Graduate-level Courses

A departmental committee will examine the candidate's knowledge in the area(s) of Biology related to the student's research proposal. Students will submit a comprehensive research proposal, which will serve as the basis for an oral examination. Required of all PhD students, to be completed in the first 12 months of the program. Course Outline

The student will write and present an in-depth literature review of current knowledge in an area of biology (selected in consultation with the department Head and supervisor). At an oral examination, a departmental committee will examine the candidate’s knowledge related to the review. Required of all PhD students, to be completed in the first 20 months of the program. Course Outline

This course develops general skills and knowledge in the field of scientific research. Students will be introduced to the philosophy of science with discussions about how to identify important and feasible research topics. Students will also be taught about communicating with the media, giving clear oral presentations and posters, and will have the opportunity to do extensive writing and oral presentations which will be rigorously critiqued by a number of faculty members. Course Outline.

Pre-requisite: Admission to a MSc program in Biological Sciences.

A guide to contemporary statistical models for biological data. Emphasizes practical skills in using software for implementing models, testing hypotheses, and making predictions about biological and ecological systems. Prior programming experience is recommended.

Syllabus: Winter 2024.

The BIOL 887 requirement is met by presenting either during the Graduate Seminar (a 10 min GS presentation), which is offered once in the Fall Semester and once in the Winter Semester as part of the Biology Dept. Seminar Series, or by presenting a Departmental Seminar (DS, 60 min presentation). The following guidelines indicate when and what type of seminar you will give, according to the program you are in.

• Incoming MSc and PhD students deliver a GS in the Winter Semester.
• Year 2 MSc and PhD student who presented a GS in their first Winter Semester do NOT have to give a GS in year 2.
• Year 2 MSc students who are defending within two years of starting their program must give a DS in year 2.
• Third and subsequent year MSc and PhD students must present a GS every Fall unless they have a DS in the fall semester. A Winter semester DS does NOT get them out of a Fall GS.

Seminars by invited speakers. All graduate students must register for two semester hours, but should attend each semester while in residence. This course is given in conjunction with BIOL 488 during the fall and winter semesters.

Courses established to broaden the perspective and expand advanced knowledge in a particular discipline or professional field. Courses are complex and designed to extend the knowledge and intellectual maturity of students beyond the baccalaureate.

The category of Selected Topics is reserved for courses that have a defined subject area and for which the adequacy of library resources are/should be known. (As examples, in the AA-ZZ series of courses, Selected Topics in Financial Management or Selected Topics in Inorganic Chemistry, or Advanced Studies in Canadian Literature) will be categorized as a Selected Topics courses and formally-approved, whereas the more broadly based courses for which formal approval and library holdings are not know should be labeled Special Topics).

These courses have not received a formal review by the academic units and the Library, and require the approval of the Head of the academic unit and the Dean of the FGSR. The purpose of this category is to facilitate offerings on a wide variety of topics of relevance, allowing exploration of numerous theories, principles, models and strategies. These courses permit new or visiting faculty to offer a course in an area of expertise where otherwise the approval process would not permit a timely offering. They also allow academic units to experiment with offerings rather than having to commit to a formal approval process without being able to determine demand. As well, they provide an opportunity for students who have individual interests or graduation requirements to be accommodated. These courses may be stand-alone graduate courses or co-scheduled with a fourth-year undergraduate course, although it is recognized that there may be occasions where co-scheduling with a third-year course may be appropriate (requires that a rationale for such be made by the academic unit). If co-scheduled, the requirements and expectations to warrant an 800/700-level designation must be specified on the approval request form.

These are titled or Selected Topics graduate courses that are regularly co-scheduled with a formally-approved, fourth-year undergraduate courses, and are identified in the graduate calendar as Course Name 8XX (4XX), or 7XX (4XX), e.g. HIST 805 (405), where the 4XX defines the corresponding undergraduate course. When co-scheduled, the syllabus is to define the expectations and other distinctive aspects pertaining to 800/700-level credit, which may include separate reading lists, assignments, and final examinations. The course has been critically assessed by the academic unit and the corresponding faculty, verified by the Library and approved at Executive Council.

Note: An integrated course may not be taken for credit at the graduate level (i.e., HIST 805) if the student has already completed the undergraduate course component (i.e., HIST 405). An exception is seminar format courses (SOC 404/804), which may be repeated, but the method of grading at the graduate level will be as Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit.

Note: A formally-approved course may be delivered as lecture, seminar, laboratory or independent study. Directed Readings herein is limited to courses where formal approval has not been received and will effectively be delivered as an independent study.