Graduate Degrees in Zoology
University of Hawai`i at Manoa
IMPORTANT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE IN
THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE Ph.D.; see below
Degrees offered
The Zoology graduate program offers three degrees: a thesis M.S.
(Plan A), a more coursework-oriented non-thesis M.S. (Plan B), and
the Ph.D. The thesis M.S. and the Ph.D. are research-oriented degrees,
intended primarily for students intending a career involving research.
The non-thesis M.S. requires less research experience than does the thesis
M.S. and so is appropriate for students planning non-research careers,
such as teaching or government service, as well as those planning research
careers.
Graduate specializations
Two interdisciplinary specializations — Ecology,
Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB), and Marine
Biology (MB) — are available for graduate students in Zoology. These
provide access to faculty, courses and facilities beyond those available
in the Zoology Department. Information on program requirements and admission
should be obtained from the respective programs.
Degree requirements
The following is only a summary of the requirements for the degrees. A
complete specification of the requirements is given in the Zoology Graduate
Handbook.
General requirements (all degrees)
Diagnostic examination
All Zoology graduate students take a diagnostic examination at the start
of their first semester, which assesses their knowledge of all aspects
of zoology. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge at the level
that can reasonably be acquired through undergraduate coursework; Ph.D.
students are expected to show knowledge at a graduate level in their area
of specialization (cell and molecular, organismic, or supraorganismic).
Students not meeting these expectations will be required to take remedial
coursework.
Introductory seminar
All new Zoology graduate students are required to take Zool 691C, a one-credit
orientation to the faculty and facilities of the department and other resources
at the University.
Annual seminar
All Zoology graduate students are required to take at least one graduate-level
seminar or topics course each year.
Annual progress report
All Zoology graduate students are required to meet with their thesis, program,
or dissertation committee at least once a year. All Zoology graduate students
other than those in their first year are required to submit a progress
report to the Graduate Instruction Committee each fall semester; this report
also will be reviewed by the student's MS or PhD committee.
Annual research presentation
All Zoology graduate students are required to give a formal public presentation
on their research at least once each year (except their first year in the
program).
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M.S. Plan A — thesis
Course requirements
Plan A requires a minimum of 30 credits in 400 through 700 level courses.
At least 18 of these credits must be for approved coursework excluding
directed research (699s) and thesis 700, and at least 12 of these coursework
credits must be in 600-700 level courses, including 1 credit of Zool 691C.
As many as 6 of the 30 credits can be from related departments. All courses
cross-listed with Zoology, and all Biology courses which can be counted
towards a Zoology BA or BS, are considered Zoology courses, not courses
in a related department.
Thesis
The principal component of the Plan A M.S. program is original research
reported in the thesis. The thesis must be defended in a public oral presentation
followed by questions on the work from the thesis committee.
Time limit
The Master’s degree is to be completed within five years.
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M.S. Plan B — non-thesis
Course requirements
The coursework for a Plan B M.S. degree is to be a coherent set
of courses approved by the student’s program committee. A minimum of 30
total credits in 400- through 700-level courses is required in Plan B.
At least 6, but not more than 16, credits are to be selected from related
departments. All courses cross-listed with Zoology, and all Biology courses
which can be counted towards a Zoology BA or BS, are considered Zoology
courses, not courses in a related department. The 30 credits must include
at least 18 credits of 600-700 level courses, including Zool 691C and at
least 2 but not more than 5 credits of directed research (Zool 699).
Research
Some experience in original research is required for a Plan B M.S. This
research is reported in a written paper and an oral presentation to the
student’s program committee.
Time limit
The Master’s degree is to be completed within five years.
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Ph.D.
Course requirements
NOTE IMPORTANT CHANGES, EFFECTIVE WITH STUDENTS
ENTERING IN 2002.
For students matriculating with a master's degree in Zoology (or equivalent),
there are no course requirements for the Ph.D. degree other than the general
requirements listed above (Zool 691C in the first year, and at least one
graduate seminar or topics course each year), and any courses required
by the student's dissertation committee.
For students matriculating with only the bachelor's degree, a minimum
of 30 credits in 400-800 level courses is required for the Ph.D. At least
18 of these credits (with a maximum of 8 credits from 400-level courses)
must be for approved coursework excluding directed research (699) and dissertation
(800). Zool 691C is required in the first year, and at least one
graduate seminar or topics course in each following year. As many as 6
of the 30 credits can be from related departments. All courses cross-listed
with Zoology, and all Biology courses which can be counted towards a Zoology
BA or BS, are considered Zoology courses, not courses in a related department.
A student's dissertation committee may also require additional courses.
Foreign language proficiency
Admission to candidacy in the Ph.D. program requires certification of reading
ability in a foreign language. This requirement may be fulfilled by:
-
prior completion of two years of college-level study of a foreign language,
with a B average or better;
-
certification by a UHM language department, by an examination involving
translation of scientific passages;
-
a score of at least the 80th percentile on the ETS foreign language exam;
-
demonstrating to the Graduate Instruction Committee successful completion
of an acceptable foreign language requirement in completing a graduate
degree at another accredited institution.
French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish are acceptable languages;
other foreign languages may be approved by petition to the Graduate Instruction
Committee. Nonnative speakers of English may petition the Graduate Instruction
Committee for waiver of the language requirement, but their competence
in writing in English will be assessed and they may be required to enroll
in one or more courses in the English Language Institute.
Comprehensive examination
Each doctoral student must pass an oral comprehensive examination, administered
by the student’s dissertation committee, that emphasizes the dissertation
field or research area but may cover any facet of zoology.
Teaching
Teaching experience, typically but not necessarily as a teaching assistant,
is required of all doctoral students.
Dissertation and defense
The dissertation defense consists of a public oral presentation of the
research, together with oral examination by the dissertation committee
focused on but not restricted to the research.
Time limit
The Ph.D. degree is to be completed within seven years. For students who
enter as Master's students and subsequently swith to the Ph.D. program
without completing the master's degree, the seven-year limit counts from
when the student entered the Zoology graduate program, not from the switch
to the Ph.D. program.
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Last update: January 2002