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UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

The Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy operate on both the Oxford and Jackson campuses. The Schools of Dentistry, Health Related Professionals and Medicine, and the Health Sciences Graduate School, are based in Jackson only. (Additional healthcare programs are available through the School of Applied Sciences on the Oxford campus.) Other than these exceptions, the schools above are on the Oxford campus.

BIOLOGY

Undergraduate Studies

The B.A. and B.S. programs require Bisc 160, 161, 162, and 163 as initial courses. The prerequisite for Bisc 160 is a minimum ACT mathematics score of 25 (SAT 580) or minimum grade of B in Math 123 (Trigonometry), Math 125 (Basic Math for Sci. and Eng.), or Chem 101. These courses provide the foundation for subsequent work and are prerequisites for admission into advanced major courses.

Nonbiological science majors wishing to satisfy the university's laboratory science requirements may take Bisc 102 and 103 (Inquiry into Life: Human Biology) and Bisc 104 and 105 (Inquiry into Life: The Environment). These courses are designed to be relevant to the nonscience student. The two courses are not independent; Bisc 102 is prerequisite to Bisc 104. Students not needing a laboratory may register for the lecture course (Bisc 102 or 104) alone. Students may also satisfy their science requirements by taking the Bisc 160-161,162-163 sequence that is designed for biology majors, pre-health students, and teacher education students. Bisc 160, 161, 162, and 163 courses are appropriate for students who have not decided on a major but who think they may later become interested in medicine, teaching, or research in biology. Bisc 206, 207, and 210 can also be used to meet the university's lab science requirement but may not be used toward a major in biology.

Students may not receive credit toward a degree for both 102 and 160, or both 104 and 162, or their respective laboratories. Pre-medical and pre-dental students considering a major in biological science are urged to follow the recommended biological science class sequence and to declare a major by the end of their sophomore year. Health pre-professional students will find a biological science major particularly appropriate for their career goals.

Students must achieve a grade of C or better in all course work counted for the major in biological science, and every biological science course requires a grade of C or better in all prerequisite courses, including those prerequisite courses from other departments (except for Bisc 104/105, which require passing grades in Bisc 102/103). For example, Bisc 160 and 161 must be passed with a grade of C or better before Bisc 162 and 163 may be taken. In addition, Bisc 160, 161, 162, and 163 must be passed with a grade of C or better before any additional biological science course at the 300 level or above is attempted.

For biological science majors, some pharmacy courses may count as biological science courses at the 300 level or above. Interested students should receive prior approval from the chair of the Department of Biology.

Secondary education students should consult the School of Education for information about secondary education certification of high school science teachers.

See the degree requirements under Programs.

Graduate Studies

A candidate for admission to the M.S. program in the Department of Biology must submit an on-line application to the Graduate School. This consists of a Graduate School application; official scores for the GRE general test; official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work; a statement of research interests; and two letters of recommendation. International students must submit English language proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-A). Students from countries with English as their official language are exempt. Acceptable results on the TSE or SPEAK tests of spoken English are required for international students to be eligible for a teaching assistantship. Candidates must (a) satisfy the Graduate School admission requirements, (b) have an undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S), (c) have a strong record of achievement in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Admission is also contingent upon a faculty member agreeing to serve as thesis adviser.

A candidate for admission to the Ph.D. program in the Department of Biology must submit an on-line application to the Graduate School. This consists of a Graduate School application; official scores for the GRE general test; official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work; a statement of research interests; and two letters of recommendation. International students must submit English language proficiency test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE-A). Students from countries with English as their official language are exempt. Acceptable results on the TSE or SPEAK tests of spoken English are required for international students to be eligible for a teaching assistantship. Candidates must (a) satisfy the Graduate School admission requirements, (b) have an undergraduate degree (B.A. or B.S), (c) have a strong record of achievement in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Admission is also contingent upon a faculty member agreeing to serve as thesis adviser. In order to be admitted into the Ph.D. program without a master's degree, successful applicants usually have GRE scores in excess of the 50th percentile in both quantitative and verbal sections and/or significant research experience.

New graduate applications will normally be reviewed once per year during February. The committee reserves the right to consider applicants outside the review period if a compelling reason is provided by the adviser.

See the degree requirements under Programs.

The policies and regulations contained in this online University of Mississippi Catalog are in effect for the current or selected semester. The catalog is not a contract, but rather a guide for the convenience of students. The University of Mississippi reserves the right to 1) change or withdraw courses; 2) change the fees, rules, and schedules for admission, registration, instruction, and graduation; and 3) change other regulations affecting the student body at any time. Implicit in each student’s enrollment with the university is an agreement to comply with university rules and regulations, which the university may modify to exercise properly its educational responsibility.