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Description of Program:
Microbiology
and Molecular Genetics (MMG) offers an Accelerated Masters Program (AMP) in which
outstanding students can earn a Master of Science (M.S.) degree with just one
additional year of study beyond the Baccalaureate. The AMP program compresses
the normal six years required to earn the M.S. (four years to B.S. + 2 years to
M.S.) into five years, allowing students to save a year's tuition and reach the
job market one year sooner than usual.
Eligibility:
Any student, regardless of major, who meet the below eligibility requirements
are eligible for participation in this program. Students typically apply to the
AMP Program in the Spring of their third year of undergraduate study, therefore
having completed three years of study before entering the program. Applicants
must also have a GPA of at least 3.0 in their first three years of study to be
eligible for the program. Students must also have completed at least one year
of Introductory Chemistry, one year of Organic Chemistry, one year of Calculus,
BOT 132/BCOR 101, MMG 101 and MMG 102/BCOR 103. Finally, in accordance with Graduate
College guidelines, applicants should arrange to take the GRE exam in the Spring
of their third year; it is not, however, necessary to take any of the advanced
subject tests.
Students interested in, and qualified for, the AMP program
must first locate a prospective mentor within the Department of Microbiology and
Molecular Genetics in whose lab the AMP research will be conducted. The student
must include with his/her application, a short letter from the prospective mentor
agreeing to guide the student in his/her research as an AMP student. Students
who have an early interest in eventually entering the AMP, should plan to conduct
undergraduate research as early as possible in their tenure.
Credit
Requirements:
The total credit requirement for a B.S. degree in
Microbiology or Molecular Genetics is 122 course credits. The total credit requirement
for a M.S. degree in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is 24 course credits
plus 6 research credits, for a total of 30 credits. Therefore, a student who proceeds
through the AMP program will ordinarily take 146 course credits (that is, 122
course credits for the B.S., 24 course credits for the M.S. plus the 6 credits
of Masters' level original research). However, if an AMP student has taken General
Biochemistry [BIOC 301, 302] during his/her undergraduate studies, he/she can
apply the 6 course credits earned to both the undergraduate and
the graduate degrees. In other words, the six credits from BIOC 301 & 302
will satisfy 6 credits of the 122 toward the B.S. degree and 6 credits toward
the 24 course for the M.S. degree. This will leave, then, 116 additional course
credits for the B.S. degree, 18 course credits for the M.S. degree plus 6 research
credits.
Curriculum:
Up to and including
the last semester of the third year, AMP students follow the curriculum as outlined
in the MMG checklist.
************ AT THIS POINT THE STUDENT ENTERS THE AMP ***********
Fourth and Fifth Years:
The curriculum of the final two years of the AMP will be
decided upon via discussions between the student and his/her mentor. AMP students,
however, must satisfy the MMG Core Curriculum for graduate
students, which includes: six credits each of Biochemistry (BIOC 301/302),
Genetics, and Microbiology, at least four credits in current topics in Molecular
Genetics (MMG 310) and other approved courses such that at least 16 course credits
are taken from courses offered by the Department. AMP students must also successfully
pass the qualifying examination and complete the thesis.
Qualifying
Exam for M.S. Candidates:
By the first semester of the fifth year,
M.S. candidates will write either an extensive literature review or research proposal
that pertains to their research interests. Students can expect some guidance from
their advisor and Studies Committee in the writing of the proposal, but must assume
responsibility for the final version and must acquire sufficient mastery of their
chosen subject area to defend the proposal. Students will present their written
proposal to their Studies Committee. That Committee will determine if the written
proposal is satisfactory and, if it is, schedule an oral defense. During the oral
defense, the Committee shall be free to explore the knowledge of the student on
a range of subjects related to the proposal, much as occurs during a thesis defense.
If the written review/proposal is deemed unsatisfactory or if a student fails
the oral defense, the candidate will be given one opportunity to rewrite or re-defend
his/her proposal. If the student fails a second time, s/he will be dismissed from
the M.S. program.
Thesis Writing:
Decided
between student and advisor.