The Department of Biology offers the M.Sc. degree by a combination of thesis and course work. The program is available to both full-time and part-time students.
All students in the M.Sc. Program are required to demonstrate proficiency in biological research (BIOL 5000E/F - Thesis, culminating in the submission of a quality thesis and its oral defense) and oral presentation (BIOL 5056E - Biology Seminars), and these two courses are compulsory. In addition, students must take another 3-credit course at the 5XXX level, and an additional 3-credit course at the 4XXX or 5XXX level to complete the degree (a total of 15 credits). All thesis topics and courses are to be selected in consultation with the Supervisor and Research Advisory Committee. Additional courses may be required if the student's background is considered inadequate. Graduate courses are listed here.
To provide guidance to the student, an Advisory Committee, consisting of the supervisor as chair and at least two faculty members, usually chosen from within the Department, is established jointly by the supervisor and the student at the beginning of the academic program. The primary responsibility for planning the student's academic program rests with the supervisor. The Advisory Committee assists the student in course selection, monitors the student's progress in research on a regular basis, provides counsel on the preparation of the resulting thesis, and ultimately serves as part of the thesis examination committee.
All graduate courses are one semester in duration and consist of three to five hours of lectures/tutorials/readings/seminars/laboratory work per week. In most cases, the courses are designed in relation to the students' needs and interests. All students are required to take BIOL 5056 (Biological Seminars), as the Department places a strong emphasis on the importance of developing oral presentation skills. Course selections must be approved by the student's Advisory Committee.
To successfully complete the program, the student must maintain at least a B standing (70%) in courses in the area of specialization; such courses will be indicated by the student's Advisory Committee. The student must not have any grade lower than a "C" (60%) in any course.
There are no foreign language requirements for the M.Sc. degree in Biology.
A student is normally expected to fulfill all the requirements of the M.Sc. degree in Biology in two years or less. The minimum residency period is one year. Full-time students must complete all requirements within 48 months whereas part-time students may be allowed up to 72 months.