Biology

Department of Biology
College of Arts and Sciences
Frank V. Paladino, Chair and Graduate Program Director
260-481-6305 ~ Science Building 330

Special Resources

The department has 15 full-time faculty members, several associate faculty, and two technicians. Faculty members at the Indiana University School of Medicine-Fort Wayne are also available to direct graduate research. Fourteen research laboratories are available in the Science Building. A 9,000-square-foot animal care facility provides housing for different species of experimental animals and also contains an animal surgical suite and five research laboratories. A 1,500-square-foot greenhouse with a head house is attached to the Science Building. Environmental plant growth chambers are also available. Faculty research laboratories are equipped with up-to-date equipment and facilities.

Biology’s Crooked Lake Field Station is about 30 miles northwest of Fort Wayne, on the shores of Crooked Lake. Among the most oligotrophic lakes in Indiana, Crooked Lake is approximately  one mile long and more than 100 feet deep in some areas. The main laboratory building has research space for independent investigators and facilities to accommodate small groups of students.

Admission

In addition to fulfilling the Purdue University Graduate School requirements, you must submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) aptitude scores for the quantitative, analytical, and verbal aptitude tests, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), or Dental Admission Test (DAT).

Graduate Assistantships

The department offers a limited number of graduate teaching assistantships to qualified students in the thesis option. These assistantships are available on a competitive basis and provide tuition reduction and a stipend. Students receiving a teaching assistantship are expected to teach an average of 6 contact hours and must register for a minimum of 3 credit hours of graduate-level course and/or research work each semester of the appointment period. Graduate staff on appointment during the summer must register for a minimum of 3 graduate hours during at least one of the summer sessions. With satisfactory performance in the classroom and in the research project, a student awarded a teaching assistantship will normally be supported for four semesters (two academic years). Further support must be explicitly agreed upon by the Graduate Director. A limited number of research assistantships are also available from faculty receiving external support. Students should contact individual faculty members regarding the availability of research assistantships.

Academic Regulations

The following academic regulations supplement those that apply to all Purdue University graduate students:

Course Load
In order to be considered a full-time graduate student, one must take at least 8 credit hours per semester during the fall and spring. Students must be registered in at least 6 credit hours to be considered full time in the summer. Half-time graduate student enrollment status requires 4-7 credit hours in the fall or spring semester and 3-5 credit hours in the summer session.

Grades and Index Requirement
Grades for courses used to satisfy a plan of study requirement must be C or better. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 (a B average) is expected. Students in the thesis option are expected to earn S (satisfactory) grades in BIOL 698 Research M.S. Thesis. 

Time Limitation
Full-time graduate students should complete the program within six semesters (three years) of admission. Part-time students should complete their degree in no more than 10 semesters (five years). Course and research credits greater than five years old will be dropped from the student’s plan of study. Similarly, course and research credits earned by a student whose enrollment has been inactive for five years cannot be used on a new plan of study.