Graduate Programs of Study

Financial Aid

Graduate teaching assistantships are awarded to qualified students. Recipients are required to teach 8 to 10 hours per week.Graduate teaching assistants are eligble for a tuition waiver. Graduate research fellowships are also available.

Applying

Completed application forms and two official transcripts of all previous academic work must be submitted to the graduate school at least four weeks before registration. Admission as a full-standing student requires completion of 24 semester hours in biological sciences and 15 semester hours in chemistry, an overall grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the most recent 60 semester hours completed, a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate biological science course, three letters of reference from science faculty members, and satisfactory TOEFL scores from students whose native language is not English. Students not meeting course requirements for admission to full-standing are often admitted on a provisional basis until the needed undergraduate courses are completed.

Course of Study for the Master of Science in Biological Sciences

Thesis option

Graduation requirements
1. 30 Total Credit Hours
These 30 total credit hours include:

• 2 hours Bio 797
• ≤10 hours Bio 890
• 2 hours Bio 891 (must be enrolled in Bio 891 in the semester in which you defend your thesis)
• ≥16 hours any courses 500-999
• Up to 9 of these 16+ hours may be taken outside of the Biology Department
• 60% of total credit hours (18 hours) must be 700-level or higher
• ≥16 credit of the 30 credit hours must be earned from the Department of Biological Sciences (see note below concerning transfer credits).

2. Plan of study submitted to and approved by graduate school before completion of 12 credit hours.

3. Committee approval of presentation and oral defense of written thesis prospectus and thesis based on original research

Note: A maximum of 12 hours credit can be transferred from other institutions.

Non-thesis option

Graduation requirements
1. 33 Total Credit Hours
    These 33 total credit hours include:

• 2 hours Bio 797
• 4-6 hours Bio 890, Coop or Internship (Coop and Internship courses have not yet been created as of April 2012)
• 25-27 hours any courses 500-999
• Up to 9 of these 25-27 hours may be taken outside of the Biology Department
• 60% of total credit hours (20 hours) must be 700-level or higher
• > 16 credits of the total credit hours must be earned from the Department of Biological Sciences (see note below concerning transfer credits)
• GPA of 3.0 or above on all coursework

2.  Plan of study submitted to and approved by graduate school before completion of 12 credit hours.

3. “Capstone” project with documented committee approval of written research/coop/intern summary paper

Note:  A maximum of 12 hours credit can be transferred from other institutions.  Degree must be completed within 6 years. 

For additional information about the non-thesis option, please contact the non-thesis advisor:

Dr. Mary Liz Jameson
Department of Biological Sciences
Wichita State University
1845 N. Fairmount #26
Wichita, Kansas 67260-0026
Phone: (316) 978-6798
Fax: (316) 978-3772
E-mail:  maryliz.jameson@gmail.com
 

Correspondence and Information

Dr. Leland Russell
Graduate Coordinator
Department of Biological Sciences
Wichita State University
1845 N. Fairmount #26
Wichita, Kansas 67260-0026
Phone: (316) 978-6091
Fax: (316) 978-3772
E-mail: leland.russell@wichita.edu