Graduate Program

The mission of the biology department M.S. program is to provide students with content knowledge and training beyond that provided by the B.S. in biology degree; to prepare students for further graduate studies or for career opportunities in education, research, medicine, allied health, or other professional areas; and to prepare students to be leaders in the sciences by developing the skills and abilities necessary to function as productive, creative, ethical and engaged scientists as determined by the community, state, national and international needs. This is achieved through selected coursework, research design and experimentation, faculty mentoring, and interactions with peer communities.

Contact: Paul Stone, Ph.D., graduate committee chairperson

Consult the biology department's Program Guide or the UCO Jackson College of Graduate Studies website. 

Graduate Student Assistantships

Acceptance of a student into the Department of Biology M.S. program does not guarantee that the student will be provided with financial assistance. Both graduate teaching assistantships (TAs) and graduate research assistantships (RAs) are available. The availability of both TAs and RAs depends on the number of students competing for the positions and the availability of funds. Other forms of support are discussed below: 

Contact the biology graduate committee chair (graduate program advisor, Paul Stone, Ph.D.) to inquire about the availability of a Teaching Assistantship (TA). To apply, complete the TA APP found on the forms page. Graduate TAs will be awarded by the biology graduate committee with assistance from the biology department chairperson. TAs will be awarded only to students who remain in good standing in the department. See the biology department graduate Program Guide (Appendix IX) for the criteria used to evaluate good standing. TAs typically come with a stipend and a tuition waiver.

Graduate Research Assistantships (RAs) can be obtained in the following ways: 1. The student has applied for and received a student Research, Creative, and Scholarly Activities (RCSA) grant through the UCO Office of High Impact Practices (OHIP); 2. The faculty mentor has applied for and received a faculty grant through the UCO Office of Research and Sponsored Programs;  3. The student or faculty mentor has applied for and received a Student Transformative Learning Record – Transformative Learning (STLR-TL) grant, or 4. The student or faculty mentor has applied for and received external funding that contains money available for student salaries.

Grants awarded to faculty mentors do not guarantee RAs for graduate students. RAs awarded through UCO RCSA typically include a stipend and a tuition waiver. RAs awarded through external grants will vary with regard to associated benefits (tuition waiver, health benefits, etc.) depending on the granting agency. STLR grants do not include tuition waivers.

Graduate Student Forms

The forms found on this page are to be completed as the student progresses through the Biology M.S. program. Please see the biology department Graduate Program Guide for additional information regarding the use and submission of these and other forms. Upon request, Forms I-IV are available as Word documents (contact Paul Stone, Ph.D.). 

Biology department forms (some of these forms are also submitted to the Graduate College. Please read each form carefully to ensure proper submission).

• Form I - Advisory Committee Approval
• Form II - Formal Plan of Study
• Form III - Thesis Proposal Form
• Form IV - Notification of Advisory Committee Meeting
• Form V - Major Advisor Evaluations of Student Progress
• Teaching Assistant Application

Travel Funds

Student RCSA Travel Presentation Grant – This grant is offered through OHIP and is intended for travel to present research at a conference. 

Additional travel funds may be available through your faculty mentor.