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BIOLOGY

The Master of Science in Biology program is a multi-disciplinary program that allows students advanced study in several traditional and non-traditional areas of biology. Students have the option of a general M.S. degree in biology or may obtain an M.S. degree in biology with a formal concentration in aquatic science, cellular and molecular biology, clinical microbiology, microbiology, nurse anesthesia, or physiology. Admission to the program is based, in part, on scores on the GRE general exam, undergraduate grade point average (G.P.A.), letters of recommendation, and on individually prescribed undergraduate course work to meet prerequisite requirements for each concentration. Each student will choose a major adviser and an advisory committee during the first semester of residence. This committee will assist the student in drafting the student’s plan of study, which will dictate the student’s curriculum for the ensuing semesters. All students complete a capstone experience. Students obtaining the M.S. Biology or M.S. Biology: Concentration in Clinical Microbiology complete a thesis or seminar paper. Students obtaining the M.S. Biology: Concentration in Aquatic Science, Concentration in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Concentration in Microbiology, or Concentration in Physiology complete a thesis. Students obtaining the M.S. Biology: Concentration in Nurse Anesthesia complete extensive clinical training.

Biology Graduate Student Requirements

All graduate students in biology must meet the following requirements:

1. Prior to registration each semester, the student must consult with the major adviser.

2. Submit a written thesis or seminar paper proposal to the advisory committee prior to the midterm of the second semester of residence. CRNA students are exempt from this requirement and are not required to complete a thesis or seminar paper as part of the degree program.

3. Enroll in BIO 751 or MIC 751, Graduate Seminar, during the first four semesters of residence. Two of the semesters must be taken for one credit each; the other two semesters will be taken on an audit (no credit) basis. CRNA students are exempt from this requirement.

4. Students who are on campus, utilizing university staff and/or facilities must enroll for a minimum of two credit hours per term, including fall or spring semester, and summer sessions.

5. Students are encouraged to complete an appropriate graduate course (numbers 500 and above) from outside the Department of Biology and Department of Microbiology. Upon approval of a student’s advisory committee, a student may be permitted to take a maximum of 10 graduate credits in other departments.

6 Graduate assistants are required to enroll as full-time students during the first two semesters of residence.

7. Pass a preliminary oral examination covering the student’s area of specialty and advanced course work.

8. Complete at least 15 credits of 700-level course work.

9. Consult this catalog and the departments’ graduate student guidelines for additional policies pertaining to graduate students in a biology program.

M.S. BIOLOGY

This traditional master’s degree program is designed to provide the most beneficial learning opportunities based on career goals and the student’s area of focus. Intended for students who do not plan to obtain one of the formal concentrations within the M.S. Biology program. Students are required to (1) complete a thesis or seminar paper in an area of biology, (2) pass an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) complete 30 credits selected by the student and the advisory committee.

Note:

BIO 721 and MIC 721, Directed Study is not intended to (1) cover areas related to the thesis research, (2) serve as an instrument for removing deficiencies, or (3) be used in place of courses offered elsewhere in the biology graduate curriculum. Permission to register for BIO 721 and MIC 721 must be secured, prior to registration, from the advisory committee and from the faculty member supervising the special project.

AQUATIC SCIENCE CONCENTRATION

This concentration requires (1) completion of a research thesis in an area of aquatic science, (2) passing an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) completion of 30 credits with at least 15 credits from the following list; remaining credits are to be selected by the student and the advisory committee.

			Credits
BIO	505	Aquatic Vascular Plants	2
BIO	514	Freshwater Invertebrate Zoology	3
BIO	519	Quantitative Methods in Ecology	2
BIO	522	Ichthyology	3
BIO	523	Fisheries Management	3
BIO	534	Aquatic Microbial Ecology	3
BIO	538	Physics and Chemistry of Surface Ground Water	3
BIO	547	Quality Assurance of Water Analyses	3
BIO	548	Aquatic Toxicology	4
BIO	563	Aquatic Animal Health	3
BIO	564	Stream Ecology	3
BIO	711	Aquatic Contaminants	2
BIO	799	Research: Master’s Thesis	1-6

		Total Credits……..	30

With the approval of the student’s advisory committee, other courses may be substituted for those listed.

CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY CONCENTRATION

This concentration requires (1) completion of a research thesis in an area of cellular or molecular biology, (2) passing an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) completion of 30 credits with at least 15 credits from the following list; remaining credits are to be selected by the student and the advisory committee.

			Credits
MIC	516	Microbial Genetics	4
BIO	532	Biology of Cancer	2
BIO	535	Molecular Biology	3
BIO	536	Molecular Biology Lab	1
BIO	537	Plant Growth and Development	3
BIO	543	Molecular Mechanisms of Disease	3
BIO	563	Aquatic Animal Health	3
BIO	714	Advanced Genetics	3
BIO	799	Research: Master's Thesis	1-6

		Total Credits	30

With the approval of the student's advisory committee, other courses may be substituted for those listed.

CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY CONCENTRATION

This concentration is offered by the Department of Biology and Department of Microbiology, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, Marshfield Laboratories/St. Joseph's Hospital/Marshfield Clinic, and the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. This is a two-year program involving on-campus didactic training, 12 full-time weeks of clinical rotations at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, 9 full-time weeks in clinical laboratories at Marshfield Laboratories/St. Joseph's Hospital/ Marshfield Clinic, and 3 full-time weeks at the Wisconsin Laboratory of Hygiene. Students who complete the Concentration in Clinical Microbiology are eligible to secure Specialist Microbiologist (SM-AAM) certification of the American Academy of Microbiology. The combination of classroom education, clinical rotations and research experience will prepare students for a variety of employment opportunities including: (1) supervisory positions in medical centers and public health and private reference laboratories, (2) research, marketing, and sales in select industries, and (3) basic research. This concentration requires (1) completion of a research thesis (Plan A—Thesis) or seminar paper (Plan B—Non-Thesis) in an area of clinical microbiology, (2) passing an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) completion of the core curriculum of 30 credits.

Core Curriculum Credits

Plan A—Thesis

MIC	751	Graduate Seminar	2
MIC	753	Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases	2
MIC	754	Mechanisms of Pathogenesis	2
MIC	755	Advanced Immunology	2
MIC	770	Clinical Microbiology Practicum I	5
MIC	780	Clinical Microbiology Practicum II	4
MIC	790	Clinical Microbiology Practicum III	2
MIC	799	Research: Masters Thesis	6
		Electives	5

		Total Credits	30

Core Curriculum Credits

Plan B—Non-Thesis

MIC	751	Graduate Seminar	2
MIC	752	Clinical Laboratory Management	2
MIC	753	Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases	2
MIC	754	Mechanisms of Pathogenesis	2
MIC	755	Advanced Immunology	2
MIC	761	Research Paper	2
MIC	770	Clinical Microbiology Practicum I	5
MIC	780	Clinical Microbiology Practicum II	4
MIC	790	Clinical Microbiology Practicum III	2
		Electives	7

		Total Credits	30

MICROBIOLOGY CONCENTRATION

This concentration requires completion of (1) a research thesis in an area of microbiology, (2) passing an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) completion of 30 credits; 15 credits of which must be 700-level course work. Fifteen (15) credits must be from the following; the others are selected by the student and the advisory committee.

			Credits
MIC	506	Immunology	4
MIC	507	Pathogenic Bacteriology	4
BIO	509	Parasitology	4
BIO	512	Mycology	4
BIO	513	Medical Mycology	3
MIC	516	Microbial Genetics	5
MIC	520	Introductory Virology	3
MIC	525	Bacterial Physiology	5
MIC	526	Food Microbiology	4
MIC	527	Industrial and Fermentation Microbiology	3
MIC	528	Fermentation Microbiology Laboratory	2
MIC	534	Aquatic Microbial Ecology	3
BIO	535	Molecular Biology	3
BIO	536	Molecular Biology Laboratory	1
MIC	730	Biodegradation and Bioremediation	2
MIC	714	Advanced Genetics	3
MIC	721	Directed Studies	1-2
MIC	754	Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenicity	2
MIC	755	Advanced Immunology	2
MIC	799	Research: Master's Thesis	1-6

		Total Credits	30

NURSE ANESTHESIA CONCENTRATION

This concentration is jointly offered by the Department of Biology and Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Students simultaneously complete requirements for the master of science degree in biology and educational requirements to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Candidates for this concentration must apply separately and be accepted into the Franciscan Skemp Healthcare School of Anesthesia. This concentration requires (1) passing an oral comprehensive exam and (2) completion of the core curriculum of 30 credits.

CRNA	Core	Curriculum	Credits
BIO	501	Human Gross Anatomy	7
BIO	524	Endocrinology	3
BIO	713	Physiology of Drug Action	2
BIO	715	Pathophysiology I	3
BIO	717	Pathophysiology II	3
BIO	718	Advanced Human Physiology I	4
BIO	719	Advanced Human Physiology II	4
CHM	530	Chemistry in Health Sciences	4

		Total Credits	30

PHYSIOLOGY CONCENTRATION

This concentration requires (1) completion of a research thesis in an area of animal physiology, (2) passing an oral comprehensive exam, and (3) completion of 30 credits with at least 15 credits from the following list; remaining credits are to be selected by the student and the advisory committee.

			Credits
BIO	517	Animal Physiology	4
BIO	524	Endocrinology	3
BIO	528	Animal Metabolism, Nutrition and Disease	3
BIO	532	Biology of Cancer	2
BIO	535	Molecular Biology	3
BIO	536	Molecular Biology Laboratory	1
BIO	565	Principles of Neurobiology	2
BIO	718	Advanced Human Physiology I	4
BIO	719	Advance Human Physiology II	4
BIO	799	Research: Master's Thesis	1-6

		Total Credits	30

With the approval of the student's advisory committee, other courses may be substituted for those listed.