Overview

The Department of Biology offers a program leading to the degree of Master of Science in Biology, designed to prepare students for careers in research, government, and industry. 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.

Program Requirements

All students in the M.Sc. Program are required to demonstrate proficiency in biological research (BIOL 5000, culminating in the submission of a quality thesis and its oral defense) and oral presentation BIOL 5056, 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 students are required to take BIOL-5056EL - Biology 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.

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.

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.

Research

Research can be conducted within the areas of aquatic and terrestrial ecology, botany, plant and animal physiology, microbiology, neuroscience, or zoology.

Specialization

Specializations are available in animal ecology, soil biology, plant ecology and revegetation, plant, animal and biomedical physiology, wildlife management, animal behaviour, environmental radioactivity and toxicology, systematics, entomology, limnology and fisheries biology, microbial physiology and applied microbiology, neuroscience, virology, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics.

Contact 

Dr. Mazen Saleh

Associate Professor & Graduate Coordinator

Department of Biology

Laurentian University

msaleh@laurentian.ca 

Graduate Student Opportunity

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