Student Projects

Master of Science Requirements And Procedures

Your acceptance into the Master of Science program in the Department of Biological Sciences was based on a review by our faculty of your undergraduate achievement and on our judgment that you have a high probability of succeeding as a graduate student. Academic excellence will be expected of you. Your ability to work and learn independently and to synthesize information will be emphasized over your ability to simply acquire information through classroom instruction. As an integral part of the University community, you will be judged by the faculty on a more personal basis than ever before.

The following departmental guidelines complement those provided in Humboldt State University's GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK, available on the web under Academic Programs Graduate Studies. Departmental requirements meet or exceed requirements established by the University or the State of California.

Section 1 - Requirements

1.1 - General Requirements for the Degree

NOTE: The Biological Sciences Department stipulates that no grade lower than a B- is applicable to satisfy degree requirements.

1.2 - Requirements for the Master of Science in Biology

IMPORTANT: you must register for a minimum of 2 units of 690 or 699 every semester. It is possible that you may exceed the total unit requirements of these courses by the time you graduate. However, a maximum of eight units is applicable to the degree.

Section 2 - Campus Policies & Procedures

University procedures to be followed can be found in the GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK. The following list incorporates the required procedures with recommendations for facilitating timely progress and completion of the degree program. You are responsible for knowing and following these regulations.

NOTE:  All University research is required to conform to federal regulations as interpreted by Humboldt State University and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). When living nonhuman vertebrates are used in the lab or in the field, an IACUC Protocol must be submitted.  Depending on the level of potential risk to subjects, the time for institutional review can range from one week to several weeks. No research can proceed before having approval from the IACUC committee, therfore please read the IACUC home page.

2.1 - Selection of a major professor. You were assigned a faculty advisor when you were accepted into the graduate program. This faculty member will act as the supervisor of your thesis or project work and will serve as a counselor on academic and administrative problems.

2.2 - Formation of graduate committee. By the end of your second semester in residence, you must form your graduate committee. Each graduate student has the composition of his or her graduate committee determined in consultation with and approved by the major professor. This committee is responsible for almost all decisions concerning the student's performance and progress toward the degree. The committee consists of four members including the major professor, and must include at least one member who is academically remote from your immediate area of study and interest. You may select a faculty member with the required terminal degree (doctorate) from outside the department as one of the four members of your committee if it is appropriate because of your research or project topic. Other professionals in the discipline may be members of your committee because of experience or expertise, but such individuals are appointed as a fifth member of your committee.

2.3 - Initial committee meeting and advancement to candidacy. By the end of your second semester you must hold a committee meeting at which you will do the following:

STUDENTS WHO DO NOT COMPLETE THE ABOVE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS BY THE END OF THEIR SECOND SEMESTER ARE SUBJECT TO DISQUALIFICATION FROM THE GRADUATE PROGRAM.

2.4 - Academic standing. Students are considered in good standing if they maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken at the university since entering the graduate program, and a GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken to satisfy specific degree requirements, and if they are making satisfactory progress toward completion of their degrees.

Under unusual circumstances, a student may be placed on probation and/or disqualified from the graduate program. In accordance with University policy, graduate students who fall below a 3.0 GPA shall be placed on academic probation and given one semester to bring their overall and programmatic GPA above 3.0. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the program. Students who do not form a graduate committee and advance to candidacy within the first year of residence also are subject to disqualification (see Section 2.3). In addition, students who, in the view of their major professor or committee, are not progressing toward their degree in a timely manner may be terminated. Disqualified students may not register for classes without formal readmission to the university and program.

The Biology Department Graduate Advisory Committee (the Graduate Coordinator, Department Chair, and one additional faculty member) constitutes an appeals committee in matters involving probation and disqualification.

2.5 - Enrollment requirements. Students must enroll for a minimum of 2 units of Biology 690 or Biology 699 each semester. You must obtain from your advisor a permission code and the class number to add these units. An exception to this requirement may be made in cases where taking these two units would bring the total number to more than six. Such an option will be contingent on the approval of the advisor and graduate coordinator.

Students who miss the published deadline for the thesis or project presentation in a given semester may enroll the following semester through Extended Education for one unit of Biology x693 for the purpose of making the presentation. This option is available only if the thesis or project has been approved by the advisor and committee before the end of the prior semester, while the student was enrolled in Biology 690 or Biology 699 as a regular student. In other words, here's the one and only story: if you complete all work with the committee before the end of the semester, then you can defend next semester by enrolling in one unit of Bio 693 via extended ed.  Your thesis must be finished and approved by the end of finals week to qualify for this option.

Students employed as Teaching Associates must be enrolled for a minimum of two units as a regular student. Enrollment through Extended Education will not satisfy this requirement.

NOTE: To receive a Teaching Assistant Tuition Waiver (EO611), students must file a FAFSA no later than March 2nd each year. Students who do not receive a State University Grant (SUG) or other tuition coverage may be eligible for a TA tuition waiver. Students must be appointed at a minimum of 2 WTU’s as a TA.

TA tuition waiver recipients who enroll for six or fewer total units (at least two of which must be related to their academic program) will be funded for half-time tuition fees only, campus based fees are not covered. TA tuition waiver recipients who enroll for seven or more total units (at least seven of which must be related to their academic program) will be funded for full-time tuition fees only, campus based fees are not covered.

2.6 – Leave of absence. Students may request an educational leave from the program and university for extenuating circumstances. These are normally granted for a period of one semester or one academic year, but they may be extended for a maximum of two years (GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK ). Approval must be sought from your committee by filling out an Educational Leave Agreement. If you fail to formally request a leave, you will be required to apply for readmission to the university when you desire to continue in the program.

NOTE: Key access to your lab/work space will no longer be available on a leave of absence; you will need to have new cards generated upon your return.

2.7 - Modifying your program or committee composition. For a variety of reasons, you may find it necessary to modify your approved program of coursework, change committee membership, or modify your thesis or project proposal. All such changes require approval of your graduate committee. If you desire to make changes, you must complete a Request for Program Variation or Waiver. NOTE: This form is not the "Petition to Waive or Substitute" as used by undergrads.

2.8 - Duties as a Teaching Associate. Assignment of duties as a paid Teaching Associate is recognized as a customary part of graduate education. Subject to availability of funded positions, you can normally expect to be hired for at least one semester as a TA in the department. You are required to solicit student evaluations for each class you teach. Supervisor evaluations will also be done. Both evaluations will be reviewed by the Department Chair at the end of each semester, and they will become part of your permanent file.

2.9 - Ordering equipment and supplies and use of facilities. Once your research or project topic has been defined and you have advanced to candidacy, turn your attention to securing funding for your research. Toward the end of each spring semester, the department announces the Master’s Student Grant Program. This program is the mechanism used to secure department funding for graduate student research or project activities by an application process. You will be informed of specific guidelines that must be followed in preparation of your grant request. It is beneficial to see the Stockroom Manager with a list of the research or project materials contained in your grant request prior to submission to the committee. Following award of the grants, the department administrative support staff will inform you of the specific steps you will need to follow in order to obtain your research or project materials and process your travel claims. The Master's Student Grant Program supply requests should be submitted to the Stockroom Manager one week after recipients are notified if supplies are to be used for summer work.

Other sources of funding should also be investigated. Several organizations and foundations make modest grants in support of graduate student research or projects. Watch for announcements of opportunities to submit requests for funding of research or project expenses by these organizations.

Permission to use certain departmental and university facilities and equipment (e.g., the scanning and transmission electron microscopes, the greenhouse, or the herbarium) has been delegated by the Department Chair to certain faculty coordinators. Please check with the Department Administrative Support Staff for the names of these persons and more information. For use of the Marine Laboratory in Trinidad, contact the lab staff at: (707) 826-3680.

The use of any departmental and/or university facilities is contingent upon registration and enrollment as a regular graduate student. Enrollment through Extended Education normally does not qualify students for use of departmental facilities (see exception, Section 2.5). A student not enrolled in regular course work must, at least, be enrolled in two units of Independent Study (BIOL 699) or Thesis (BIOL 690) to qualify for use of facilities.

2.10 - Completion of coursework. You must, as a matter of University policy, complete all coursework requirements that appear on the program approved at your Advancement to Candidacy committee meeting.

2.11 - STEP-by-STEP GUIDE for submission of your thesis or project:

  • After you have completed your research or project, you must submit the first draft of your thesis or project to your major professor.
  • Only after your major professor has completed a thorough review shall a revised draft be submitted to all remaining committee members. Your advisor should send an email to committee members stating/certifying/verifying that your thesis or project is ready for review, however, you should keep your committee informed about the progress of your thesis. It is important to keep in mind that all members of your committee are full participants in the critical review of your work. Their role is summarized in the statement they will sign on the approval page of your thesis or project (Section 3.1).
  • Allow ample time for your major professor and committee members to review the thesis or project critically and for you to make appropriate corrections or modifications.
  • The completed initial draft, including figures and bibliography, must be submitted to your major professor no later than the beginning of the semester during which you plan to graduate, and
  • a more or less final draft distributed to the committee at least one month before the date of your departmental presentation and defense (see below). This draft should be carefully prepared and free of typographical and grammatical errors.
  • The members of your committee will return the draft with their comments to you at least one week prior to your presentation; you are under no obligation to receive or address their comments after that date. You are, however, obliged to satisfy each member of your committee when his or her comments are submitted in a timely fashion.
  • After review by your committee, a final draft of your thesis or project must also be submitted for review by the Graduate Coordinator of the Department. This draft should be in a form acceptable for submission to the Graduate Dean, and should adhere to all the rules of format, pagination, and other details (see below).
  • Any substantive objections to your work by a member of your committee or the Graduate Coordinator will be submitted to you in writing. In the rare event that you cannot resolve such objections among the parties concerned, an appeal panel of the Department Graduate Advisory Committee will review the matter. A majority vote of this group is sufficient to render a decision. Appeals beyond the Department should be addressed to the Graduate Dean.

    • 2.12 - Thesis or Project presentation and defense. The date for your thesis or project presentation and defense should be set as early in your final semester as possible. It is your responsibility to plan carefully to allow sufficient time for revisions, duplication, and handling of other administrative details to avoid delay of your graduation.

    Presentations must be coordinated with all members of your committee and the Graduate Administrative Support Staff in the Department of Biological Sciences. Presentations must be held during the regular academic session; they may not be held at night, on weekends or holidays, or during final examination week. In addition, thesis or project presentations will not be held during the last three weeks of the semester when classes are in session. Notices must be posted throughout the Department at least one week in advance, and a notice must appear in the weekly Department Newsletter.

    The form of your presentation should be consistent with that made at professional meetings of biologists. If you are unfamiliar with the proper format, you should consult with your major professor. After your presentation and a period for discussion and questions, your major professor will excuse the general audience and conduct whatever examination your committee feels necessary. Further revision of your thesis or project may be required. You should bring to this meeting the form titled "Degree Requirement Evaluation and Recommendation." This form is available from the Graduate Administrative Support Staff in the Biological Sciences.

    2.13 - Seven-year limit. In accordance with state and university regulations, all students must complete requirements for the Master's degree within seven years. An extension may be granted under special circumstances (GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK).

    2.14 - Graduation. You should apply for graduation by the end of the second week of classes the semester before you plan to graduate. You must advance to candidacy before you apply for graduation. Prior to graduation, you must do the following:

    The Department of Biological Sciences requires that four copies of the thesis or project be submitted to Academic Programs. The Biological Sciences Department requires that one hardbound copy and one PDF copy are deposited in the University Library, one hardbound copy is placed in the Department office, and one hardbound copy is provided to the major professor. Additional copies may be required by funding agencies. If you desire bound copies for yourself or others, they must be submitted in addition to the four required copies. Students can go to www.cutepdf.com to create a PDF document free of charge.

    Section 3 - The Format of the Thesis or Project

    Thesis or Project style, format, and other details of form are covered in the Thesis or Project Guidelines found under the Academic Programs site. A courtesy format check is available to students. Please contact Academic Programs at (707) 826-3949 to make an appointment for a format check if desired. However, subject content, research or project quality, punctuation, and grammar will NOT be checked. Acid-free paper must be used, and Kinco's can run the print jobs!

    Any deviations from these regulations must be approved by your major professor, your committee, the Graduate Coordinator, and the Graduate Dean. Only items specific to the Department of Biological Sciences are outlined below.

    3.1 - Thesis or Project Title and Approval Page. The following statement must appear on the Approval Page of the thesis or project, located between the author's name and signature lines:

    "We certify that we have read this study and that it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and is fully acceptable, in scope and quality, as a thesis or project for the degree of Master of Science."

    3.2 - Style. Questions relating to general and scientific style conventions, word usage, etc. may be answered by consulting a variety of books on the subject. For general purposes, consult Elements of Style by Strunk and White (a brief and inexpensive paperback available in most bookstores. Scientific conventions are addressed in Scientific Style and Format, the Council of Biology Editors manual for authors, editors, and publishers (sixth edition).

    The style used for providing literature citations in the bibliography can be particularly troublesome. Many styles and formats for bibliographies are acceptable. Perhaps the simplest and surest way to cite journals is to spell out the titles completely. Another acceptable procedure is to follow the style provided in bibliographies of articles from a journal in your field of interest (often journals also carry specifications of required styles in directions to contributing authors). Style manuals (see above) may also be consulted, but recognize that their recommendations may appear foreign to the usage of biological journals with which you are familiar. Whichever style you choose, be consistent in usage.

    3.3 - Number of copies. Four copies of your thesis or project must be submitted to Academic Programs upon completion of degree requirements (Section 2.14).

    CONGRATULATIONS, YOU MADE IT!!

    Dr. Michael R. Mesler, Graduate Coordinator, mrm1@humboldt.edu

    Revised April 5, 2012