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StFX University: Department of Biology Honours Program | M.Sc. Program B.Sc. Advanced Major in Environmental Sciences B.Sc. Honours in Environmental Sciences Streams | Calendar Co-op Program in Biology The Department of Biology is proposing to offer a Co-operative Education Program starting in 2007. If you support this initiative send us an email: jbucklan@stfx.ca The Co-op Program in Biology would offer real-world work experience for students interested in developing a career in a biological discipline and also integrate work experience in their field of interest with their academic training. Graduates with a biology degree currently work in a variety of industries, including Pharmaceutical, Agribusiness, Medical, Forensics, Biotechnology, Bioengineering, as well as provincial and federal government departments such as Fisheries and Oceans, Environment and Natural Resources. Many of these employers are willing to support Co-op education by sponsoring students for up to one year in a training program. Having a Co-op Program means more of our students would have the opportunity to gain work experience in Biology in a variety of settings, before they graduate, which will give them greater confidence upon enter the work place. The proposed Co-op Program will begin in September 2007, opening with 4 – 5 students in the first year. Subsequently, the numbers would be expected to grow. The program takes 5 years to complete; 3 years of academic training, one year of Co-op training and finally one year of academic training. If the Co-op Program begins in 2007, it will be 2011 before we have the first graduates. The program will incorporate a strong mentoring component between students enrolled in later years of the program and those starting in earlier years. Several universities in the Maritimes already offer a Co-op Education Program in Biology, including Dalhousie, St Mary’s, Acadia and PEI. In order to remain competitive, this university needs to develop these kind of alternatives for students. Having this program as an option would help consolidate our enrollment and enable us to maintain a high standard in the Biology program. More importantly, it would offer real alternatives for those students who are uncertain about their careers after St. FX. We would be doing them all a service. If you support this initiative send us an email: jbucklan@stfx.ca
Environmental Science - Concentration in Biology
B.Sc. Advanced Major in Environmental
Sciences
B.Sc. Honours in Environmental Sciences
(revised May 2006) Biology is an empirical science which advances our understanding of the living world through application of the scientific method in experimental and observational studies. Accordingly, the Biology Honours program is designed to enable undergraduate students to gain exposure to original field and laboratory research including the design of an investigation, data collection and analysis, and formal presentation of the findings. Research work that students undertake during the summer may be appropriate for inclusion in the final thesis, but it must not be the sole source of thesis content. It is intended that all students, whether they are able to work with faculty during the summer or not, shall have equal access to the Honours research experience. TIMETABLE OF EVENTS Second Year
Third Year
Fourth Year
APPLICATION AND ACCEPTANCE PROCEDURE After formal acceptance into the Honours program (after second year) students must identify a faculty member who will supervise the research program before 31 March of the third year. Faculty members who agree to supervise a student must inform the Chair of their commitment to that student. A faculty member who has committed to supervising a student may decline to supervise additional students. In cases of difficulty in associating students with suitable supervisors, it is the responsibility of the Chair to resolve the situation. RESEARCH SUPERVISION It is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure the student has regular contact and adequate technical and strategic advice to proceed safely and successfully in the project. The research supervisor will work with the student to develop the research project and to complete the experiments. SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE A supervisory committee must be struck by March 31 of the third year. The committee will be composed of the supervisor, a second faculty member from the Biology Department or a member of a cognate department or governmental agency who is familiar with the research area, and the Chair of the Biology Department. If the Chair is supervisor, a third member will be appointed. In the case of a joint Honours program between Biology and a second department the supervisor and the Chair of Biology will be members of the supervisory committee with the co‑supervisor of the Science B department. It is the responsibility of the supervisory committee to monitor the progress of the student through the research program and to assist as needed. THESIS PROPOSAL Immediately after the start of classes (third and fourth weeks of September) each student will make a verbal presentation to the Biology 491 class summarizing the goals of the proposed research and the approach to be taken. A brief (maximum 500 word) proposal must be submitted to the supervisory committee for review by the last day of September. The proposal should outline the background, rationale, specific goals, and the methods of the proposed research. In general the thesis will follow a format similar to that of manuscripts for the Canadian Journal of Zoology (or the Canadian Journal of Botany, the Canadian Journal of Microbiology). Students should consult recent volumes for details of appropriate formatting. Finished theses normally vary between 20 and 70 pages in length, but there is much variation. A minimum of four copies of the final thesis are required (one for the student, supervisor, Biology Department and University Library) The thesis is to be double spaced throughout, including references, tables, and figure legends. Standard fonts set in 12 point type must be used, and the document should be of letter quality or better. Margins should be 2.5 cm on top, bottom, and right side, and 3.0 cm on the binding side. Tables should be numbered consecutively and be on separate pages either singly, or as part of a group of related tables. Figures, like tables, are to be numbered consecutively and may be single or grouped on a page. Legends may appear on the same page as the figure or on the facing page. Both Tables and Figures may be interspersed among text, or they may appear as a group after References. Theses will often take the following form: Opening Pages
Body of Thesis
The format shown above is a traditional format which may not always be the most suitable for efficient and clear presentation of the work. Therefore, it is expected that some theses will depart from this model, for example, with amalgamation of some of the sections or with subsections within sections. The specific structure of the thesis should be determined in consultation with the supervisor. Acceptance 1. A Departmental Graduate Committee is to be composed of 3 faculty, with a Chair elected by the total faculty for a 3-year term. The other two faculty are to be elected or appointed by the department. It is the function of the Graduate Committee to accept applications, seek appropriate supervisors for applicants, ensure that the applicants meet the requirements of acceptance and make recommendations to the Graduate Studies Committee of the University. 2. Incoming Graduate Students should have a Bachelor's degree with superior achievement. Minimum standards are 70% average or better; equivalent to grade B or better, or 3.3 or better on the Merit Point system (out of 4). 3. Prospective graduate students are encouraged to submit scores of Graduate Record Examinations or equivalent. 4. Undergraduate transcripts and two letters of recommendation are required. 5. All students accepted into the program must have a supervisor, who must be a regular faculty member or an adjunct professor. 6. Final acceptance is the decision of the Graduate Studies Committee. Program 1. Students with a B.Sc. (Honours), accepted into the M.Sc. program usually will spend at least 12 months in residency. 2. “In residence” means work at StFX that involves research and/or courses on a full time basis. 3. M.Sc. Supervisory Committee will consist of the supervisor and two other members, one of whom must be a StFX faculty member. The Supervisory Committee will be struck at the time the student is accepted into the program. The purpose of the committee is to ensure that the Research Proposal submitted by the student clearly states the working hypothesis, how it will be tested, and that courses appropriate to the program are taken. The Supervisory Committee must meet annually to monitor the progress of the student through completion of research and thesis. Additional meetings of the committee may be initiated by any member of the committee or the student. 4. The M.Sc. Research Proposal must be submitted by the student to the M.Sc. Supervisory Committee and accepted by the Committee before April 1 (or 8 months after arrival) in the first year. The proposal should include an abstract, an introduction, a working hypothesis, an outline of how the hypothesis will be tested, and an estimate of the costs involved in doing the research. 5. The M.Sc. candidate must earn a total of 30 graduate credits or the equivalent of 5 full courses in graduate work. Original thesis research may count for up to 12 credits of these 30, with an additional 6 credits being reserved for completion of the thesis and seminar. 6. The passing grade in all graduate courses is 65 but an overall average of 70 is required for graduation. Students may fail only one 6 credit, or two 3 credit courses of their total 30 credits, but they will still need 12 credits outside the thesis and seminar in order to graduate. 7. Full time students usually will complete the M.Sc. within three years of initial registration. 8. The thesis format will conform to standards set by Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI). A copy of these standards is kept in the Biology Office. 9. One bound copy of the completed thesis must be submitted to each of the following: 1. Supervisor 2. Library 3. Department 4. Student Completion of Requirements 1. The Examination Committee normally will consist of the M.Sc. Supervisory Committee; the Chair of the Department; a representative from the Graduate Studies Committee of StFX; as well as an external examiner selected by the M.Sc. Supervisory Committee. 2. The thesis must be read by the M.Sc. Examination Committee and approved. 3. The final examination will include an oral defense consisting of a public presentation of the research and a question period. Graduate Courses Department of Biology A list of the Graduate courses currently offered in the Department is given below. Additional courses may be offered based on student needs.
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