Overall Description for the 3+2 Program

Structure: The Department of Biological Sciences offers a combined program where students will be able to earn both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in 5 years of full-time study. During the first six semesters, students will complete a core of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Math courses totaling 52 credits. Students will apply for the MS in the fifth semester. By the end of the seventh semester students will have fulfilled their general education requirements and be granted the BS after completing 120 credits. Students will retain undergraduate status, pay undergrad tuition and fees, and be eligible for undergraduate financial aid until they have earned 120 credits and are awarded the BS. At that time, they will become matriculated grad students, pay grad tuition and fees and be eligible for graduate financial aid. Once admitted to the MS portion of the program, students will earn the MS after successfully completing all graduate requirements, including a minimum of 30 graduate credits.

Enrollment: Admission to the combined program is selective, restricted to students with exceptional records, and depends on the availability of a faculty member to serve as a thesis advisor. Students will apply to the combined degree program during the spring semester of their junior year. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better through the end of the junior year to be accepted into the program. Transfer students will be considered for the BS/MS program after taking 30 credits of course work at SUNY Brockport, 18 of which must be upper-division courses in Biological Sciences. Qualified applicants will be interviewed by the Department of Biological Sciences, which will make the final decision on admissions.

Credits: To earn a combined M.S./B.S. degree in Biology, students must achieve a total of 32 credits from Biology, 16 credits from Chemistry, 8 credits from Physics and a course of Mathematics chosen from Tables 1-4 below. There are two restrictions on your choice of electives. (1) A minimum of 16 credits in upper-division electives is required. (2) At least 12 of your credits must be at the 400 level.

Example: A typical four-year program that satisfies the above requirements and culminates in a combined M.S./B.S. in Biology is shown on Table 5. Students enrolled in the 3+2 program must have a continuing GPA of 3.0 or better to remain in the program. Students who fail to meet this academic standard will have a fallback position, which is to complete all requirements for the BS degree in Biological Sciences. After completing the combined program, students will have earned a BS and an MS in Biological Sciences.

Other Requirements

Other requirements are: (1) Design a Plan of Graduate Study in consultation with the Thesis Advisory Committee by the end of the seventh semester. (2) Successful completion of an oral comprehensive exam administered by the Graduate Advisory Committee by the end of the eighth semester. (3) Completion of a minimum of 15 semester hours at the 600/700 level. (4) Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of credit with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher of courses in the Plan of Graduate Study. (5) Completion of a written Thesis Proposal. (6) Completion of a written Thesis and an oral Defense of the Thesis. (7) Submission of five copies of the defended Thesis to the department secretary.

Table 1: Biology Requirements

Table 2: Chemistry Requirements

Table 3: Physics Requirements

Table 4: Mathematics Requirements

Table 5: A Typical 5-Year Program towards an M.S./B.S. in Biology