 School of Life Sciences LSE 226 Rajeev Misra, Associate Director for Graduate Programs ProfessorsBriggs, Capco, Chandler, Clark-Curtiss, Creath, Curtiss, Day, Deviche, Dowling, Elser, Faeth, Fisher, Frasch, Grimm, Harrison, B. Jacobs, M. Jacobs, Johnston, Klopatek, Kumar, Lake, Lawson, Mandarino, McGregor, Misra, Moore, Mossman, Nash, Rutowski, Sarewitz, A. Smith, B. Smith, Sommerfeld, Stutz, Trelease, Vermaas, Walsberg, Webber, Wu, Young Associate ProfessorsArmendt, Chang, Clark, Duch, Escalante, Fewell, Garcia-Pichel, Goldstein, Hoffman, Hogue, Kinzig, Kusumi, Martin, Mason, Neuer, Newfeld, Nickerson, Orchinik, Pigg, Ramakrishna, Rawls, Roberson, Slater, Stout, Stromberg, Szarek, Towill, Ugarova Assistant ProfessorsAmdam, Chen, Crook, DeNardo, Gadau, Gerber, Hall, Hamilton, Haydel, Hu, Kim, Laubichler, Lei, Liebig, McGraw, Minteer, Mor, Pratt, Robert, Rosenberg, Sabo, Shi, Sykes, Touchman, Tyler, Verrelli, Wilson-Rawls, Wojciechowski Assistant Museum CuratorThe faculty in the School of Life Sciences offer programs leading to the MS and PhD degrees in biology, microbiology, molecular and cellular biology, and plant biology. Concentrations in biology and society, ecology, and photosynthesis, and a Graduate Certificate in Bioethics, Policy, and Law are available. The faculty also participate in the program leading to the Master of Natural Science degree when one of the concentrations is biology, microbiology, or plant biology (see Natural Science). These programs are designed to prepare students for careers in teaching and research in educational, medical, industrial, and governmental institutions. Graduate Record ExaminationApplicants must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. GRE scores in the advanced subject area are required for PhD applicants and are highly recommended for MS applicants. Application DeadlineComplete college and School of Life Sciences supplemental application materials should be received by December 15 for admission in the fall semester. Facilities The modern Life Sciences center, Arizona Biodesign Institute, and Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Buildings I and II house well-equipped research laboratories and teaching facilities. The W. M. Keck Bioimaging Laboratory includes a laser-equipped scanning confocal microscope and an LFO high resolution scanning electronic microscope. There is also a DNA sequencing laboratory. The Life Sciences Electron Microscopy Laboratory includes both scanning and transmission electron microscopes as well as a freeze-fracture unit. Housing of laboratory animals and maintenance of breeding colonies are provided by the Animal Research Center. Arizona fauna is well represented in the school’s collections. Desert, montane, riparian, and lacustrine habitats are within driving distance; species diversity is high. Research Activity Faculty in the School of Life Sciences perform research encompassing all aspects of life sciences, ranging from functions inside of individual cells to the interaction of units within entire ecosystems. Topics include investigations in areas such as behavior; bioinformatics; biology education; botany; cell and molecular biology; computational, statistical and mathematical biology; conservation biology; developmental biology; ecology; evolution; genetics; history and philosophy of biology; microbiology; neuroscience; and physiology. Faculty and students utilize advanced technology (e.g., confocal microscopes, automated sequencers, etc.) to add to the knowledge base by addressing important fundamental and novel questions and to disseminate this knowledge to a wide audience. For more details, access the Web site at sols.asu.edu. GRADUATE CERTIFICATE Graduate Certificate in Bioethics, Policy, and Law Advances in the biosciences, medicine, and biotechnology raise a vast array of ethical, policy, and legal issues. The Graduate Certificate in Bioethics, Policy, and Law is designed to enhance training for graduate students or professionals from a variety of disciplines. This certificate provides the skills for addressing the moral issues facing a complex society. The program is richly interdisciplinary, drawing from philosophy, life sciences, religious studies, history, anthropology, law, health administration, science policy, nursing, sociology, as well as other programs. For more information, call 480-965-8927, visit the program office in LSC 284, or access the Web site at lifesciences.asu.edu/bioethics. Biology Accelerated Bachelor and Master of Science This program allows students to pursue an accelerated MS degree and BS degree in Biology (including those students in the biology and society concentration). Students admitted to the program are concurrently enrolled in both the undergraduate and graduate classes and seminars. The students are not eligible for graduate perquisites, including teaching and research assistantships, related health insurance, financial aid, or graduate award programs until the BS degree is awarded. (See the General Catalog for distribution and credit requirements.) The graduate program requires a minimum of 30 semester hours above the 120 required for the undergraduate degree. Consistent with Division of Graduate Studies guidelines, no more than six semester hours of 400-level courses may be applied to the MS degree. Students follow the guidelines provided in the MS summary (see Master’s Degrees). A thesis and final oral examination are required at the same level as students in the regular MS program. Students must be in the BS program in Biology with a GPA of 3.40 or greater at time of admission and should have completed 90 semester hours toward the BS, including at least 16 semester hours in BIO courses, three semester hours of calculus, and 11 semester hours of physical sciences (chemistry or physics preferred). It is recommended that, by the time of admission, students complete a 300- or 400-level course in the area of the proposed thesis, a biometry or equivalent statistics course, and an upper-division chemistry course. For more information, call the School of Life Sciences at 480/965-1768. Master of Science The program of each student is prepared in consultation with the supervisory committee, consisting of a major professor and two additional faculty members. A minimum of 30 semester hours is required. The program must include six hours of thesis and one hour of seminar. The remainder of the program of study usually consists of (1) a mixture of course work, readings and conference, and seminars in the student’s primary field and related fields and (2) research credits. Courses and research credits can be distributed in any combination appropriate to the student’s individual educational goals. A typical program of study consists of six semester hours of thesis, one semester hour of seminar, nine to 15 hours of course work and additional seminars, and eight to 14 semester hours of research credit. A final oral examination covering the thesis and related subject matter is administered by the supervisory committee. Doctor of Philosophy The PhD degree program in Biology allows the student to acquire high research competency in one or more specialized areas while receiving a broad, solid grounding in biological sciences. See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements. Program of StudyThe program of study is planned by the student and the supervisory committee, consisting of a major professor and four additional faculty members. The program is tailored to the needs of the individual student. Comprehensive ExaminationThe comprehensive examination consists of an oral examination and defense of the written dissertation proposal. To advance to candidacy for the PhD, the student must successfully complete three graduate seminars in areas different from the major area of emphasis. A synthetic, detailed research proposal must be completed by the fourth semester. The student must defend the proposal orally to the supervisory committee within three weeks after successful completion of the written research proposal. Dissertation RequirementsA dissertation based on original research is required. (See Doctoral Dissertations.) Final ExaminationA final defense of the dissertation is required. (See Doctoral Dissertations.) Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses. Microbiology Applicants are expected to have completed the requirements for an undergraduate major in Biology, Chemistry, or Microbiology or have an adequate background in related courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and plant biology. The graduate programs are designed to prepare students for careers in teaching and in research on various aspects of microbiology in educational institutions, industry, or government agencies. See Master’s Degrees, for general requirements. Program of StudyA minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit are required, of which at least six hours must be thesis and research credit. The program is planned by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. Comprehensive ExaminationStudents are expected to achieve, through 18 semester hours of course work, a fundamental understanding of the following subdisciplines: bacterial genetics, immunology, molecular biology, physiology and metabolism, and virology. If these course requirements are completed, no comprehensive examination is required. Alternatively, the student may demonstrate this fundamental understanding through the combination of a comprehensive examination, prepared by the student’s supervisory committee, and 12 semester hours of formal course work. Final ExaminationA final oral examination covering the thesis and related subject matter is required. Doctor of Philosophy See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements. Program of StudyAt least 60 semester hours of graduate credit, in addition to 24 hours of dissertation and research, are required; a minimum of 18 semester hours of this total is in formal course work. The program is planned in consultation with the supervisory committee. Dissertation RequirementsA dissertation based on original work of high quality, demonstrating proficiency in the student’s area of interest, is required. (See Doctoral Dissertations.) Final ExaminationA final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses. Molecular and Cellular Biology The interdisciplinary MS and PhD degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology are administered by the School of Life Sciences and include a doctoral concentration in computational biosciences. The participating faculty are drawn primarily from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the School of Life Sciences, with additional faculty from the Departments of Bioengineering, Chemical and Materials Engineering, Kinesiology, Physics and Astronomy, Psychology, and the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. See the Web site for a list of participating faculty from other departments. One striking aspect of studies in this broad area of biological science is the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Similar approaches and techniques are used for studies of biological systems whether they are viral, bacterial, plant, or animal. The graduate degrees offered by the faculty through this program prepare students for careers that span traditional disciplinary boundaries. The broad-based training provides the necessary skills for professional careers in academic institutions, governmental institutions, and industry, particularly those related to health and chemical sciences. TOEFL and SPEAK TestStudents whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A TOEFL score of 630 (paper) or 267 (computer) is required for admission to the program. Students whose native language is not English must pass the Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK) test with a score of at least 55 if they wish to be considered for teaching assistantship support. Master of Science See Master’s Degrees, for general requirements. Program of StudyThirty semester hours are required. A minimum of 10 designated semester hours of MCB courses and six hours of research and thesis are required. The remaining courses are selected by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. Final ExaminationA final oral examination in defense of the thesis is required. Doctor of Philosophy See See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements. Program of StudyEighty-four semester hours are required. A minimum of 12 designated semester hours of MCB courses, six semester hours of elective course work, and 24 semester hours of research and dissertation are required. The remaining courses are selected by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. Dissertation RequirementsA written dissertation based on original research of high quality that demonstrates proficiency in the area of specialization is required. Final ExaminationThe final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. Evidence must be presented that the research contribution is publishable in the primary literature. Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses. Plant Biology Master of Science PrerequisitesApplicants should have completed the requirements for an undergraduate major in the plant sciences, biology, or related discipline, with an adequate background in related courses in chemistry, mathematical, and physical sciences. Program of StudyA minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit is required. The program must include at least three semester hours of research, three semester hours of thesis, and one hour of participatory seminar (PLB 591). The program is planned by the student in consultation with the supervisory committee. Final Examination.A final research seminar and an oral examination covering the thesis and related subject matter are required. Doctor of Philosophy See Doctor of Philosophy, for general requirements. Program of StudyA minimum of 84 semester hours of graduate credit is required. The program must include at least 24 hours of research and dissertation credit and at least 30 hours of formal graduate course work. Two hours of participatory seminar (PLB 591) are included in the required course work. Courses numbered 590 or 790 (Reading and Conference) are not considered formal courses. The program is planned by the student in consultation with a program committee that also administers and evaluates the comprehensive examinations. Comprehensive ExaminationsWritten and oral comprehensive examinations administered and evaluated by the student’s program committee are required. Dissertation RequirementsA dissertation based on original work of high quality, demonstrating proficiency in the student’s area of interest, is required. (See Doctoral Degrees.) Final ExaminationA final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses.
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