GRADUATE STUDENT REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES
DEPARTMENT OF
ENTOMOLOGY AND WILDLIFE ECOLOGY
September
2004
The Department offers programs leading to the Master of Science (M.S.)
and the Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Entomology and Applied Ecology and
the Master of Science (M.S.) in Wildlife
Ecology. Graduate students
in these fields couple a focus on insects or vertebrates with a broad knowledge
of other related fields of biology, especially ecology. Students in the M.S.
program leading to a degree in Entomology and Applied
Ecology must choose one of two concentrations (Entomology or
Applied Ecology), which differ in their requirements. Each candidate’s program is planned with the
help of the advisor and graduate committee.
The M.S. programs prepare students for pursuit of the
Ph.D. and careers in entomology, wildlife ecology, and other biological
disciplines. The M.S. in Entomology, in
place since 1949, was changed to M.S. in Entomology and Applied Ecology in
1999, and concentrations were added in 2001.
The Ph.D. program received 4- year Provisional Status effective
The minimum requirements for admission
to the master’s and doctoral programs are an
undergraduate academic index of 2.8 overall and 3.0 in the major field of study
and a combined score of 1050 on the verbal and quantitative portions
of the GRE. Graduate GPA (if applicable)
should be at least 3.2. A paper-based
TOEFL score of at least 550 (or 213 computer-based) is required for
international students. The Advanced GRE
in Biology is required for Ph.D.
applicants, and it is strongly recommended for M.S. applicants. Scores are used for making course program
recommendations and as additional information for awarding graduate
assistantships.
Applicants for the either
M.S. program must indicate degree choice and, if
appropriate, the concentration to which they seek
admission. At any time before or after
admission, an applicant or a student may change concentrations or
programs and become subject to all pertinent application and
degree requirements of the new concentration program. An applicant should have passed courses in
introductory biology and general ecology.
Students lacking any of those courses must complete
them within the first year of graduate study with a grade of B or better. Additionally, M.S.
applicants for the Applied Ecology Concentration should have satisfactorily
passed a physiology course. Additionally,
M.S. applicants for the Wildlife Ecology program
should have made substantial progress towards completion
of the educational requirements for
certification as an Associate Wildlife Biologist with The Wildlife Society
(refer to The Wildlife Society website for a complete listing of requirements http://www.wildlife.org/).
Applicants for all degree programs
must submit onetwo
official transcripts of all previous college records and
have three recommendation forms completed by appropriate mentors and submitted
to the department. At least two of these
should be from faculty of the applicant’s major department. Applicants for the Ph.D. program are strongly
encouraged to submit additional evidential material that attests to the
applicant’s ability to carry out and benefit from doctoral work. This material can include Master’s theses,
term papers, research reports, grant proposals, publications, evidence of
teaching or professional work experience, etc. Ph.D. applicants must also
identify a faculty member with whom they would like to conduct their research,
and that person must agree to act as the student’s advisor before the applicant
will be accepted into the program. For
most applicants, completion of an M.S. degree is required before admission to
the doctoral program. However,
exceptionally well-qualified students may be admitted directly to the Ph.D.
program. For further details,
contact the chairperson of the department’s Graduate Admissions Committee. Applications for financial support should be
completed by February 1 for Summer or Fall terms and November 1 for entering in
Spring term.
Admission to the graduate program is
selective and competitive based on the number of well qualified applicants and
the limits of available faculty and facilities.
Those who meet stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission,
nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded
from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. Applications for financial support should be
completed by February 1 for Summer or Fall terms and
November 1 for entering in Spring term.
For further details, contact the chairperson of the department’s
Graduate Admissions Committee.
GRADUATE COMMITTEE
The Department Chair will assign each
student a temporary advisor no later thanwithin
one week after the
student begins graduate work. The student must decide on a permanent advisor and form a graduate
committee (in consultation with the advisor) by the end of
the first semesterm. The student may request in
writing to the Department Chair that changes be made in the graduate committee at a later date. A
committee meeting should be held as soon as possible to help plan the student's program of course work
and research. The Advisor must provide copies of this program and any revisions that may arise to the student, the student’s department file, and to the Office of Graduate Studies. Additionally, for the Wildlife Ecology program, the committee has responsibility to determine that the student has completed course requirements for certification as an Associate Wildlife Biologist with The Wildlife Society.
The graduate committee for the M.S. should consist of the student's advisor, one other faculty member
from inside the Department, and one expert from outside the Department. The graduate committee for the
Ph.D. should consist of the advisor and one other committee member representing the student’s primary area
of study; one member from within the department but from an area outside of the student’s primary area of
study; and one external member. Other members may be included on committees for either degree, up to a maximum of six. The Department Chair is an ex officio member of all committees and must be notified of
all committee meetings. The committee should represent the areas of emphasis of the student's intended
program and
research. The composition of the
graduate committee should be confirmed by memo from the advisor to the student
with copies to the student's file and to committee members.
Maintenance of steady, reasonable progress toward the degree is the responsibility of the student and the advisor. Regular meetings with the graduate committee to discuss progress are strongly encouraged and are required at least once each year.
MASTER OF SCIENCE REQUIREMENTS
General requirements for both both
concentrations of the M.S. degrees are: (1)
completion of at least 30 graduate credit hours, including required courses for
the chosen concentration (Entomology or Applied Ecology) and
a thesis describing independent research (6 credit hours); (2) passing an oral,
general knowledge examination centering on the student’s program of study; (3)
presenting the thesis research in a formal departmental seminar; and (4)
passing a thesis defense. Students in
the Entomology Concentration for the Entomology and Applied Ecology program
also must pass an Insect Family Recognition Test (see later section).
A.
Credit, Course,
and Grade Requirements
If a student has satisfactorily completed any of
the required courses or an equivalent, the requirement may be waived.
1.
Core M.S. Courses
ENWC
614 – Advanced Ecology (3
CH)
ENWC 865 – Seminar (1 CH)*
ENWC 888 - Topics in Entomology & Applied Ecology (1 CH)**
ENWC 869 - Master's Thesis (6 CH)***
A graduate-level statistics course (3 CH)
(Excluding data management courses such as FREC 674)
*ENWC
865 should be taken during the student's
first semester of study, if possible.
**ENWC
888 should be taken for credit during the
student's second semester, if possible.
Students are expected to attend
all department seminars throughout their period of graduate study.
***see sect. B, below
2.
Additional
Courses required by the Programs
a.
Entomology
and Applied Ecology Program
1)
Entomology
Concentration
ENWC 601 - Insect Physiology (4 CH)
ENWC 606 – Insect ID – Taxonomy (3 CH)
ENWC
614 – Insect Ecology (3
CH)
2)
Applied Ecology Concentration
BISC 637 – Population Ecology (3 CH)
One of the following:
ENWC 620 – Behavioral Ecology (3
CH)
ENWC 655 – Conservation Genetics (3
CH)
ENWC 615 – Wildlife Research
Techniques (3 CH)
Two of the following:
ENWC 606 – Insect ID – Taxonomy (3 CH)
OR
ENWC 608 – Insect Field Taxonomy (3 CH)
ENWC 618 – Avian Biology (3 CH)
ENWC 624 – Herpetology (3 CH)
ENWC 625 – Mammalogy (3 CH)
BISC 630 – Ichthyology (3 CH)
OR
MAST 629 – Topics in Marine Ecology: Ichthyology (3 CH)
b.
Wildlife
Ecology Program
Graduate-level ENWC courses (7
CH)*
Coursework sufficient to meet the educational
requirements for certification as an Associate Wildlife Biologist with The
Wildlife Society (refer to The Wildlife Society website for a complete listing
of requirements http://www.wildlife.org/)**
* Courses taken for graduate credit to complete the
educational requirements for certification by the Wildlife Society may count
toward the 30 graduate credit hours necessary for graduation. If these courses are from courses offered by
the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, they may also count toward
the additional 7 credit hours.
**Determination of completion of sufficient
coursework is made by the graduate committee (See Graduate Committee above)
3.
Additional Coursework (all programs) –
Students must earn additional graduate credit hours appropriate to the
concentration or degree program to bring the total
earned to at least 30 hours. A
maximum of 3 credits in ENWC 666, 668, 866, and 868 and 6 credits of 869 can be
applied to the degree. A
list of the additional credit hours should be developed at the first committee
meeting and confirmed in writing to the student by the advisor. Students in the
Entomology Concentration lacking an undergraduate entomology course should
register as a listener in ENWC 205 and/or 305 as needed and may earn one
graduate credit to the satisfaction of the instructor(s) of the course(s). Students
may also be required by their committee to take coursework to make up a
deficiency or to meet a prerequisite for a graduate level course. Any such requirements will be stated in
writing by the student’s advisor following the first committee meeting. If the course can be taken for graduate
credit, it will count toward the additional credits. A maximum of 3 credits
in ENWC 666, 668, 866, and 868 and 6 credits of 869 can be applied to the
degree. Students in the
Entomology Concentration lacking an undergraduate entomology course should
register as a listener in ENWC 205 and/or 305 as needed and may earn one
graduate credit to the satisfaction of the instructor(s) of the course(s).
4. Grade Requirements - Graduate students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00. GPA requirements are monitored by the Office of Graduate Studies according to the Graduate Studies Academic Probation Policy.
B. Thesis Requirement
By the end of the first year (preferably within the first 6 months) of graduate study, candidates must submit to their committee for review and approval, a written research proposal describing the intended thesis research, a detailed review of pertinent literature, the methods and procedures to be used, and a timetable for completion. The proposal may be reviewed and refined as necessary. If major emphasis is shifted in the research, the proposal should be amended with the advice and consent of the committee. Students are encouraged to participate in ENWC 870 (Graduate Research Seminar) to obtain additional insight and suggestions about their research.
The thesis should reflect the student's ability to conduct independent scholarly research and to report the results in a manner worthy of publication. It must conform to the University's Thesis and Dissertation Manual (available in the University Bookstore and on the WEB under Handbooks) as to format and other mechanics. Students may write the thesis in a style suitable for a manuscript(s) ready for submission to a journal in consultation with their advisor.
The student may register for Master's Thesis (ENWC 869) during any term or terms to accumulate the required minimum of 6 credit hours. The student will receive a temporary
grade of S or U until successful completion of the thesis, when the advisor will record a letter grade.
C. Insect Recognition Test (Required for Entomology Concentration only)
The Insect Recognition Test examines the student's ability to recognize the insect orders and 150 common insect families without the use of keys. A list of the families which may be included on the test is available in the department office. Students also must demonstrate an ability to use a taxonomic key. A faculty member appointed by the Department Chair administers the test, which is scheduled at the request of the student. A score of 85% is the minimum passing score. The test may be taken three times. The Insect Recognition requirement will be waived for any student who receives an A in ENWC 406/606, Insect ID -Taxonomy.
D. General Knowledge Examination
The General Knowledge
Examination should be taken during the semester prior to the expected date of
completing other requirements for the degree.
The exam focuses on the student's training in his or her concentration
and related areas. The principal
examiners will be the student's graduate committee. Any
E. Department Seminar
A formal, public seminar detailing the student's research effort is required. The seminar should be of standard format and should utilize appropriate visual aids. Most seminars run 30-45 minutes with time for questions following the presentation. The student and advisor are responsible for arranging the details of the seminar presentation, including its announcement by the usual seminar notices at least one week in advance.
F. Thesis Defense
The Thesis Defense is
conducted by the student's committee using the same procedures as the General
Knowledge Examination. The student must
provide each graduate committee member with a refined (but not final) draft of
the thesis at least two weeks before the thesis defense. The date of the thesis
defense should precede the University deadline for thesis submission by at
least two weeks to allow sufficient time for any necessary changes. The Thesis Defense is usually scheduled
directly after the student's Department Seminar (see 5). The Seminar, including audience questions,
will not constitute a thesis defense.
The Thesis Defense is open to all
The defense shall be announced at least one week in advance by the distribution of a seminar notice (see 5), which should indicate that the defense will follow the seminar, or by memorandum to department faculty and by the posting of a notice in the Department.
A. Course Requirements
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is conferred in recognition of breadth of scholarly attainment and of demonstrated power to investigate problems independently and effectively, rather than for the completion of definite courses of study through a stated period of time. Doctoral students in Entomology and Applied Ecology must complete the following courses or their equivalent, either before or during their program at Delaware: ENWC 601 (Insect Physiology), ENWC 606 (Insect ID-Taxonomy), ENWC 614 (Insect Ecology), ENWC 865 (Seminar), ENWC 888 (Topics in Entomology and Applied Ecology), 6 credits of graduate statistics (600-level or above) and 9 credits of Doctoral Dissertation (ENWC 969). Doctoral students entering the program with an M.S. must complete a total of at least 30 graduate credits, and students entering with a B.S. must complete a total of at least 60 graduate credits while enrolled in the program.
Through their course of study,
doctoral students should develop significant expertise in one major area and in
at least one ancillary area. During the
first semester of study, students should develop a proposed list of courses
that they will complete while at
B. Research Proposal
By the end of the first year of graduate study, candidates must develop a preliminary research proposal describing the intended dissertation research. This preliminary proposal must be presented orally in a forum open to all members of the department. The student may complete ENWC 870, Graduate Research Seminar, to satisfy this requirement.
Doctoral students must also submit a written research proposal and have it accepted by their graduate committee. This proposal should include a detailed review of pertinent literature, justification for conducting the research, methods and procedures to be used, and a timetable for completion. Preliminary research results may also be included. The proposal should be submitted within 3 months of the oral proposal, and must be presented at a meeting of the student’s graduate committee. The proposal will be reviewed and refined as necessary, based on the committee’s input. If major emphasis is shifted during the course of the research, the proposal should be amended with the advice and consent of the committee.
C. Qualifying Examination
Doctoral students must prove to their graduate committee that they have acquired a comprehensive grasp of their field of study through a qualifying examination (written and oral) before they are admitted to formal Ph.D. candidacy. This examination should generally occur by the end of the second year of study. Each member of the student’s committee will submit written questions to be answered by the student in writing, under conditions to be established by the committee. Each committee member will read and grade the student’s responses to their own written questions, prior to the oral portion of the exam. The oral portion will follow approximately 2 weeks after the end of the written portion, and will be conducted by the student’s graduate committee. Decisions concerning passage of the examination and recommendations stemming from it are decided by the committee based on a simple majority vote. If the first attempt results in failure, the second examination cannot be taken earlier than 90 days nor later than 365 days following the first examination. The examination may be taken only twice. A second failure results in dismissal from the program. In the case of a second failure, a student has the option of completing all requirements for the Master of Science degree in either concentration provided that he or she does not already have that degree.
D. Admission to Candidacy
When they begin their program, all Ph.D. students are classified as precandidates (G1 status). The requirements for admission to doctoral candidacy (G2 status) are that the student has (1) had a program of study approved, (2) completed at least one academic year of full-time graduate study in residence at the University, (3) had a research project accepted by the graduate committee, and (4) passed the program’s qualifying examination. The advisor must submit the recommendation for candidacy form to the Office of Graduate Studies.
Doctoral candidates must provide
evidence of a significant teaching experience during their program, for example
by acting as a TA in charge of a laboratory section during an entire semester,
by developing and delivering lectures and/or preparing laboratories for one
module in an established course, or by developing and presenting a series of
Extension workshops. This experience
should be developed by the candidate in conjunction with the committee,
and its completion verified by a letter
from the instructor of the course to the advisor, with
a copy to the Department Chair. The
advisor should notify the Graduate Office when this requirement has been
satisfied.
F. Conference Presentation
Doctoral candidates must make at least
one presentation of a research paper at a regional or national conference
during their program. Verification
should be by letter from the advisor to the Department Chair, with a copy to
the Graduate Office.
G. Dissertation and Final Oral Examination
After they have been formally admitted
to candidacy, students must register for and complete nine credit hours of ENWC
969 (Doctoral Dissertation). Note that
at this point the composition of the committee may be changed to more closely
reflect the specific subject matter of the dissertation, as long as the
committee still consists of four to six members with a minimum of two from
within and one from outside the Department.
The dissertation must present original research and must meet the
generally accepted professional and literary standards for scholarship in the
student’s field. It must also adhere to
the style requirements of the
Each doctoral student will be formally evaluated at the end of each academic year by the student’s graduate committee. This written evaluation will provide students with detailed feedback on their progress toward the degree. The written evaluation will be part of the student’s official record, and a copy must be submitted to the Department Chair.
Graduate
students in good standing may receive financial support from one of the
following sources:
a. Research Assistantships – Students work on faculty projects for 20 hours per week. An attempt is made to match faculty and student interests, but students should consider this an opportunity to develop competencies in new areas, if interests do not match. Assignments are made by the Chair, subject to the approval of the faculty member(s) directing the research project.
b. Teaching Assistantships – Students assist in teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses. Students may be expected to prepare and grade examinations under the supervision of the instructor, handle routine class administrative procedures, counsel and tutor individual students where necessary, and possibly conduct classes. In some cases, time is split between two or more courses, but in no case will the total workload exceed 20 hours per week. Students should view this as an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and to develop teaching skills at the college level. Assignments are made by the Chair, after consultation with faculty member(s) in charge of the course(s). Teaching Assistantships may be available in the Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology and in the Department of Biological Sciences.
c. Fellowships
– Department, College, or University Fellowships are usually reserved for
students in the advanced stages of their graduate careers and are intended to
support thesis and dissertation research and writing. Awards are recommended by the faculty and the
Department Graduate Studies Committee, and
are made by the Chair.
Graduate students on a research or teaching
assistantship or a fellowship are expected to give their full-time attention to
graduate study and may not engage in any remunerative employment while holding
the assistantship or fellowship.
The procedure for nominating and awarding assistantships is as follows:
1. Application for fellowships, assistantships
and scholarships
Students wishing to be
considered for nomination for a fellowship or assistantship should so indicate
on their application form for admission.
Nominees must have a cumulative grade
index of at least 2.8 (in undergraduate courses) for
incoming students, or 3.0 (in graduate courses) for continuing students. Fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships
become available at various times during the year.,
and s Students should inquire of the
Department Chair concerning their availability.
2. Award of assistantships
Graduate research assistantships, teaching assistantships and fellowships are awarded to qualified students by the Department. When possible, announcement of graduate research assistantship awards will be made by April 1 for Fall semester and by November 1 for the Spring semester. Students entering in the fall may begin working and receiving research assistantships in summer months. Other awards will be made by June 1 for the Fall semester and Dec. 1 for the Spring semester, when possible.
3. Retention of assistantships
Awardees hold assistantships for one year. Assistantships will be reviewed by the end of April of the first year and evaluated for renewal. The review and evaluation for renewal of assistantships will be conducted by the Department Chair and the student's advisor. Review and evaluation of teaching assistantships should include input from the entire teaching staff. The Department Chair will initiate the review.
The University requires that the master’s program be completed within ten consecutive semesters. The doctoral program must be completed within ten consecutive semesters for students admitted with a Master’s degree and within fourteen consecutive semesters for students admitted without it. Full-time study is strongly encouraged. Students who can devote full time to their program should earn the master’s degree within two to two and a half years, and the doctorate within three to four years. Students in the doctoral program must spend at least one continuous academic year in full-time study in the program.
1. The
requirements and guidelines stated herein are in effect for all students
entering graduate status as of
2. All students applying for admission should receive this set of guidelines and information. Faculty advisors should be sure that each of their graduate student advisees has a copy of and is aware of these requirements. Copies are available in the department office.
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