Professors: Carmichael, Crossley, Darland, Goodwin, Kelsch, Kupchella, La Duke, Meberg, Mehl, Newman (Graduate Program Director), Potvin, Pyle, Ralph, Rhen, Schlosser (Chair), Sheridan, Simmons, Sweitzer, Tkach and Vaughan

Program Description

The Department of Biology offers graduate studies leading to the Master of Science (thesis and non-thesis options) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. These programs are designed to prepare students for academic teaching and research, research in government service, research and developmental opportunities in industry, and functioning as a professional biologist.

The department offers graduate work in the following areas: Ecology; Behavior; Fisheries Biology; Wildlife Biology; Genetics; Cell Biology and Neurobiology; Morphology; Physiology; Systematics and Molecular Biology. A reputation for excellence in the area of “Ecology of the Northern Great Plains” has been developed, and the Ph.D. program has been designated by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) as a Western Regional Graduate Program because of its uniqueness and strength. It is, therefore, open to residents of the 13 western states at resident tuition rates.

Facilities for Graduate Research
The department is located in Starcher Hall which was completed in 1981. This structure contains greenhouse facilities, herbarium, controlled environment chambers, animal rooms for terrestrial and aquatic organisms, observation rooms for behavioral studies, vertebrate and invertebrate research museums, tissue culture, isotope, chromatography, DNA sequencing, data analysis rooms, molecular biology laboratories, and a darkroom.

The department operates two field stations for research and class use. The Forest River Biology Area consists of 160 acres and is 40 miles from the campus. It includes habitats suitable for studies in aquatic and woodland biology: spring brook, swamp, moist and dry woods, and a section of the Forest River. The Oakville Prairie Station consists of 950 acres of virgin lowland prairie and is located 12 miles from the campus.

The Biology Department and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department have a history of cooperative research involving the management of sport and commercial fisheries and wildlife.

Admission Requirements

1. An undergraduate major with at least 20 semester credits of applicable science courses.
2. Graduate Record Examination—both the General and the Subject Test in Biology (Doctoral applicants must average at least the 60th percentile).

Students admitted to the M.S. program may, after one calendar year, and upon the recommendation of his/her advisory committee, request to by-pass the masters degree and work directly toward the Ph.D. degree. The same GRE and GPA requirements apply for by-pass as for students applying for the doctoral program and through normal application procedures, i.e., GRE scores averaging 60 percentile and a GPA no lower than 3.5 for work completed while in the M.S. program. The recommendation of the advisory committee shall be brought to a vote in a faculty meeting. A minimum of one week before such a meeting, the faculty shall be notified that the student’s updated file shall consist of the materials used for application to the M.S. program, a transcript of all academic work completed at UND, and any additional materials the student wishes to have considered. An examination of equivalent nature to a M.S. comprehensive examination will be given by the student’s advisory committee and, upon successful completion, the student may obtain admission to the doctoral program.

Students seeking summer or fall admission should complete their applications by February 15. Master’s degree applicants should specify interest in either the thesis or non-thesis option. Inquiries should be directed to the Director of Graduate Studies, Biology Department.

Financial Assistance

Financial aid in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships and internships are available on a competitive basis. Students seeking teaching assistantships should complete their applications by February 15, since most offers for appointments are made beginning in early March. Teaching assistantships are renewable if progress toward the degree and instructional service are satisfactory. Research assistantships may be offered by faculty members for work on specific research projects for nine or twelve month periods.

Degree Requirements

Master of Science

The Master of Science degree program is designed to produce broadly trained biologists for job opportunities or continued graduate study.

Thesis Option

1. Thirty (30) credit hours including research and thesis, as well as a minimum of two credits of seminar.
2. Successful completion of a comprehensive examination administered by the student’s advisory committee.
3. Preparation and successful defense of a thesis.

Non-Thesis Option

1. Thirty-two (32) credits including a minimum of 23 credits in the major.
2. A minimum of two credits of seminar.
3. Preparation of a written independent study and oral presentation of the results to the advisor and interested
   faculty..
4. Written comprehensive final examination.

Doctor of Philosophy

1. Performance of research suitable for publication in refereed professional journals, and the writing of a dissertation based thereon.
2. Four (4) credits of seminar.
3. Scholarly tool requirement of the following options: (1) reading knowledge of two foreign languages; (2) reading knowledge of one foreign language and 5 credits of coursework in a supporting area; (3) five credits of coursework in each of two supporting areas. (Supporting areas include anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, geography, microbiology, physiology, psychology, or statistics.)
4. A minor is not required, but each student is expected to show competence in related areas as determined by the student’s advisory committee.

Work completed on a master’s degree program may be incorporated into the doctoral program if approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Courses

503. Seminar. 1 credit. Discussion of selected topics in advanced biology, a different topic each semester.

504. College Biology Teaching. 3 credits. Survey of literature and trends in college biology teaching.

505. Biological Inquiry for Teachers. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher; Biol 505L. First of general biology course sequence intended for teachers planning to qualify to teach high school biology, or teachers looking to enrich their content knowlege in biology for professional development. Topics will include energy conversion, cell and molecular biology, genetics, physiology, evolution, ecology, and pedagogical issues. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.

505L. Biological Inquiry for Teachers Laboratory. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher. This hands-on lab course complements Biol 505 and is intended for teachers planning to enrich their practical skills in biology for professional development. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.

506. Ecology for Teachers. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher; Biol 506L. Second of a general biology course sequence intended for teachers planning to qualify to teach high school biology, or teachers looking to enrich their content knowlege in biology for professional development. Topics will include physiological ecology, behavioral ecology, population ecology, community ecology, landscape ecology, geographical ecology, global ecology and pedagogical issues. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.

506L. Ecology for Teachers Laboratory. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher. This hands-on lab course complements Biol 506 and is intended for teachers planning to enrich their practical skills in biology for professional development. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.

507. Cellular and Molecular Biology for Teachers. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher; Biol 507L. Third of a general biology course sequence intended for teachers planning to qualify to teach high school biology, or teachers looking to enrich their content knowlege in biology for professional development. Topics will include cell, molecular, developmental and evolutionary biology. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.
507L. Cellular and Molecular Biology for Teachers Laboratory. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Must be a licensed K-12 teacher. This hand-on lab course complements Biol 507 and is intended for teachers planning to enrich their practical skills in biology for professional development. May not be used in Ph.D. or Master’s programs.

508. Natural Resource Policy. 3 credits. A course that provides a detailed review of the major federal laws and key international treaties governing natural resource management and wildlife conservation on federal, state and private lands.

520. Helminthology. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Biology 364 or equivalent. Morphology, physiology, and life histories of the worm parasites of humans and other animals.

522. Medically Important Arthropods. 2 credits. Prerequisites: Biology 363 or 364 or equivalent. The biology, distribution, and health significance of insects and arachnids having human and veterinary importance.

533. Grassland Ecology. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Biology 332 or equivalent. Phytogeography, environmental influences, and community dynamics of grassland ecosystems with emphasis on herbage production, ecosystem modeling, and ecological characteristics of major grass species.

534. Quantitative Ecology. 3 credits. An introduction to the methods employed in the study of the ecology of natural populations/communities of plants and animals.

539. Animal Societies. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Biology 338 or equivalent. Social organization in animals, emphasizing division of labor, communication, reproductive behavior, and adaptations to the environment.

540. Waterfowl Biology and Management. 2 credits. Classification, biology, and management of waterfowl.

542. Comparative Endocrinology. 3 credits. A comparative study of the hormonal regulation of physiological processes and mechanisms of hormone action in vertebrates and invertebrates.

551. Biochemical Genetics. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Biology 341 and 315 or equivalent. Topics include gene structure, gene protein relationships, transcription and translation, mutation, extra-chromosomal elements, and the regulation of gene expression. There is a substantial emphasis on the genetics of higher organisms.

554. Cytogenetics. 2 credits. Prerequisites: Biology 315 and 367 or equivalent. The cytological basis of genetics with special reference to chromosomal structure, number aberrations, and their effect on inheritance and evolution.
564. Developmental Morphology of Plants. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Biology 361 or consent of instructor. Morphological development of plants with emphasis on the causal factors.

571. Advanced Biometry. 3 credits. Prerequisite: an introductory course in statistics. Advanced topics in the analysis of biological data using statistical software.

590. Special Topics. 1 to 4 credits. Prerequisites: Graduate status or upper division status with consent of instructor. Important and current topics in biology not covered by other courses. Repeatable when topics vary. Examples include: Aquaculture, Big Game Biology, Biorhythms, Conservation Biology, Fire Ecology, Molecular Techniques, Plant-Animal Interactions, Sex Determination and Speciation.

592. Directed Studies. 1 to 4 credits. Designed to meet the needs of individual and small groups of students in areas of faculty specialization. May be repeated to a total of 12 credits.
599. Research. Credits arranged. Maximum of 15 credits per semester. Intended for students conducting original research in consultation with staff. S/U grading only.

312. Evolution. 3 credits.

315. Genetics. 3 credits.

332. General Ecology. 3 credits.

332L. General Ecology Lab. 1 credit.

333. Population Biology. 3 credits.

336. Systematic Botany. 4 credits.

338. Animal Behavior. 2 credits.

338L. Animal Behavior Lab. 2 credits.

341. Cell Biology. 3 credits.

341L. Cell Biology Lab. 1 credit.

363. Entomology. 4 credits.

364. Parasitology. 2 credits.

364L. Parasitology Lab. 2 credits.

369. Histology. 2 credits.

369L. Histology Lab. 2 credits.

370. Vertebrate Zoology. 3 credits.

371. Anatomy and Adaptations Laboratory. 2 credits.

373. Vertebrate Natural History. 3 credits.

375. Invertebrate Zoology. 4 credits.

378. Developmental Biology. 3 credits.

425. Ichthyology. 3 credits.

427. Ornithology. 3 credits.

428. Mammalogy. 3 credits.

431. Wildlife Management. 4 credits.

432. Fish and Wildlife Disease. 3 credits.

433. Aquatic Ecology. 3 credits.

433L. Aquatic Ecology Lab. 1 credit.

438. Fisheries Management. 3 credits.

442. Physiology of Organs and Systems. 3 credits.

442L. Physiology of Organs and Systems Laboratory. 1 credit.

450. Molecular Genetics. 2 credits.

470. Biometry. 3 credits.