Graduate Studies

Timetable: Master Students

1. Orientation of New Students
Approximately a week and half before classes begin in the Fall, the Biology Department has an Orientation Week for incoming graduate students. It is at this time that students are assigned a temporary advisor. At the orientation, students are informed about departmental facilities, policies, research interests of faculty, and teaching techniques, etc. Temporary advisors assist students in planning course schedules, and course registrations are completed.

2. Selecting a Major Professor
Master students do not do lab rotations. Master students have until the third week of October to select a major professor. Thesis MS students are encouraged to contact potential faculty prior to coming to Purdue as to the possibility of joining their labs. Please note: only certain faculty are currently accepting MS students.

3. Advisory Committee and the Plan of Study
Both ThMS and NThMS students have until the third week of November to form their Advisory Committee. The committees must minimally have three members from the graduate faculty with at least two from within the Department of Biological Sciences.

The Electronic Plan of Study (EPOS) must be submitted no later than the third week of December. The number of credits required for an NThMS EPOS is a minimum of 30 course credits with letter grades of A, B, or C. The number of credits required for the ThMS EPOS is a minimum of 21 course credits with no more than 9 BIOL 698 research credits for a minimum of 30 credits, again with letter grades of A, B, or C.  The student and all Advisory Committee members sign the plan of study.

4. Research Conferences
The initial research conference for ThMS students is to be held by the end of January of their first year. The student must clearly outline the objectives of the proposed research and indicate how these objectives would be met. NThMS do not have research conferences. ThMS students must have annual research conferences with their Advisory Committee.

5. Thesis and Final Examination
After students have completed writing their thesis, they must defend the thesis to the Examining Committee. This examination consists of a public seminar, during which the candidate summarizes his or her thesis research, followed by an oral defense of the research that is attended only by the Examining Committee members.

6. General Requirements

  1. Official transcripts showing previous college or university degrees must be on file in the Graduate School.
  2. Thirty (30) minimum number of hours are required for both the ThMS and NThMS degree.
  3. Only grades of A, B, or C are acceptable on a plan of study. A cumulative index of 3.0 is expected to be maintained. A maximum of six 400-level credits may be on the EPOS. Grades of B or better are required for 400-level courses.
  4. An oral defense is required for ThMS students. NThMS students do not normally have an oral examination.

7. Support and Time Limit

All regular, full-time, Master graduate students admitted to our program are guaranteed support by the Department for two academic years (August to May). The funding is guaranteed as long as they are making progress towards their degree and remain in good standing in the program. This includes the coverage of tuition except for the Graduate Staff Fees. The Department does not provide funding for the summer sessions. Major professors who have funding available generally support the student for June and July. Each student should be aware that, after two years of graduate study in this department, he or she will be given low priority in the assignment of departmental funds for his or her support during subsequent semesters of graduate study.

Under normal circumstances, registration for Master candidates will be terminated after six semesters of graduate studies in the Department of Biological Sciences, not including summer sessions.