Fall of Junior Year

• Present your research project to the committee and provide a timetable for completion of the research.
• Discuss courses needed for completion of your undergraduate degree, and the 5000+ courses (graduate courses) you should take given your research interest. Remember that you will need 30 hours of graduate level credit to receive the BA-MA degree. But 6 of those graduate credits (5000+) can count toward both the BA and MA degrees.
• Consider signing up in the fall for the first of the two seminars that you are required to take for the degree (e.g. EBIO 6000, Introduction to Biological Research, although not specifically required for BA-MA students).
• Check that all A&S core and EBIO requirements will be fulfilled by the end of your senior year.

Spring of Junior Year

Fall of Senior Year

Spring of Senior Year

• Administer your Comprehensive Exam. This exam must be taken during the second semester of your senior year . You submit a research proposal to your Thesis Committee for their evaluation. The exam emphasizes the content of your research proposal, but it can touch on other general issues in biology if the Committee so desires. Distribute your proposal to the committee members two weeks before the exam date.
• Update your Thesis Committee on your progress to date. Discuss your coursework and research plan and include for their approval any adjustments that you think might be warranted.
• Complete and submit the Undergraduate Graduation Packet and Statement of Major Status . Contact Laura Guertin for specifics. These forms confirm that you have fulfilled all of the requirements for the BA degree and can be advanced to graduate status. It is also at the end of the 4th Year that you contact the Program Director for your Mid-Program Review. The Mid-program Review is a check that you are proceeding through the program on target.

• During this semester you write the thesis. You can take Thesis Hours (EBIO 6950) for up to 6 credits. Remember that the Graduate School requires that you be registered (minimum of 1 credit) the semester you receive the degree.
• If you need additional credits to maintain graduate status, but have completed all of your course requirements, you can register for Master's Candidacy Hour (EBIO 6940) for up to 6 credits/semester. Your research advisor acts as sponsor.
• You need to be especially aware of the numerous deadlines during this semester. Be sure to submit an Application for Admission to Candidacy Form by thedeadline. The Program Director also has to identify which courses are being counted toward both the BA and MA degrees ( Supplement to the Application for Admission to Candidacy Form) and confirm that you have completed all of the requirements for the degrees. Both forms are available from Jill and the completed forms are submitted to her.
• Final Thesis Committee meeting to defend the thesis. Be sure to submit the following forms to Jill at least two weeks before your Thesis defense: Statement of Intent to Take Graduate Examination and MA Thesis Defense . Also, your Thesis Committee should have at least 2 weeks to read your thesis. Following successful completion of the thesis defense, the finished and signed thesis is given to Jill by the deadline. She will also need a copy for the department's files.
• Commencement. Let Jill know your thesis title at least two weeks before commencement. At this time tell her if you plan to attend the EBIO commencement reception. You graduate with concurrent BA and MA degrees in EBIO! Yes, it will eventually happen.