
GIS 4043+L	Geographic Information Systems (+Lab) ²	4
Total Hours		34

1	A skills test can substitute for GIS 3015/L
2	requires GIS 3015/L

Degree Requirements

BSC 5305	Biogeography	3
BSC 6002L	Contemporary Laboratory Skills	4
BSC 6329	Coastal Studies Seminar	1
BSC 6840	Professional Development in Biology	3
BSC 6905	Directed Study	4
GIS 5100	Applications in Geographic Information Systems	3
PCB 5446+L	Wetlands Ecology (+Lab)	4
PCB 5924	Biology Seminar	1
PCB 6074	Experimental Design in Biology	3
PHC 6310	Environmental Toxicology	3
5000/6000 level advisor approved courses		7
Total Hours		36

Certificates

Evolutionary Biology Certificate

Department: Biology

Method of Instruction: Classroom

Semester Hours: 9

BSC 5305	Biogeography	3
PCB 5675	Principles of Evolution	3
ZOO 5514	Animal Behavior	3
Total Hours		9

Fisheries and Aquaculture Certificate

Department: Biology

Method of Instruction: Classroom

Semester Hours: 12

FAS 5406+L	Aquaculture (+Lab)	4
PCB 5319+L	Marine Ecological Physiology (+Lab)	4
ZOO 5881C	Fisheries Biology	4
Total Hours		12

Plant Science Certificate

Department: Biology

Method of Instruction: Classroom

Semester Hours: 12

BOT 4404+L	Aquatic Botany (+Lab)	4
BOT 5376+L	Plant Developmental Biology (+Lab)	4
BOT 5506+L	Plant Physiology (+Lab)	4
Total Hours		12

University of West Florida

Graduate Catalog

Other Pages

Admission Requirements

Department Guidelines

Departmental Application Deadlines and Review Process

Biology Specialization (Thesis)

Coastal Zone Studies Specialization (Non-Thesis)

Foundational Proficiencies

Degree Requirements

Environmental Biology Specialization (Non-Thesis)

Foundational Proficiencies

Degree Requirements

Certificates

Evolutionary Biology Certificate

Fisheries and Aquaculture Certificate

Plant Science Certificate