Nova Southeastern University, through its Oceanographic Center, offers a Master's of science degree in Biological Sciences
(MSBSc).
Description of Program
The MSBSc will provide you both a traditional biological curricula and innovative approaches to instruction. You will take core
and required courses spanning a wide range of disciplines, from molecular, through organismal, to ecosystem-level biology.
You will specialize in one of two broad areas: Organismal Biology or Molecular Biology.
The MSBSc is not a lock-step program and offers both thesis and capstone (non-thesis) tracks. The capstone (non-theses) track
is the default option and will require 45 credit hours (24 hours of core/required courses, 15 hours of electives, and 6 hours
of capstone). The theses track will require 39 credit hours for completion (24 hours of core/required courses, 9 hours of
electives, and 6 hours of theses).
What are the application requirements?
Acceptance classifications
Students are accepted under one of two classifications: full acceptance or accepted with academic requirements.
- Full acceptance is given upon satisfying all acceptance criteria.
- Acceptance with academic requirements is given to students who have not satisfied all of the criteria, but who have
given evidence that they may succeed in the degree program. Normally a 'B' grade or better in the first four courses is
expected before a student can be converted to a full acceptance status.
When application is complete, students will be notified of the status under which they may register. For acceptance with
academic requirements, conditions for the student to convert to full status will be given. Once these provisions are met, the
student should petition to change status from provisional to full in a written statement. This should be accomplished within
one year of entry into the program.
Application Deadline
While the Oceanographic Center has rolling admissions that allows you to apply for any term, we recommend that your application
be complete no later than 6 weeks before your anticipated start date. If you are an international student, we recommend you
plan to have your application complete 4 months in advance of your start date.
Who is eligible?
| Acceptance Category |
Full |
With Academic Requirement |
| Undergraduate Biology Major |
YES |
Preferred |
| Letters of Recommendation |
3 |
3 |
| Statement of Career Goals |
YES |
YES |
| GRE Scores - Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing |
55%, 55%, 4.0 |
40%, 40%, 3.5 |
|
The Oceanographic Center only requires the general GRE. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is administered by the
Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08542 (www.gre.org).
|
| All Official Undergraduate and Graduate Transcripts |
YES |
YES |
| Undergraduate GPA Major |
3.0 |
2.75 |
| Undergraduate Cumulative GPA |
2.9 |
2.5 |
| Provisions (> 3.0 in first four graduate courses) |
None |
YES |
| TOEFL (foreign applicants only) |
600 |
550 |
|
Scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) are required for applicants where their undergraduate language
was not English. Certification may also be submitted from other institutions' intensive English Programs. Information may be
found at www.toefl.org.
|
Click here for the online application form
How much does it cost?
Current information on course costs can be found by clicking on this link.
Click here for information about financial aid.
When is it offered?
Prospective you can choose to start enrollment in courses in any semester (Fall, Winter, or Summer). Program completion
consists of competing 45 credit hours (24 hours of core/required courses, 15 hours of electives, and 6 hours of capstone) for
the capstone track and 39 credit hours for the thesis track (24 hours of core/required courses, 9 hours of electives, and 6
hours of theses) with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better. In addition, capstone you must write and defend a capstone paper which
must be approved as complete by the advisor and one additional committee member. Thesis you must write and defend a thesis
which must be approved as complete by the advisor and two additional committee members. On completion of all credit
requirements, capstone paper or thesis requirements, and an oral examination relative to program learning outcomes the student
may apply for graduation.
Courses do not have to be taken over consecutive semesters; you can enroll according to the schedule most convenient for them,
as long as all course work is completed within five years of initial registration.
Academic Calendar
As of August 24, 2009, the Oceanographic Center is moving to a 5 session academic calendar:
| Term |
Start Date |
End Date |
Registration Period |
| Fall 2009 Session 1 |
August 24, 2009 |
October 16, 2009 |
August 3-28, 2009 |
| Fall 2009 Session 2 |
October 19, 2009 |
December 11, 2009 |
| Winter 2010 Session 1 |
January 4, 2010 |
February 26, 2010 |
November 30, 2009-January 8, 2010 |
| Winter 2010 Session 2 |
March 8, 2010 |
April 30, 2010 |
| Summer 2010 |
May 3, 2010 |
July 23, 2010 |
April 12-May 7, 2010 |
Program Objective
The goal of the MS in Biological Sciences is to provide you a scientifically-based, credible, holistic and timely introduction
and knowledge of key ecological and socio-environmental issues related to the specific major.
Completion of the degree is expected to lead to placements in the chosen field, in a position requiring graduate training, or
to career advancement in the case of working professionals.
You are expected to complete the degree within 2-3 years of full-time study, and within 5 years of part-time study.
Learning Outcomes
Expected learning outcomes are:
- Effective communication skills,
- A full understanding of the scientific method,
- A generalized knowledge in ecological, geological, chemical and biological concepts as they relate to the environment.
- A generalized knowledge of the natural and human-driven problems currently, and anticipated to, impact the marine
environment.
- In-depth knowledge of a specific aspect of their major.
Delivery System
Each session, graduate classes typically meet one evening per week in a three hour session. Exceptions are field
courses which
usually entail seven days of intensive study. Thesis and capstone tracks are offered for all programs; these are explained
below. Note, both tracks lead to an equivalent MS degree.
There are two options for completing an MS degree: a capstone track and a thesis track.
When entering the program, you are automatically accepted in the capstone track option. Although the number of you taking
thesis credits in a given year is more than the capstone this is because the thesis is typically a longer duration track. More
than half of graduating students each year are capstone students.
To successfully complete the capstone track, when you near the completion of required coursework you must submit and defend a
capstone review paper. A capstone review paper is a scholarly review manuscript, based upon a comprehensive literature search,
review, and synthesis of the chosen topic. Carrying out a capstone review paper is possible with agreement from a major
professor, typically, capstone students find a major professor on their own by approaching faculty in the student's area of
interest. You will be assigned a capstone advisor if they have difficulty finding one. Prior to beginning a capstone review
paper and registering for capstone credits, the student must write a proposal which must be approved by the student's major
professor, committee, and the Director of Academic Programs, and be submitted to the Departmental Administrator in the Program
Office.
Some of you complete the thesis track. A thesis is an original contribution to knowledge resulting from the systematic study of
a significant problem or issue. A thesis track requires the student to secure agreement from a faculty member, with adequate
funding to carry out the proposed research, to be the student's major professor. You are not provided with a thesis advisor.
Prior to beginning thesis research and registering for thesis credits, the student must write a proposal which must be approved
by the student's major professor, committee, and the Director of Academic Programs, and be submitted to the Departmental
Administrator in the Program Office.
For further details, students are referred to section 3.8 of this catalog and to the online guidelines for the capstone or
thesis track found on the Student Information page.
Course Curriculum for the MSBSc
Core courses (both tracks)*
- Molecular Evolution
- Biodiversity /biogeography
- Scientific communication
- Biostatistics I or II
- Scientific Method and Experimental Design
| A. Organismal Track |
B. Molecular biology track |
Principles of Ecology
Comparative Anatomy
Comparative Physiology
Electives
Vertebrate Zoology
Invertebrate Zoology
Ichthyology
Herpetology
Mammalogy
Environmental Toxicology
Climate change
Tropical Ecology
Population Ecology
Comparative Embryology
Comparative Endocrinology
Neurobiology
Biogeography
Advanced botany
Currently offered Marine Biology courses
|
|
Molecular Genetics
Molecular genetics lab
Genomics
Electives
Molecular phylogeny
Cell Biology
Biochemistry I
Biochemistry II
Chemical Ecology
Biotechnology seminar
Plant genetics
Advanced microbiology
|
|
* The core courses and the track-specific required courses are considered a required background within the respective
discipline. They have been selected to insure a curriculum appropriate to the MSBSc.
The majority of the credit hours required to obtain the MSBSc degree from NSUOC must be earned at NSUOC. Students that have
taken any of these courses as upper level undergraduates, and obtained a grade of B or better, can transfer credits or forgo
retaking them and substitute an elective. This does not change the total credits required for graduation. MS students may
transfer up to six credits of previous graduate course work. Course work must replicate Oceanographic Center offerings in
Biology or must clearly be closely related. Students should submit requests for transfer credits in writing to the Program
Office with documentation indicating the subject matter and that the transfer credits were of graduate level from accredited
institutions. This can consist of the course syllabus, transcripts, and/or the course description from the professor.
What is required to graduate?
Program completion consists of competing 45 credit hours (24 hours of core/required courses, 15 hours of electives, and 6 hours
of capstone) for the capstone track and 39 credit hours for the thesis track (24 hours of core/required courses, 9 hours of
electives, and 6 hours of theses) with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better. In addition, capstone students must write and defend a
capstone paper which must be approved as complete by the advisor and one additional committee member. Thesis students must
write and defend a thesis which must be approved as complete by the advisor and two additional committee members. On completion
of all credit requirements, capstone paper or thesis requirements, and an oral examination relative to program learning
outcomes the student may apply for graduation.
