1. The program of a student shall be the responsibility of a Supervisory Committee composed of the Supervisor and at least two other appropriate members recommended to the Dean by the Head (or delegate) of the Department with the concurrence of the Supervisor.

2. The Supervisory Committee shall interview the student normally within a month of first registration, to discuss the student's program and to explore any areas of weakness in the student's biological knowledge, especially where these relate to the intended areas of research.

3. A student will be required to take a minimum of 6 credit hours and Biology 7000 (Graduate Core Seminar).

4. It is the function of a Supervisory Committee to have regular meetings, at least annually, with its graduate student. A meeting report, signed by all members of the Supervisory Committee and student, must be given to the Department. A copy will be sent to the graduate student and to the Dean of Graduate Studies.

5. The student will present a tentative outline of the proposed research to the Supervisory Committee, with a copy to the Department by the end of the second semester, and preferably prior to commencement of the research.

6. The student will present a research seminar to the Department, normally by the end of the second semester following admission, to describe the research topic being investigated and the methodologies to be employed. This seminar provides an opportunity for the student to receive constructive input from the broad biological community.

7. The student must present a thesis seminar of 30-40 minutes duration to the Department prior to submission of the thesis to the School of Graduate Studies. The student will be questioned by a panel approved by the Departmental Graduate Studies Committee, in consultation with the student's Supervisory Committee. All others in attendance will be invited to question the student before adjournment. Deficiencies noted at this stage should be carefully considered by the student and the Supervisory Committee prior to submission of the thesis for final examination.

   Under exceptional circumstances, this requirement may be waived by the Head of the Department (or delegate).

8. Each Master's student shall spend at least one semester in residence as a full-time student within the Department during the program. It is recommended that this semester be at the beginning of the program.

   Under exceptional circumstances, this requirement may be waived by the Head of the Department (or delegate).

9. If students, in the opinion of the Supervisor, Committee and Department, are not making satisfactory progress, they will be required to withdraw from the program.

10. Theses shall conform to Theses and Reports of the General Regulations of the School of Graduate Studies and to the regulations in the Departmental Guidelines.

A selection of the following graduate courses will be offered to meet the requirements of students, as far as the resources of the Department will allow.

• 6000 Research Topics in Microbiology
• 6052 Plant Pathology (credit cannot be obtained if already received for Biology 4052)
• 6131 Models in Biology (credit cannot be obtained if already received for Biology 4607)
• 6351 Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology (cross-listed as Psychology 6351) credit cannot be obtained if already received for Biology 4701
• 6591 Current Approaches to Biomedical Research (cross-listed as Medicine 6591)
• 6592 Bacterial Genetics (credit-restricted with the former Biochemistry 6592) prerequisite: Biology 4241 (or equivalent)
• 6593 Selected Readings in Molecular Biology (credit-restricted with the former Biochemistry 6593) prerequisites or Co-requisites: one of Biology, Biochemistry or Medicine 6590, and one of Biology 6591, Medicine 6591, or the former Biochemistry 6591 (or equivalent)
• 6710 Marine Benthic Biology
• 7000 Graduate Core Seminar (cross-listed as Ocean Science 7000)
• 7101 Topics in Marine Biology
• 7201 Topics in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Physiology
• 7220 Quantitative Methods in Biology (credit cannot be obtained if already received for Biology 4605)
• 7300 Ornithology (credit cannot be obtained if already received for Biology 4620)
• 7301 Topics in Ecology and Conservation Biology
• 7530 The Molecular Biology of Development
• 7535 Research Methods in Marine Science
• 7920-7960 Special Topics in Biology (CMSC Biology 7931)
• 7931 Research Methods in Genetic Biotechnology (Biology 7931 may be delivered in an accelerated format outside of the regular semester timeframe)