The Ecology MS and PhD are research degrees that require a research thesis or dissertation. The course requirements are tailored to each student's interests and needs, but include the minimum University and departmental degree requirements, and the Ecology Center requirements, as follows:
Students receiving either MS or PhD in ecology are required to have had the following general science background at some point in their university careers:
(1) Equivalent of mathematics through at least one semester of calculus;
(2) equivalent of at least a one-semester overview course in physics;
(3) chemistry through organic;
(4) one year of introductory statistics and one graduate-level course;
(5) genetics or evolution, one course;
(6) one course in animal physiology for students emphasizing animal ecology;
(7) one course each in plant physiology and soils for students emphasizing plant ecology. All participating departments have agreed to uniform ecology course requirements and to minimize other departmental requirements.
All Ecology graduate students are required to enroll in the graduate-level, one-semester Graduate General Ecology Course (BIOL 6960, WATS 6960, WILD 6960, or ENVS 6960). All Ecology graduate students are also required to register for Ecology Seminar (BIOL 6870, WATS 6870, WILD 6870, ENVS 6870) each fall semester and attend each semester in residence.
MS students are required to take one course each from two of the three blocks. PhD students are required to take one each from three of the blocks. (see Graduate Courses) Students going on from the MS to the PhD may apply courses taken for the MS to the PhD requirement. Specific courses are listed for most of the blocks.
Selection of courses from the blocks isto be decided collaboratively by the student, major professor, and graduate committee.
Considerable flexibility in the composition of the ecology graduate supervisory committees exists among participating departments.
The purpose of the requirements to take the Graduate General Ecology course and a selection of the Functional Block graduate courses (6000 and 7000 level) is to promote breadth in the background of ecology graduates at USU. Yet, if students have had some similar specialized ecological coursework previously, this can be considered as a substitution, at the discretion of the major professor in consultation with the Ecology Center Director.
In a similar vein, for the basic undergraduate coursework required of graduate ecology students, some allowances can be made (by the major professor and Ecology Center Director). As an example, for a student who has not had physics, if she/he takes a course in Environmental Biophysics or Fluvial Geomorphology to meet a Functional Block requirement, there may be sufficient coverage of basic physics in such courses to qualify for the basic physics coursework. Such allowances will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the major professor, the student's graduate committee and the Ecology Center Director.
Students who feel they have had sufficient ecological coursework beyond an undergraduate course in general ecology, to obviate the need for taking the Graduate Ecology Course, should consult with their major professor and the coordinator of the Graduate Ecology Course, currently Charles Hawkins. The coordinator will make the final determination concerning substitutions.
(Last updated 05/06/08)