Non-Thesis

Option Two is a course work option that requires the successful completion of 45 quarter credits of graduate-level course work, writing a critical review, and passing an oral examination. The desired option can be elected by students only after consultation with the chair of the graduate committee. Consideration for electing the appropriate option must be given to the availability of research topics and advisors and to the student's research and educational interests.

All candidates, regardless of the option chosen, are required to obtain a major advisor and an advisory committee. The advisory committee will help formulate a study program, provide counseling, and evaluate student progress. If a student is uncertain of a major field of interest or of an appropriate option, the department graduate committee will assign a temporary advisor who will function in place of an advisory committee until the student selects an option and is accepted by an advisory professor. Enrollment in BIO 702, Introduction to Research, enables the student to choose an advisor.

All candidates must meet requirements for the Master of Science degree defined in the section Degree Requirements. They must, in addition, meet the specific requirements of the option chosen.

GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING THE
INDEPENDENT STUDY PROJECTS AND FINAL EXAM
FOR THE NON-THESIS (OPTION II) MS DEGREE
IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Students enrolled in Option II, the non-thesis option, in the Wright State Biological Sciences MS program, are required to complete two independent studies. The first, BIO 699, is a laboratory rotation for which we require 4 - 6 credit hours of enrollment. The second, BIO 799, is a library research project for which up to 6 credit hours can count toward the degree. It is usually the case, though not necessary, that these projects are completed during the later quarters of study in the MS program. The final exam, which is also required for Option II, is typically based largely around the subject matters covered in the two independent studies.

BIO 699, Laboratory rotation

The objective of the laboratory rotation is to provide the student with exposure to conducting biological research. We recognize that one quarter of laboratory rotation may be inadequate to complete a very substantial project. However, we still expect that the student will have the opportunity to learn and apply some number of research techniques, and that the student will gather some amount of data. The culmination of this project should be a report of the research experience, essentially a laboratory report. This would typically include an introduction that outlines the project, a description of methods, a summary of data gathered (including charts and tables as appropriate), a conclusion, and a listing of relevant and/or cited literature. A copy of the completed laboratory report should be placed in the student's file (in the office of Laura Buerschen, Assistant to the Department Chair).

BIO 799, Library research project

The objective of BIO 799 is for the student to write a review of a current topic in biology. Oftentimes the BIO 799 paper is written on a topic closely related to the subject of the BIO 699 research. However, this need not be the case; it is acceptable to complete both projects with the same faculty mentor but on separate topics, and some students choose to complete the two projects under the supervision of different faculty mentors.

The review paper should be based on a reading of the primary literature, including a significant number of papers from the most recent year or two. The paper is not meant to be a research proposal offering ideas for new directions in research, but rather an overview of a topic. We expect that this paper will typically be 20 - 30 pages in length, based on a reading of 20 - 50 research articles. A copy of the completed review paper should be placed in the student's file (in the office of Laura Buerschen, Assistant to the Department Chair).

The committee

Each student must form an advisory committee. It is typical that either the graduate program director or one of the Environmental Sciences advisors will serve as advisor during the first quarters of study, helping to choose courses and set a schedule for completing degree requirements. Some time around the completion of 20 - 25 cr hrs of graduate study, typically when the program of study is being completed (as required by the graduate school) or as the student progresses into the independent study projects, the full committee is formulated. This committee usually consists of three members of the graduate faculty, including the advisor(s) of the BIO 699 and 799 projects. The main role of the committee, besides serving as a source of advice on the independent studies, is to serve as the examining group for the final exam.

The final exam

The final exam for Option II is conducted by the advisory committee of the student. Ordinarily the student will begin the exam by presenting an oral overview of the BIO 799 project. The committee is then free to ask questions based on this presentation, on the subject covered in other independent studies such as BIO 699, or on other subjects (such as topics from the student's coursework). The student should feel free to consult with the committee in the weeks or months in advance of the exam as to the likely breadth of subject matter for the exam. The committee will judge as to the acceptability of the student's performance during the exam.