Graduate
Student Learning Outcomes
Biology
Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)
Students pursuing the Biology Pre-Professional M.S. will be able to:
- Integrate biological knowledge and information incorporating cellular, molecular, genetic, physiological, and biochemical approaches.
- Use critical thinking to access, analyze and evaluate information relevant to the study of biological sciences.
- Develop proficiency in reading, interpreting, and evaluating primary scientific literature.
- Summarize and present scientific ideas and biological information in a formal setting, in writing and orally, to faculty or fellow students.
Students pursuing the Biology Thesis M.S. will be able to:
- Conduct independent research under the supervision of a research advisor to design, test, and analyze original laboratory and/or field experiments.
- Demonstrate the ability to read, interpret, and incorporate the results of primary literature into the research design.
- Employ rigorous approaches to data collection, replication of experimental results, set up of experimental controls and sampling design, and organization of raw data.
- Summarize, describe and analyze patterns in data, interpret results and draw conclusions from data to defend an argument.
- Present and communicate research results to peers through a poster presentation, research seminar and/or publication of results.
- Write and defend a thesis that demonstrates mastery in at least one discipline of biological sciences.
Doctor of Philosophy in Biology (Ph.D.)
In addition to the above outcomes, students completing the Ph.D. in Biology will be able to:
- Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge in biological sciences through successful completion of a qualifying and preliminary examination.
- Document an original contribution to biology through independent experimental design, peer-reviewed publication of results, and presentation and defense of a thesis.