Departmental Policies

Graduate Programs

Teaching and research assistantships

In most cases students are supported by either teaching or research assistantships. All students, regardless of sources of support, are required to serve as teaching assistants for a minimum of two semesters.

Undergraduate programs

Eligibility for graduate courses

All 600-level courses with the exception of BIOL 698 and 699 are open to advanced undergraduates who meet prerequisites and have the permission of the instructor. Please consult UMass Boston's undergraduate catalog for complete information about the undergraduate courses listed below as prerequisites for individual graduate-level courses.

Grade point average

To graduate with a major in biology, students must maintain a final grade point average of 2.0 in biology courses above the level of Biol 111-112 that are used to meet biology major requirements.

Students fulfilling the above requirements will receive the bachelor of science degree. The major requirements that apply are those in effect at the date of each student's matriculation. Requirements for the biology major changed in the fall of 1988 and again in the spring of 1995; the earlier versions can be consulted in the Biology Department office or in university catalogs for the appropriate year.

Exemptions (AP and CLEP)

• Students who have taken the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology and have scored "3" will be exempted from taking general biology at UMass Boston.
• Students who score "4" or higher on the Advanced Placement Examination will be exempted from taking general biology at UMass Boston and will be granted four elective credits towards graduation.
• CLEP: The Biology Department accepts a score of 50 and above on the CLEP exam. Students who meet this requirement will be exempted from General Biology I and II (Biology 111-112) and will receive six (6) credits.

Honors

To graduate with honors in biology, it is necessary to complete satisfactorily a program of at least 3 credits in independent study in biology (Biol 478, 479). The biology faculty will confer departmental honors upon students who have:

• maintained a cumulative average of 3.0 or higher.
• obtained satisfactory grades in their advanced Biology courses. (Generally interpreted as a 3.0 average for all biology courses numbered 200 or above).
• written a thesis and given an oral presentation of their independent study project which, in the view of the biology faculty, merits the awarding of honors. Thesis presentations are scheduled near the end of each semester.

Pass/Fail Option

Not more than one course among the biology major requirements (including those in other departments) shall be taken on a pass/fail basis.

Transfer Credit Policy

In meeting requirements for graduation with a degree in biology, a transfer student must have completed at least 12 credit hours, including a minimum of 2 credit hours (6 class hours) in laboratory work, with the Biology Department at UMass Boston (or the equivalent at UMass Amherst). These biology courses will be at the 300 level or above unless approval is obtained for lower-level courses from the department chair. Please note: The following courses may not be counted toward this requirement: Biol 381, 444, 478-479, 672-673, and the 32 credits of clinical training in the biology and medical technology major.

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