Master's Degree Program Guidelines
Biological Sciences (rev. 8/10)
For questions, contact the program either by phone or E-mail.
bioscigrad-list@uwm.edu
414-229-4214
Graduate School regulations and requirements are described the Graduate School website and
he Graduate School Bulletin. The specific requirements for the Biological Sciences Master's
Program are described below.
I. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
A. RESEARCH. The Master's degree is a RESEARCH degree. The most important
requirement is that you must make an original, publishable contribution to your field
of study. MS students are encouraged but not required to have submitted or published
one primary or coauthored manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal before graduation.
B. MAJOR PROFESSOR. Upon acceptance into the program the student will be
notified of his/her initial advisor. Any questions may be addressed to the advisor, or to
the Graduate Director of the Department of Biological Sciences. A student may change
major professors if the advisor assigned initially is not in a research area appropriate
for the student. If the decision to change advisors is made, the student must obtain the
permission of his/her prospective advisor and notify the Graduate Director in writing
of the change.
C. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS. Upon acceptance, you will be notified of any
curricular pre- requisites that must be completed. This basic coursework must be
completed by the end of your first year. Extra programmatic requirements (physics,
organic chemistry and calculus) will be determined by each student's thesis
committee.
D. COURSEWORK. In the first semester, you and your major professor will determine
an initial schedule of courses. A complete plan should be finalized by the end of the
first year, after consultation with your MS Committee. You should attempt to
complete your formal courses during the first year.
II. PRCEDURES TO FOLLOW AND DEADLINES TO MEET
A. MS GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. You and your major professor should
establish a Committee that consists of your advisor and at least two members. Prospective
members should be consulted before they are assigned to the committee. At least one
committee member must be a voting member of the Department of Biological Sciences. The
major advisor or committee members must be:
(1) a member of the UWM Graduate Faculty, or (2) UWM Category B Research
Academic Staff, holding the title of Scientist, and recommended by the department or
programmatic unit, or (3) a non- UWM Committee member approved by the Graduate
Director (submit a cover letter and Curriculum Vitae.). Teaching Assistant support will be
given on a priority basis to graduate students under the direction of voting members of the
Biological Sciences Faculty.
While your major professor has primary responsibility for your program, your MS
Committee monitors your research and academic progress and approves the thesis
research proposal, administers the preliminary oral examination, reviews the thesis, and
administers the final thesis defense.
B. PROGRESS REPORTS AND PLANS OF STUDY.
1. You must file a STUDY PLAN, PROGRESS REPORT, and GRADUATE
COMMITTEE ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT by January 15 of your first year.
Both forms must be signed by you and by your major professor. File the original
PLAN with the Biological Sciences Graduate Director.
2. You must update your STUDY PLAN, PROGRESS REPORT, and GRADUATE
COMMITTEE ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT by January 15 each year you are
in the graduate program. You and your major professor can include separate comments
on your PROGRESS REPORT.
STUDENTS WHO DO NOT FILE A COMPLETED PROGRESS REPORT AND
PLAN OF STUDY IN ANY YEAR ARE NOT MAKING SATISFACTORY
PROGRESS AND WILL BECOME INELIGIBLE FOR DEPARTMENTAL AND
UNIVERSITY-WIDE FINANCIAL AID AND RISK DISMISSAL FROM THE
PROGRAM.
C. CREDITS. Twenty-four (24) credits beyond the Bachelor's degree are required. Of the 24
credits, 12 must be in formal coursework and seminars (two seminars are required, to a
maximum of 4 credits); and four (4) from Colloquium. Additional credits can be from
Independent Study, research, or additional graduate coursework. At least 18 credits must
be in Biological Sciences courses.
D. GRADES. You must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in all graduate work. Students receiving a
grade of "B-" or lower in Biological Sciences coursework will receive a letter of warning
from the Graduate Director. Students with an overall semester GPA below 3.0 will
receive an academic warning from the Graduate School. Continued poor academic
performance may result in dismissal from the Graduate Program (see Graduate Bulletin).
You must register for courses or research credits (BioSci 990) during Fall and Spring
semester in order to use University facilities for research. Satisfactory progress in
research can receive a "S" (satisfactory) in lieu of a letter grade for research credits.
Grades indicating unsatisfactory progress may result in a recommendation for academic
dismissal from the Graduate Program. After the final thesis defense, "S" grades are
changed to letter grades by the major professor.
E. MS PRELIMINARY ORAL EXAMINATION. An oral examination is required for the
MS degree. The MS Committee determines examination content consistent with each
student's area of research and academic goals. You should ask each Committee member
about the areas that he/she plans to cover in the examination. Typically, students answer
questions from each Committee member for 20-30 minutes.
The MS Committee decides whether the student passes, fails, or must retake part or all of
the examination. The student must obtain a departmental Academic Progress Report of
MS students form (from the Biological Sciences office) which will be signed by the
committee following the successful completion of the oral exam. In the case of
unsatisfactory performance, the MS Committee, the Biological Sciences Graduate
Director, and the Department Chair can recommend that the student withdraw from the
Program.
F. THESIS RESEARCH. Thesis research is conducted with your major professor, and
should be initiated immediately upon enrollment. The written thesis should be of high
caliber and be written in a style and format appropriate for publication in a peer-reviewed
journal. Stylistic requirements for theses are
detailed in the Graduate School's "Thesis and Dissertation Instructions". You must provide
two copies of the final thesis to the Graduate School, one to the Department (required for
degree processing), one to your major professor, and one to each Committee member (upon
request).
G. ORAL THESIS DEFENSE. The final thesis defense is a public presentation of thesis
research, followed by an oral defense administered by the MS Committee. All other
degree requirements must be satisfied before the defense. The date of the defense must be
posted publicly one week prior to the defense. MS students are encouraged but not
required to give a departmental seminar. The student must obtain the departmental
Academic Progress Report of MS students form from the Biological Sciences office (it is
the second half of the form used for the Preliminary oral exam). The form will be signed
by the MS Committee upon the successful completion of the thesis defense.
Your major professor must approve the thesis before it is presented to the rest of the
Committee. You should provide final thesis copies to all MS Committee members at least
one week in advance of the defense to allow sufficient time for review. MS students are
encouraged but not required to have submitted or published one primary or coauthored
manuscript in a peer reviewed journal before graduation. The Graduate School requires
that all degree requirements be completed within five years of the date of matriculation.
ANY STUDENT WHO EXCEEDS THIS TIME LIMIT CAN BE
RECOMMENDED FOR ACADEMIC DISMISSAL FROM THE GRADUATE
PROGRAM.
Extensions beyond the 5-year limit must be requested in writing from the Graduate
School, and require approval by both the major professor and the Biological Sciences
Graduate Director (in concert with the Graduate Committee).
H. SCHEDULING THE FINAL SEMESTER. Please refer to Graduation Dates and
Deadlines from the Graduate School, Thesis and Dissertation Instructions, and the
Calendar (all available from the Graduate School).
Early in the graduating semester you must complete an online Master’s Graduation Form.
After reviewing the student's records for eligibility, the Graduate School will forward the
approved application to the Biological Sciences Graduate Director. When the defense is
completed and the final thesis copy is submitted to the Graduate School by the appropriate
deadline, the completed application is signed and forwarded to the Graduate School. Any
"S" grades for research must be cleared before this time.
Prior to the final defense, the student should make an appointment to take a "draft"
version of the thesis to the Graduate School to ensure that the format is correct. Degrees
are formally awarded at ceremonies scheduled in May and December; however, degrees
may also be awarded at the end of the Summer Session.