Academic Program Requirements

Master's degree students in our program are required to take a set of core courses in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology.

This core provides students with great flexibility within these disciplines.

Each new student meets with their graduate advisor to discuss the most appropriate course of study.

All M.S. students are required to take one course from each core area:

• Cell Biology Core
  CMDB 200 - Cell Biology
  BPSC 237 - Plant Cell Biology
  NRSC 200A/PSYC 200A - Fundamentals of Neuroscience
   
• Molecular Biology Core
  CMDB 201 - Molecular Biology
  BCH 211 - Molecular Biochemistry
  BPSC 231/BCH 231 - The Plant Genome
  BMSC 202 - Molecular Basis of Disease
  NRSC 200B/PSYC 200B - Fundamentals of Neuroscience
   
• Developmental Biology Core
  CMDB 202 - Developmental Biology
  BPSC 232/BIOL 232 - Plant Development
   
• Seminars and Symposia
  All students are required to enroll in the CMDB Program Seminar (257) each time it is offered. It is usually offered in the fall quarter.

Every year each CMDB student also prepares and presents a short talk on his or her research at the CMDB Research Symposium. Students earn credit for the Symposium through enrolling in CMDB 258.

Other Requirements

Master's Degree Students

• Complete core course work in cell, molecular, and developmental biology (see above).
• Enroll in at least one graduate seminar course (CMDB 281 or BPSC 240 or NRSC 289).
• Enroll in the in Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Seminar (CMDB 257).
• Enroll in the research symposium (CMDB 258).
• Undertake a research project leading to a thesis.

Candidates for the M.S. degree defend their thesis at a public oral presentation.

The average time to complete the M.S. degree is two years.