M.S. in Biological Sciences Requirements

I. Complete a total of 31 credits as follows:

Plan A - With Thesis

11 credits:

BIOL 6113	Biostatistics
BIOL 8201	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students I
BIOL 8202	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students II
BIOL 8601-05	Research for Master's Thesis I-V
	(Two thesis courses are required for the degree.  However, the student may register for more than two, as needed.)
	20 credits in graduate biology courses; at least half of these must have laboratory component.
	Make an oral presentation of thesis to Graduate Biology Seminar.
	Submit an acceptable thesis based on laboratory research three months before the expected degree completion date with an oral defense two weeks before the expected degree completion date.

Plan B - Without Thesis
 
I. Complete a total of 34 credits as follows:

5 credits:

BIOL 6133	Biostatistics
BIOL 8201	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students I
BIOL 8202	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students II
	1 Credit from any Selected Topics course
	28 credits in graduate biology courses; at least half of these mu have a laboratory component.

II.  Prepare a library research paper in conjunction with Selected Topics course.  Selected topics must be taken two semesters before expected completed of degree.  Oral presentation of research results is to be made during the last semester in the Graduate Biology Seminar.

Plan C - Without Thesis (Minor in Business Administration)

I. Complete a total of 41 credits as follows:

5 credits:

BIOL 6113	Biostatistics
BIOL 8201	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students I
BIOL 8202	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students II
	1 credit from any Selected Topics course
	19 credits in graduate biology courses; at least half of the must have a laboratory component

16 credits from the following courses:

BMBA 9111	Analytical Methods and Information Systems for Business
BMBA 9112	Accounting and Legal Considerations
BMBA 9113	Financial and Economic Analysis
BMBA 9114	Organizational and Market Dynamics
BMBA 9201	Corporate Social Responsibility
BMBA 9201	International Perspective
	Consistent with the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program policy, to enroll in specific core courses, students must either complete the required Pre-Qualification courses or obtain a waiver of specific courses based on prior business coursework, or by examination.  Biology students would be waived from the requirement to take the Statistics PQ (BMBA 8019) upon successful completion of BIOL 6113 Biostatistics.
	Prepare a library research paper in conjunction with a Selected Topics course.  Selected Topics must be taken two semesters before expected completion of degree.  Oral presentation of research results is to be made during the last semester in the Graduate Biology Seminar.
	* Graduate biology courses may be taken from the biology or microbiology course list.

M.S. in Biology with Neuroscience Track

Plan F - Research Thesis (31 credits)

Core Requirements (14 credits):

BIOL 6115	Fundamentals of Neuroscience
BIOL 6216	Recombinant DNA Technology Lab
BIOL 6231	Molecular Biology
BIOL 6355	Methods in Neuroscience
BIOL 8201	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students I
BIOL 8202	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students II

Electives (11 credits; to be selected from the following):

BIOL 7228	Fundamentals of Toxicology
BIOL 7291	Selected Topics in Molecular Biology
BIOL 7292	Selected Topics in Immunology
BIOL 7244	Cellular Immunology
BIOL 7492	Selected Topics in Virology
BIOL 7493	Selected Topics in Neuroscience

Thesis Requirements (6 credits)

BIOL 8601-05	Research for Master's Thesis I-V
	(Two thesis courses are required for the degree.  However, the student may register for more than two, as needed.)
	Oral presentation of thesis at the Graduate Biology Symposium
	Submission of an acceptable thesis based on laboratory research at least three months prior to expected completion of degree; an oral defense two weeks before the expected degree completion date.

Plan G - Library Thesis (34 credits)

Core Requirements (14 credits):

BIOL 6115	Fundamentals of Neuroscience
BIOL 6216	Recombinant DNA Technology Lab
BIOL 6231	Molecular Biology
BIOL 6333	Cell Culture Techniques
BIOL 6335	Methods in Neuroscience
BIOL 7291	Selected Topics in Molecular Biology
BIOL 8201	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students I
BIOL 8202	Biology Seminar for M.S. Students II

Electives (19 credits; to be selected from the following):

BIOL 6113	Biostatistics
BIOL 6233	Metabolic Pathways
BIOL 6242	Immunology
BIOL 6243	Immunology Lab
BIOL 6323	Vertebrate Endocrinology
BIOL 6325	Introduction to Pharmacology
BIOL 6326	Vertebrate Physiology
BIOL 6333	Cell Culture Techniques
BIOL 6334	Developmental Biology
BIOL 6369	Cancer Biology
BIOL 6431	Microbial Genetics
BIOL 7226	Signal Transduction
BIOL 7228	Fundamentals in Toxicology
BIOL 9191	Special Topic in Biology Research

Library Thesis (1 credit)

BIOL 7493	Selected Topics in Neuroscience (Selected Topics in Neuroscience must be taken two semesters before expected completion of degree).
	Oral presentation of Library Thesis at the Graduate Biology Symposium
	Oral presentation of Library Thesis at the Graduate Biology Symposium

Examine the full list of course offerings and their descriptions in the Seton Hall University Graduate Catalogue. (Adobe Acrobat Reader required.)

Seminar Requirements  
All students are required to attend weekly seminars for a minimum of four semesters for the M.S. degree. Seminars include presentations by guest speakers and opportunities to discuss research projects.

Research Support  
The Department of Biological Sciences faculty maintain active research programs sponsored through federal funding, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation (NSF). Collaborative research programs with local biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and academic institutions provide further research training opportunities.