Inquiries should be directed to:
Director
Biological Sciences Program, LSII, Room 368
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Mailcode 6501
Carbondale IL 62901-6505, USA
Telephone: (618) 536-2032
Application materials are to be mailed to the address below and include:
- Biological Sciences Application (for printable PDF version click here)
- Information for Admission to Graduate School
- Official Transcripts from all universities previously attended
- Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
- 3 letters of recommendation
For Graduate School admission information click here.
Admission Requirements
- The applicant must possess a Bachelor's degree or will have completed all undergraduate degree requirements prior to the semester of admission.
- The applicant must have earned an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.70 or better (A=4.0) in the acquisition of the Bachelor's degree, with a major in one of the Biological Sciences areas. The academic background required includes:
- 37 Semester hours of courses distributed among three of the Biological Science areas (Microbiology, Physiology, Plant Biology and Zoology).
- Organic Chemistry with laboratory or Biochemistry
- Physics
- Statistics
- An applicant may be admitted with background deficiencies which MUST be completed before the third semester of registration in the program.
- The applicant must have an advisor in order to be admitted to the program.
Degree Requirements
A. Non-Thesis Option - A total of 40 semester hours of 400- or 500-level courses is required with the following provisions:
- A minimum of 26 semester hours of formal graded courses in the Biological Sciences with NO LESS than 8 semester hours including one 400- or 500- level laboratory course in each of three Biological Sciences departments.
- A minimum of 15 semester hours of the total must be at the 500-level.
- At least one semester of seminar in each of three of the Biological Sciences departments must be attended for credit.
- A research paper is required demonstrating the ability to collect and analyze data and to report interpreted results in a scientific manner. A bibliographical search or other type of library research problem is acceptable, but must include an original contribution of analysis and interpretation. No less than 3 nor more than 6 semester hours of "Research" may be counted for credit in meeting requirements (Only those courses listed as "Individual Research," Introduction to Research" Research Paper, etc., may be taken for credit. Thesis Research" MAY NOT be used for this requirement").
B. Thesis Option - A total of 30 semester hours of 400- or 500-level courses is required with the following provisions:
- A minimum of 21 semester hours of formal graded courses in the Biological Sciences is required with NO LESS than 6 semester hours in each of three of the Biological Sciences departments.
- A minimum of 15 semester hours of the total must be at the 500-level.
- At least one semester of seminar in two of the four Biological Sciences departments must be attended for credit.
- A thesis embodying original research is required and may be counted for not less than 3 nor more than 6 semester hours of credit.
Advisement
Guidance of students shall be by a Research and Advisory Committee of three members including the advisor. Each committee member must be from a different Biological Sciences department. One committee member may be from another department at the discretion of the Program Director. The Program Director will serve as an ex-officio member.
Graduate work may be taken in the departments of Plant Biology, Microbiology, Physiology and Zoology to obtain a Master of Science degree major in Biological Sciences in the College of Science.
Additional information may be obtained from the Biological Sciences Program.
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