The Biology Graduate Student Handbook contains important policies and information, helpful links, and other resources to guide you through your time as a graduate student in our department.
Biology in the Academic Catalog WVU Graduate Academic Catalog
Table of Contents
Steps to your Graduate Degree
- Introduction
- Step 1: Rotation: Selection of an Advisor
- Step 2: Selection of an Advisory Committee, annual review and evaluation
- Step 3: Program of Study
- Step 4: Curriculum Requirements for MS students
- Step 4: Curriculum Requirements for Ph.D. students
- Step 5: Directed Readings (Ph.D. students only)
- Step 6: The Preliminary Examination & Promotion (Ph.D. students only)
- Step 7: The Proposal Examination (Ph.D. students only)
- Step 8: Writing a MS Thesis or Ph.D. Dissertation
- Step 9: The Thesis or Dissertation Defense
Timelines and Advising
- Timelines, Time Limits and Residence
- Graduate Teaching, Research and Service Assistantships
- Adherence to Timeline and Consequences for Delay
- Probation
- Changing Degree Programs
- Resolving Conflict
- Changing Advisors
Appendices
- Appendix A. Roles of Personnel
- Appendix B. Checklist for Degree Progression
- Appendix C. Format for Program of Study
- Appendix D. Professional Development Coursework Options
- Appendix E. Expectations for Graduate Teaching and Research Assistants
- Appendix F. Biology 797 Workload Plan (Independent Research)
- Appendix G: Helpful Links and Resources
Revisions
Last approved revision June 7th, 2023. Please visit the Department of Biology website for useful information about our graduate program.
- Major revision approved on May 11, 2007 by the graduate faculty by a vote of 15 for and 0 opposed.
- Revision concerning seminar hours approved on May 15, 2009 by the graduate faculty by a vote of 14 for and 0 opposed.
- Reorganization, clarification, and corrections in order to comply with University policy made May 18, 2009 (faculty approval not required).
- Revised to reflect new course number for Departmental Seminars on December 17, 2010 (faculty approval not required).
- Revision of spring graduate seminar approved on April 19, 2012 by the graduate faculty by a vote of 9 for, 4 opposed, and 1 abstention.
- Reorganization, clarification, and corrections were made by Drs. Peterjohn and Rio on January 23, 2013 (faculty approval not required).
- Revision of Professional Development and Graduate Seminar (Biol. 796) made by KCD were approved by majority Faculty vote (Dec. 3 rd 2015). Minor update revisions by KCD August 2016 (faculty approval not required).
- Revision of written preliminary exam format options and Appendix D. made by KCD were approved by unanimous Faculty vote (Feb. 16 th 2017).
- Minor update reflecting changes required by ECAS: Biol 799 dropped and Biol 794 used instead (Feb. 28 2018).
- Revision in wording to state that MS students are not required to serve as a teaching assistant (T.A.) but can do so if they wish; approved by unanimous Faculty vote (Sept. 29 th 2020).
- All graduate students entering the program after these dates must follow the material contained in the appropriate revision of this handbook.
- Major revision approved unanimously on November 17 th, 2022 by the graduate faculty.
- Revision to add onsite advisor policy approved unanimously on June 7 th, 2023 by the graduate faculty.
- Revision to credit requirements to MSc approved unanimously on October 19 th, 2023 by the graduate faculty.
- Clarifying language added to course selection added to prof. devel. section to match language in graduate catalog.
- Revision to professional development credit requirements to increase PhD credits from 6-7 as required by ECAS (April 29 th, 2024)