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College of Science and Technology 306 Barton Hall, Degree Programs: isc.temple.edu/grad/Programs
/stgrid.htm Departments: Chemistry Computer
& Information Geology Mathematics Physics
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Areas of Concentration The department offers programs with strong emphasis on laboratory research in:
Applications are accepted and reviewed periodically throughout the year, but the nominal deadline of February 1 is required for students who wish to be considered for University Fellowships in the fall term.
Financial Aid Financial aid is available for qualified students in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, University research fellowships, and other funds associated with particular research areas. Assistantships are awarded competitively. After achieving candidacy, Ph.D. students have priority for eight semesters of support. M.A. candidates have priority for four semesters of support. Students are also encouraged to apply for financial aid from external granting agencies.
General Admission Requirements Applicants should have a solid undergraduate background in biology. Applicants should have taken at least eight undergraduate biology courses, four semesters of chemistry, two semesters of physics, and two semesters of calculus. Master's candidates should meet the application guidelines of the Ph.D. program, however, the admission threshold is lower. For some students, the M.A. program is an opportunity to prepare for the Ph.D. program.
Incompletes Students must make up all incompletes before the Ph.D. or M.A. degree is awarded. M.A. students wishing to transfer to the Ph.D. program must eliminate their incompletes before they will be transferred.
Master of Arts Admission Requirements The student must provide transcripts of undergraduate academic performance with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. The student must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general and biology subject test, scoring at least 550 on the biology subject test. Three letters of recommendation are required, preferably from professors of biology or research advisers along with a personal statement of goals. Applicants whose second language is English must submit a TOEFL score of 600 or better. Degree Requirements The program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours including the core outlined in the Ph.D. requirements. Students must earn a B- or better in Biochemistry (Biology 475) and in one course from each of the three research areas. Students must also complete one three semester-hour seminar. Each student must write a thesis based on laboratory research or on a biological topic of current interest. The thesis must be approved by two members of the faculty and defended publicly.
Reasonable Academic Progress Full-time students can complete their degree requirements in two years but most students complete the M.A. degree in three years. M.A. candidates petitioning to transfer to the Ph.D. program must do so before the end of their third semester.
Doctor of Philosophy Admission Requirements The student must provide transcripts of undergraduate academic performance with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.2. The student must take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general and biology subject test, scoring at least 700 on the subject test. Three letters of recommendation are required, preferably from professors of biology or research advisers along with a personal statement of goals. Applicants whose second language is English must submit a TOEFL score of 600 or better.
Degree Requirements The program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours including the Ph.D. core. Students must earn a B- or better in Biochemistry (Biology 475) and in one course from each of the three research areas. Students must also complete five three semester-hour seminars. The preliminary examination must be taken in the fourth semester. Once a student has passed the examination, he or she is elevated to candidacy. All Ph.D. students must teach in the Department or elsewhere for at least two semesters. Students must complete all requirements in seven years from the date of matriculation. A dissertation must be written based on research approved by three faculty members within the department and one outside reader. The dissertation must be defended orally.
Ph.D. Core Courses In addition to Biochemistry (Biology 475), students must complete one course in each of the following major areas of study and research:
Each semester all graduate students participate in either a 1 s.h. or a 3 s.h. seminar. 401-402. Teaching of Biology. (3 s.h.) Required of all first-year teaching assistants. Instruction in the art of teaching laboratories and recitations. 410. Evolution. (3 s.h.) Prerequisite: completion of Biology 203 (or equivalent majors-level genetics course) with a grade of C- or better. A lecture and discussion for upper-level science majors and graduate students. Topics covered include Darwinism and neo-Darwinian theory, theories and experimental evidence for micro-revolution (population genetics, adaptation, natural selection, sexual selection, speciation) and macro-evolution (classical and molecular techniques used to understand the evolution of groups of organisms). 415. Behavioral and Neural Genetics. (3 s.h.) Prerequisite: completion of Biology 203 (or equivalent majors-level genetics course) with a grade of C- or better. A lecture and discussion class for upper-level biology majors and graduate students. We discuss experiments in which genetic and molecular techniques are used to analyze the mechanisms underlying behavior. We will analyze the effect of mutations on simple reflex responses to chemical stimuli and light, on complex sexual behaviors, and on endogenous phenomena such as circadian rhythms and learning that modify behaviors. 429. Developmental Genetics. (3 s.h.) Prerequisite: Biology 203. The role of genes in the determination and differentiation of invertebrates and lower Vertebrates. Emphasis is on the regulation of gene function and on the genetic and molecular interactions which control early development in Drosphilia, C. elegans, Amphibia, and chick embryos. Together with Biology 363/463, these courses provide an overall picture of the genetic control of development. 430. Cell Biology. (3 s.h.) Prerequisite: Biology 204. Recent developments in cell biology. Topics may include the cytoskeleton, cell motility, the cell cycle, endo- and exocytosis. 433. Advanced Techniques in Microscopy. (3 s.h.) This course will provide a survey of modern techniques in microscopy. Students will acquire a thorough grounding in general principles of optics and convential microscopy, and learn the theory of many methods current in biology and medicine, fluorescence, confocal microscopy, video microscopy and digital image processing and analysis. 440. Advanced Invertebrate Biology. (3 s.h.) Prerequisite: Bio 241-242 or permission of instructor. A study of the mechanisms of development using invertebrates as model systems. The class will address developmentally significant questions relevant to both vertebrates and invertebrates, including: role of lineage vs. position in determination, induction of polarity, genetics and molecular biology of segmentation and path finding in the nervous system. Emphasis is on the advantages of comparative biology and invertebrate systems for analyzing patterns in development.
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