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Research for 5-Year BS/MS Program

Research Requirements

  • Research Requirements Students will be involved in research for credit from their first year. They will have a full 2-1/2 years plus two summers to work on their independent research. This extension of time and credit allocated for research should result in the greater probability of published research.
  • The combined degree is research intensive allocating more credit for research than either the bachelors or masters degree alone. During the first two years there are 4 credits allocated for undergraduate research credit and in the last three years there are 16 credits allocated as graduate research credit.

Research Experience

1st and 2nd years of program:

  • Four 1-semester experiences in different laboratories
  • Execute 5 hours lab work in research lab per week; specific duties may vary, but typically could include:
    • Attending lab meetings
    • Learning techniques
    • Assisting faculty member, graduate students, and more senior undergraduates
  • Student mentors will vary depending upon the organization of the particular lab and will be either the professor solely or the professor plus graduate & undergraduate thesis students
  • Attend at least one graduate thesis proposal and/or thesis defense
  • Attend research prospectus on nights when prospectus students give presentations
  • Attend at least two department seminars

3rd Year:

  • 1st semester: student makes arrangements with faculty member to do thesis research; student takes special section of graduate research prospectus concurrent with thesis proposal workshop; student spends a minimum of 10 hrs/week in the lab working on projects
  • 2nd semester: student prepares and presents thesis proposal; student works minimum of 10 hrs per week on research

4th Year: 15 – 20 hrs per week on research minimum

  • attends all lab meetings
  • mentors new rotation students in lab
  • attends all department seminars
  • attends all thesis proposal and defense seminars

5th Year: same as 4th year plus

  • Presents thesis work at a national meeting
  • Defends thesis in time for May graduation: receives combined BS/MS degree