Introduction
All curricular requirements are aimed at preparing students for timely and successful completion of a master thesis. The master of arts (M.A.) curriculum in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) includes two stages: 1) required coursework, 2) the research, writing, and defense of the master thesis.
Requirements
Course Requirements
M.A. students must take BIOE 200A, BIOE 200B, BIOE 279, and two quarters of BIOE 293 (or one quarter of BIOE 293 and one quarter of BIOE 295) within their first two years. Biology 281, 294, and 297 (Independent Study) must be taken every quarter the student is in residence. All students must be enrolled in at least 15 credits per quarter, unless on approved part-time status. No more than 15 credits from upper-division undergraduate courses may be used as part the student’s coursework.
Core Courses
BIOE 293: must be taken twice
BIOE 295: may substitute for BIOE 293 once
The following courses must be taken every quarter the student is in residence.
Elective Courses
| BIOE208 | Marine Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE245 | Plant Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE245L | Field Methods in Plant Ecology Laboratory | 5 |
| BIOE247 | Community Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE248A | Quantitative Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE248B | Quantitative Methods in Ecology and Evolution | 5 |
| BIOE258L | Experimental Marine Ecology | 5 |
| BIOE262
/CSP 245
| Facilitating Change in Coastal Science Policy | 5 |
| BIOE271 | Disciplinary Communication for Biologists | 5 |
| BIOE272 | Population Genetics | 5 |
| BIOE272L | Population Genetics Laboratory | 2 |
| BIOE286
/CSP 241
| Experimental Design and Data Analysis | 5 |
| BIOE286L
/CSP 241L
| Experimental Design and Data Analysis Lab | 2 |
| BIOE295 | Advanced Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Seminar | 0 |
Other Requirements
The master research project is identified by students and requires approval from the students’ masters reading committee in the fall of the second year. The master thesis manuscript is submitted to the students’ masters reading committee, defended in a closed oral examination, and presented in a departmental seminar by the end of the second year.
Deadlines at each stage must be confirmed with the graduate program coordinator.
Academic Progress
Normative time to degree for the M.A. program is two years. Academic progress is formally reviewed in the spring quarter of each academic year.
Applying for Graduation
Information on applying for graduation may be found on the EEB Graduate Program website. Deadlines should always be confirmed with the graduate program coordinator.