Graduate - Clarion University

22 Clarion University of PennsylvaniaCourses may be taken from any curriculum in theGraduate Catalog. Students are encouraged to go outsidethe Department of Biology for courses if their programgoals and career interests will benefit as determined bytheir graduate research committee.While students can, and frequently do, takeundergraduate courses at all levels of instruction, only400-, 500-, 600-, and 700-level courses can be taken forgraduate credit. No more than six semester hours of 400-level courses may count toward the master’s degree. The400-level courses that may count toward the master’sdegree are BIOL 410, 460, 464, 470, 471, CHEM 453,and 463. Please note that 400-level courses taken forundergraduate credit cannot be repeated for graduatecredit.BiologyReasonable Progress Toward DegreeIt is the expectation of the Biology Department thatthe first priority of all full-time graduate students is thecompletion of the requirements of the master of sciencedegree in a timely manner. The student’s major advisor andgraduate research committee will determine reasonableprogress toward completion of the degree. At a minimum,reasonable progress will include:Thesis options:(1) a public presentation of the student’s proposedresearch project in a seminar open to theuniversity community;(2) submission and tentative approval of theresearch prospectus by the student’s majoradvisor and graduate research committee bythe end of the second semester in residence;and(3) holding graduate research committee meetingsonce per semester;Thesis and non-thesis options:(1) maintaining a minimum QPA of 3.0 in allcourse work attempted.Students who are applying for a second year of supportas a departmental graduate assistant must submit evidenceof relevant degree progress to the departmental graduatecommittee that includes documentation of the criterialisted above in addition to evidence that professionalduties associated with the current year’s assistantship havebeen completed in a satisfactory manner.Physical FacilitiesThe Department of Biology is located in the PeirceScience Center, a four-story teaching and researchbuilding. This facility is well supplied with sophisticatedequipment and instrumentation necessary for studying themany facets of biology. In addition, the department alsomaintains continually expanding herbarium and vertebratebiology collections, animal and aquarium rooms, anenvironmental chamber room, a cell culture laboratory,and a greenhouse located adjacent to the building.Recently renovated molecular biology/biotechnology andecology laboratories provide research support for studentsin these growth areas. Field work is conducted on landowned by the university adjacent to the campus or on thehuge expanse of state, federal, or privately owned land/waters in close proximity to the university. Ecologicallyinteresting areas within a 100-mile radius of the campusinclude the Jennings Nature Preserve, Allegheny NationalForest, Cook Forest State Park, Tionesta Scenic Area,Heart’s Content Scenic Area, Presque Isle State Park,Power Mill Nature Reserve, and the Pymatuning region.Pymatuning Laboratory of EcologyBecause of a unique cooperative program with theUniversity of Pittsburgh, Clarion University is able to offeran outstanding program of studies in ecology. Coursesare taken at Clarion Campus during the academic year.In the summer, courses in field biology are offered at thePymatuning Laboratory of Ecology. Classes are taught andresearch is directed by faculty from several institutions.The laboratory is located approximately 1.5 hoursnorthwest of Clarion on the shores of the PymatuningReservoir.The teaching and research facilities of the fieldlaboratory are on a site within a wildlife sanctuary andpropagation area managed by the Pennsylvania GameCommission. A hatchery of the Pennsylvania FishCommission is adjacent to these facilities. The housingand dining area for the laboratory is located three milesaway, on the public portion of the Pymatuning Reservoir.A waterfront area is available for recreational use bystudents and staff.Release of Data from M.S. Thesis-PublicationPolicyPublications resulting from research done at ClarionUniversity shall give credit to people involved in theresearch, to Clarion University, and to any grantingagencies that supported the research.