Manual

Information for Students Considering Admission

PHILOSOPHY The Department of Biology strives to provide a scholarly environment, where faculty and students are stimulated to become productive scientists. The reputation of a department, and likewise, the initial successes of a student are based, in part, upon the reputation of the faculty. It is expressly the role of faculty to help students realize their highest potential through continued encouragement and example. To inspire individual thinking and imagination, which are so important in the sciences, we encourage variability among the programs of students. The principal aim of the Department’s graduate programs is to motivate students to achieve the highest level of their scientific potentials.

ADMISSION Candidates must submit the GS Form 1 application (and application fee) to the Graduate School in the preaddressed envelope provided. The pink copy of the GS Form 1 and other application materials must be sent to the Department of Biology in the envelope provided. You may also apply online at the Graduate School website: http://www.graduateschool.colostate.edu. Recommendations concerning acceptance or rejection are made by the Graduate Committee and by the individual faculty members who are prospective major advisors for the applicant. Some students may be required to make up certain academic deficiencies after being accepted for graduate work.

The Department generally follows the standards for admission outlined in the Graduate Student Bulletin available at the Graduate School website. The criteria used in evaluating an application are generally as follows: grades (point index and trend); level of course work; Graduate Record Examination scores (including verbal, quantitative, and analytical); letters of recommendation; the applicant’s statements regarding professional objectives; publications; and other evidence of interest and activity in the biological sciences. A point system that incorporates information from all of the application materials is used to evaluate the application, but generally a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above (A=4.0) and scores above the 70^th percentile on the Graduate Record Exam are minimally necessary for acceptance into the department.

FINANCIAL AID To be considered for a fellowship, traineeship, research assistantship, or teaching assistantship, applicants should complete GS Form 4B and return to the Department of Biology by January 15. Students interested in need-based financial aid, loans, or work-study opportunities should check the appropriate blank on the GS Form 1 and additional materials will be forwarded.

RESIDENCY All entering students are encouraged to begin to establish Colorado residency immediately upon arriving in the state. A person must be domiciled in Colorado for one calendar year, and display physical connections to the state, to be considered a resident for tuition purposes. Physical connections include, but are not limited to, a Colorado driver’s license and motor vehicle registration, voter registration, continuous full or part-time employment, and payment of state income tax. These connections have to be made at least one calendar year prior to the beginning of the school term for which residency classification is being sought. New students should plan to arrive several days before the start of registration to insure time to establish these connections. Rules for establishing residency change from time to time, so students must check with the Departmental Office for current procedures to establish residency. Failure to establish residency at the start of the second year of a GTA or GRA appointment can result in the student being responsible for the excess tuition charged above the in-state rate (see Tuition section of the Handbook). If a student is unable to petition for Colorado residency due to non-US citizenship or other extenuating circumstances, the situation should be brought to the attention of the Department Graduate Committee immediately upon arrival at Colorado State University.

DEGREES The Department offers programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Botany, and Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Zoology. A Master of Science may be earned in either of two programs: “Plan A,” with a thesis, or “Plan B,” without a thesis.

MAJOR PROFESSORS The faculty member who accepts a graduate student will serve as the initial advisor. If accepted by more than one faculty member, the student must choose an initial advisor prior to the student’s enrollment. The major professor, who must be a tenure-track faculty member in Biology, will assist the graduate student regarding orientation and registration, and will provide guidance until the student chooses a permanent advisor, ordinarily before registration for the second term. Selection of an advisor must be mutually satisfactory to the student and the prospective advisor. The advisor-student relationship is unique and, perhaps, the most important one in the education and training of the graduate student. The mutual respect and stimulation derived from this relationship strengthens and promotes scientific achievement. The advisor should be both the student’s severest critic and strongest supporter.

GRADUATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE The student and major professor will select faculty members for the student’s advisory committee from the Faculty of the Biology Department (at least 2 members – including the major advisor – for MS, 3 for PhD) and at least one member from outside the Department. At least two members (for MS) or three (PhD) of the Graduate Advisory Committee must be tenure-track faculty at CSU. The Departmental Chair serves as an ex officio member of all Graduate Advisory Committees. Before the end of the second term following enrollment or before completion of 15 semester credits, the major advisor, members of the Graduate Advisory Committee, and the student should discuss the student’s proposed graduate program and prepare the formal plan of study (GS Form 6) leading to the graduate degree. This committee will consider the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals in approving the graduate program. A student with a particular weakness may be required to complete, without graduate credit, certain undergraduate courses.

CHANGE OF DEGREE PROGRAM Students enrolled in a program leading to a Master of Science may apply to change into a Doctor of Philosophy degree program prior to completion of the Master’s Degree. Because of the extra demands of the PhD degree, such a change should be carefully considered by the student and must have the approval of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee. A request for change must be made to the department Graduate Committee for its approval and should be accompanied by the student’s records that are on file with the department. The Graduate Committee will consider the application for degree change as a new application to the department. The Chair will make final approval. If such a change is approved, there is no guarantee of an extension of Teaching Assistantship support to the student.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS No specific courses must be taken in satisfaction of Departmental degree requirements; however, the candidate must be able to demonstrate a general knowledge of Botany or Zoology as well as competence in specific areas of concentration. The student must complete minimum course credit requirements established by the Graduate School for the MS and PhD degrees. These requirements are given in the Graduate School Bulletin.

QUALITY OF WORK In order to remain in graduate school, a student must maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade point average in all courses. Seminars, research credit, and special problems are not included in computing the grade point average. Graduate assistants must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average to be eligible to receive institutional support.

A graduate degree in Botany or Zoology indicates that the individual has achieved a professional level of competence in research as well as formal class work. Consequently satisfactory progress in a research program must parallel the effort in coursework.

A graduate student participating in an advanced degree program of the Department of Biology is encouraged to meet with the Graduate Advisory Committee at least once annually, and the student shall submit an annual report of progress toward the degree, signed by his/her Advisor, to the Departmental Chair and to the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee for review. A student failing to meet minimal standards of progress and achievement may lose eligibility for institutional support.

TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS A Graduate Teaching Assistant is expected to devote an average of 20 hours weekly to Departmental duties in order to fulfill the work requirements of his/her assistantship. GTAs are not automatically granted vacation time. All absences must be cleared with the work supervisor(s) and major advisor.

Students admitted to pursue a Master’s degree in the Department of Biology are eligible for two years of support as teaching assistants at Colorado State University.

Students who have received a Master’s degree in Botany or Zoology from Colorado State University, and who continue study towards a PhD degree, are eligible as Doctoral students for three years of support as teaching assistants.

All other students who are admitted to a Doctoral program in the Department of Biology are eligible for four years of support as teaching assistants.

Students in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Cell and Molecular Biology Program, or other appropriate interdisciplinary graduate programs whose major professor holds a regular appointment in the Department of Biology are eligible to be supported by Biology GTAs with the same limitations, GTA student evaluations, and annual reporting requirements as Botany or Zoology students. These Students do not need to fulfill departmental requirements regarding graduate Advisory Committee composition.

Students exceeding the normal period of eligibility for appointment as a teaching assistant may apply for an extension of eligibility. Extension of eligibility will be determined by the Departmental Graduate Committee and the Departmental Chair. Master’s students: The Graduate Committee must receive a statement from the student’s Advisory Committee outlining the program of study that should have been completed in two years and a description of the extenuating circumstances that prevented its completion. The committee should define the remaining requirements for the student’s degree, state whether the student is making good progress, and verify that the program will be completed within one year.

PhD students: In order to receive an extension, the student must have successfully completed their Preliminary Examination. In addition, the Graduate Committee must receive a statement from the student’s Advisory Committee describing the extenuating circumstances that prevented the completion of the degree within the specified time allotment. The committee should define the remaining requirements for the student’s degree, state whether the student is making good progress, and verify that the program will be completed within one year.

Reappointment as a GTA is not necessarily guaranteed. Appointments are generally made for one academic year (mid-August to mid-May), but are reviewed every semester, and continuance is subject to the availability of the positions, the student’s performance as an assistant, and the student’s record of scholarship. Faculty or laboratory coordinators supervising GTAs must provide performance evaluations at the end of each semester, and GTAs must solicit student evaluation of their performance in courses to which they have been assigned. It is the responsibility of the GTA to ensure that their credentials are current.

Regular appointments for Graduate Teaching Assistantships will be made on a competitive basis. Special Appointments may be awarded opportunistically as special needs arise to fill teaching vacancies on a semester-by-semester basis. Both incoming and currently enrolled graduate students are eligible to compete for regular appointments. The criteria include, but are not limited to: evidence of ability to communicate effectively, evidence of scholarship (undergraduate and graduate GPAs, GREs, presentations, publications, letters of reference), performance in teaching, contribution to the academic breadth of the graduate program, contribution to the ethnic and cultural diversity of the graduate program, and appropriate academic background to match needs for staffing of courses.

TUITION Effective Fall Semester 1979, the Colorado General Assembly instituted legislation requiring tuition for all graduate students to be paid either by the student or by a sponsoring project. Tuition charged will be based on each student’s residency status at the beginning of the semester (See Residency section for requirements to establish in-state residency). Due to the extreme cost differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition, the Department has established a policy of paying out-of-state tuition for GTAs for their first year ONLY. If, at the beginning of the second year of GTA support, a student has not established Colorado residency for tuition purposes, the Department will cover only the in-state tuition amount. Any tuition due above this amount will be charged directly to the student. Any exceptions to this ruling, such as GTAs with non-US citizenship, must be cleared through the Graduate Program Committee and the Departmental Chair before the Department will assume responsibility for more than one year of out-of-state tuition. Tuition arrangement for GRAs is the responsibility of the individual Principal Investigator, but it is assumed that the above procedures will be adopted by most faculty.

FELLOWSHIPS : Fellowships and scholarships are recommended for students with superior academic records. The Graduate School coordinates all graduate fellowship programs, but the student is responsible to the Department of Biology.

Part

Information for Students Already Admitted

PROGRAM OF STUDY (GS Form 6) The Program of Study (GS Form 6) should be submitted to the Department Chair early in the second term following enrollment. The formal plan will be completed during the initial meeting of the Graduate Advisory Committee, or shortly thereafter, as a direct outcome of that meeting. The Program of Study (GS Form 6) will be submitted to the Graduate School Office when completed. The GS Form 6 becomes the “contract” of the student with the Department and University for completion of his/her graduate program of study. Changes that occur are recorded on the GS Form 25, application for graduation.

SEMINARS Seminars provide the opportunity for compiling, digesting, and presenting information of interest to biologists. They are the principal means by which graduate students learn how to think like a biologist. They also are used to present subject matter not covered in other classes. All graduate students may enroll in appropriate seminars as part of their program of graduate study, and are encouraged to attend seminars whether or not they are officially registered for the course.

RESEARCH PROGRAM Before the end of the second term after enrollment, students should meet with their advisor and Graduate Advisory Committee to outline their research program. This may be done at the same meeting where the program of study is developed. The research program should be well planned at the start, and the pertinent literature reviewed and understood. Before embarking on research, the student must submit a written proposal to the committee. It is the student’s responsibility to make certain necessary prior approvals are obtained from University Regulatory Committees. These include (but are not limited to): 1) approval from the Animal Care and Use Committee for research involving animals, 2) approval from the Radiation Safety Committee for research involving radioisotopes, 3) approval from the Biosafety Committee for the use of biohazards, 4) approval from the Human Research Committee for research involving humans, including questionnaires. Note that it may take a month or so to obtain approvals.

THESIS and DISSERTATION A thesis is required for the MS degree (Plan A); a research report is desirable for the Plan B Master’s, and may be required by the Graduate Advisory Committee (see Colorado State University Bulletin for specific Plan A and Plan B requirements). A dissertation is required for the PhD degree.

Students will submit printed copies of the final draft of their thesis (or dissertation) to the members of their Graduate Advisory Committee at least two weeks before their oral examination is scheduled. This should be regarded as a minimum period, with more time being desirable to allow the committee ample time to evaluate the thesis. Any questions concerning the thesis format should be addressed to a member of the Morgan Library staff prior to submission to the Graduate Advisory Committee.

The advisor may require a bound copy of the thesis, in addition to the two copies required by the library. The committee may require students to have their results in a form suitable for publication as well as filing a thesis.

Students are encouraged to publish the results of research, and to give papers at meetings of scientific societies. Publication of a thesis (or dissertation) should state, “A part of a thesis (dissertation) submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Doctor of Philosophy) in Botany (Zoology) in the Graduate School of Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.”

COMPREHENSIVE and FINAL EXAMINATIONS The Departmental Chair shall be notified in writing by the student’s advisor of the time and place an examination is to be administered. In addition, the biology Graduate Secretary should be notified at least two weeks in advance of the Final Examination for the PhD degree so that an announcement of the date, time, and place of the defense can be posted on e-Comment Daily.

Master of Science Degree Final Examination The Final Examination required for the Master’s degree must be held in accordance with the Graduate School deadlines for the particular semester or summer term during which a student wishes to finish. The examining committee is the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee with the advisor serving as chair. Additional faculty members may also attend. The examination will evaluate the adequacy for knowledge in basic biology and ability to handle concepts and synthesize material. One or more areas to be examined in depth will be agreed upon by committee members and the student prior to the examination. It is the student’s obligation to seek this agreement with his/her committee members. If the student has submitted a thesis or research report, the examination will also evaluate the student’s ability to defend the thesis or research report. The student is responsible for taking the Report of Final Examination (GS Form 24) to the examination and returning it, completed and signed, to the Graduate School Office within two working days after the results are known. A candidate who fails the Final Examination may, with permission of the committee, present himself/herself for reexamination. The reexamination must be held not earlier than two months, or later than twelve months, after the date of the failure.

Doctor of Philosophy Candidacy A student is considered to be a candidate for a PhD degree by the Biology Department if matriculated and either having a Master’s Degree or having completed 30 credits towards a PhD degree.

Preliminary Examination. A student pursuing the PhD degree must pass a Preliminary Examination at least two terms prior to the final examination. The Preliminary Examination shall be administered to determine whether the student is qualified to continue toward the Doctorate. The written portion of the examination covers the field of specialization and supporting areas, and is followed by an oral examination. This examination will check the student’s adequacy of knowledge and ability to handle concepts and synthesize material. Prior to the examination, the graduate student shall obtain a copy of the GS Form 16 from the Graduate School Office on which the Graduate Advisory Committee reports the results of the examination. The Graduate School must receive this form at least two terms before the final examination is scheduled.

If recommended by the Departmental Chair and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School, a student who fails the Preliminary Examination may be granted one additional examination, to be taken not earlier than two months, nor later than twelve months, after the first, and upon satisfactory completion of such additional study as may be recommended by the Graduate Advisory Committee.

The Defense of Dissertation (Final Examination). must be held prior to the end of the eleventh week of graduation term for fall and spring semesters and prior to the end of the fifth week of the eight-week summer term. At least one month before the final examination, the advisor will inform the student and the committee members of the nature and scope of the examination. The faculty in Biology requires that all candidates for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy present a public seminar embodying the final results of the doctoral research program. This seminar must precede the Defense of Dissertation, and should be announced to all faculty and graduate students in the Biology Department by distribution of an electronic or a printed program and/or formal notice at least one week in advance of the seminar. The Defense of Dissertation is conducted by the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee with the advisor as chair. Additional faculty members may be invited to the Defense of Dissertation and any interested person may attend. The chairperson of the Advisory Committee will have the prerogative to decide whether those in attendance (outside of the committee) should be allowed to ask questions of the candidate during the examination. The Defense of Dissertation will primarily concern the dissertation.

Candidates who fail their defense of dissertation may present themselves, with permission of the committee, for one additional reexamination not earlier than two months, nor later than twelve months, after the date of the failure.

RESPONSIBILITY It is the joint responsibility of the student and the advisor to see that all requirements are completed fully and on time, so that no oversight delays a student’s graduation; however, the final responsibility falls on the student to see that all requirements have been met.

TIME SCHEDULE The usual time necessary to complete the requirements for the Master’s degree is two years. Students who have already received a Master’s degree from Colorado State University usually require three years to complete their Doctorate, whereas students who have received their Master’s degree from another institution usually complete their degree in four years. Professors with students who have not completed their degree requirements within the “usual” times may be asked to submit a report on their student’s progress for review by the Graduate Program Committee and the Departmental Chair. Dismissal may be recommended for students making unacceptable progress toward attainment of their degree. Consideration will be given to the fact that many degree programs take longer than “usual” to complete (this is especially true for interdisciplinary programs or those involving extensive field research).

EXCEPTIONS In cases where a particular requirement imposes undue hardship on a student, the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee may petition the Department for permission to waive that requirement.

GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION: The purpose of this Association is to organize student activities and serve as a liaison between the graduate students and faculty on matters of departmental concern. Below is a partial list of representative accomplishments and activities of graduate students in the Department of Biology:

1. Represent graduate student interests and concerns on Departmental committees for which graduate student representation is requested or required.

2. Planning of social functions.

3. Interaction with CSU Graduate Student Council and Natural Sciences Student Council in matters that directly concern Biology graduate students.

DISCRIMINATION BASED SOLELY UPON RACE, COLOR, CREED, SEX, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN AND WHICH IS WITHOUT APPROPRIATE BASIS OF DISTINCTION IS CONTRARY TO THE PURPOSES AND POLICIES OF THE UNIVERSITY AND VIOLATES THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS OF COLORADO.

¹ This handbook is supplemental to the CSU General Catalog and the Graduate and Professional Bulletin. Carefully read the regulations and requirements in both of these.

Part

Description of All Graduate School Forms and Procedures

Note: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.

Process	Form #	Form Title	Prepared By	Submitted To	Function
Applying to Graduate School	*GS 1	Application for Admission	Applicant	Admissions and Department	Apply to Graduate School
	GS*F1	Application for Admission (International)	Applicant	Admissions	Apply to Graduate School
Readmission	GS *1B	Application for Readmission, Change Application Entry, Application Update	Applicant or Student	Admissions	Request readmission, change entry date, or update application
Admission and Denial Notices	GS*2A	Notice of Graduate Admission	Department	Admissions	Notify Admissions Office and Graduate School of recommendation to admit a student
	GS*2D	Notice of Application Denial	Department	Admissions	Notify Admissions, Graduate School, and student denial of admission
Financial Support	GS*3F	Certificate of Financial Support	International Applicant	Admissions	Supply information for visa issuance
	GS *4B	Application for Fellowships, Traineeships, Research or Teaching Assistantships	Applicant or Student	Department	Provide information on interest and qualifications for fellowships and assistantships
Programs of Study	GS*6	Program of Study	Student and Committee	Graduate School	Identify course work, research, transfer credits, and graduate committee members
	GS*6A	Status of Program of Study	Graduate School	Student and Department	Notify student and department of any deficiencies on GS Form 6
Change Major	GS*7	Request for Change of Department and /or Degree Program	Student and Department	Graduate School	Request change of degree or program
Change Committee	GS*9A	Petition for Change in Committee	Student and Department	Graduate School	Request change in committee members
Department Exams	GS*14	Report of Departmental Internal Examination	Department	Graduate School	File results of departmental internal examinations
Preliminary and Final Exams	GS*16	Report of Preliminary Examination	Student and Committee	Graduate School	Report results of preliminary exam(PhD students only)
	GS*24	Report of Final Examination Results	Student and Committee	Graduate School	Report results of final exam
Graduation	GS*25	Application for Graduation	Student and Committee	Graduate School	Apply to graduate and request changes to program of study (GS Form 6 )
	GS*25B	Departmental Requirements	Department Head	Graduate School	Report completion of departmental requirements recorded on GS Form 25
	GS*26	Request for Certificate of Completion	Student	Graduate School	Request a certificate that degree requirements are complete
	**EX 102 Note: Information below.	Request to Take a Course Under the Exchange Agreement(Obtain form from Registrar’s Office)	Student	Registrar’s Office once approved by the Graduate School	Request permission to take courses at Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado or the University of Northern Colorado under the cooperative exchange agreement

*These forms can be found on the Graduate School website: http://www.graduateschool.colostate.edu

** EX102 Form: obtained from Registrars Office. Information regarding the Exchange Agreement form is located on: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Registrar/records.htm#coloradoexchange

Thesis Preparation Manuals are available from the University Bookstore and can be found on the Website. http://graduateschool.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=publications

Graduate School deadline dates are available from the Graduate school website:http://graduateschool.colostate.edu/index.asp?url=gradinfo

DUE DATE	STEPS	DATE COMPLETED
Fall Semester – January 15 Spring Semester – November 1	Letter of Application (GSF 1)
6 Months Before Admission	Application Received
Decision Process Begins After Deadline Dates for Each Semester	Action on Application
Prior to Graduate Teaching Assistant Workshop in mid-August	Arrival at CSU
At Time of Admittance into Department Graduate Program	Temporary Advisor Appointed
Before First Registration	Permanent Advisor Selected
Complete Before Time of Fourth Regular Semester Registration	Advisory Committee Selected
At the discretion of the student, his advisor and advisory committee	Advisory Committee Meeting
Complete Before Time of Fourth Regular Semester Registration	Program of Study (GS Form 6)
Complete Before End Of Second Term	Written Research Proposal
Prior to Initiation of Research	Necessary Approvals for Research Protocols Obtained from University Regulatory Committees
By 6^th Week Of Fall Or Spring Semester; 1^st Week Of 8-Week Summer Semester	Application for Graduation (GS Form 25)
2 Weeks Before Exam	Thesis to Committee (GS Form 23)
1 Week Before Exam	Public Notification to Department (of Final Examination or Defense)
Prior to end of 12^th week of graduating term for fall and spring semester. Prior to end of 5^th week of 8 week summer term	Final Examination or Defense of Dissertation