WBIO Graduate Regulations

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
(Approved September 2000 by WBIO faculty – Revised Spring 2007)

I. DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM

The Wildlife Biology Program (WBIO) at The University of Montana is a joint program of the College of Forestry and Conservation (CFC), the Division of Biological Sciences (DBS), and the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. This interdisciplinary makeup provides broad exposure to diverse viewpoints and approaches. The Program is housed within the College of Forestry and Conservation and has a Director (from either DBS or CFC) who reports to the Dean of CFC. Graduate degrees offered through WBIO include the Master of Science in Wildlife Biology (Thesis and Non-thesis Options) and the Doctor of Philosophy in Fish and Wildlife Biology (offered by The University of Montana-Missoula in collaboration with Montana State University-Bozeman).

The graduate program in WBIO emphasizes the theoretical foundations, scientific research techniques, and general biological understanding necessary for graduates to pursue further graduate research or to seek employment as wildlife biologists, managers, administrators, and academicians. Types of research questions addressed in WBIO graduate programs include theoretical and applied aspects of specific species and species groups, biological systems, and socio-political systems as they relate to conservation of wildlife.

Complete applications must include:

1. completed application form (available on-line from the Graduate School/website);
2. completed summary sheet of all college course work (available on Graduate School website);
3. one official transcript of all college and university courses;
4. a short statement (1-2 pages) of your interests and goals;
5. a resume detailing work experience from college entry to present;
6. three letters of recommendation (under separate cover);
7. GRE scores for verbal, quantitative, and analytical;
8. nonrefundable application fee ($45.00); and
9. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores (foreign students only)

NOTE: No special application form is required for financial assistance: financial assistance is considered for all acceptable applicants.

Submit application materials to:

Wildlife Biology Program
College of Forestry and Conservation
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812

II. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Application to the Wildlife Biology Program is very competitive and we must turn down many applicants who meet the minimum criteria (below).

THE WILDLIFE BIOLOGY FACULTY SPECIFICALLY WARNS THAT ENROLLMENT IN GRADUATE NON-DEGREE STATUS DOES NOT PROVIDE FAVORED STATUS TOWARD ACCEPTANCE TO ANY WILDLIFE BIOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAM.

1. M.S. (Thesis Option). Admission under this option normally requires a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology or related field. Major course work deficiencies will be made known to the applicant at the time action is taken on the application. To enter the program without major deficiencies, the candidate should present the following course work: mathematics (at least an introductory course in calculus and at least one course in statistics); chemistry (at least one year of college chemistry, including organic chemistry); and appropriate course work in biological science and management/conservation. Knowledge of a foreign language is not required for this degree, but candidates anticipating a future doctoral program are encouraged to study an appropriate foreign language.
   
   Candidates are expected to have an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 (A=4.0) for all college work. The Graduate Record Examination (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) is required of all applicants before admission. A minimum score of 50th percentile (60th for PhD) is required on verbal and quantitative sections of the general GRE. No minimum score is established for the analytical writing section, but any score below the 50th percentile triggers additional evaluation of other sources of information on student writing ability. The applicant should arrange to take this examination early enough so these scores are available at the time of evaluation. GRE scores are not required for international students, but a minimum score of 237 (computer-based) for the TOEFL or a degree from an English-speaking university is required.
   
   Further evaluation is based on three letters of recommendation, the applicant’s statement of specific interests and goals, and a resume detailing work experience from college entry to the present. The final criterion for accepting an applicant is the willingness of a faculty member to serve as advisor (major professor). The statement of specific interest is used to identify faculty members whose interests most closely match those of the applicant. Therefore, students are encouraged to communicate with potential advisors before applying. Under no conditions are applicants accepted without the agreement of a faculty member to serve as advisor.
   
   The Graduate Admissions Committee determines acceptability of applicants based on the above criteria, and any exceptions to stated minimums must be approved by a vote of the WBIO faculty. Students must enroll in the semester stated in their acceptance letter.
   
2. M.S. (Non-thesis option). The non-thesis M.S. Option is available only to established wildlife professionals who wish to update their qualifications and to students in the Peace Corps Program. Students who enter the WBIO Graduate Program under the thesis option cannot change to the non-thesis option. The professional paper is an extensive work relating directly to management issues the student deals with in a professional capacity. A resource management plan for a region (historical review, inventory analysis, evaluation of options, action plan, etc.) could be appropriate. Other aspects of admission requirements are the same as for the M.S. Thesis option.
   
3. Ph.D. Degree. Most applicants to the Ph.D. program have completed or are completing M.S. degrees, but students without M.S. degrees are considered if they demonstrate outstanding potential to complete a Ph.D. program. Successful applicants usually have at least one degree in Wildlife Biology or a closely related field; students with other backgrounds may be accepted depending on overall potential.
   
   Preliminary decisions regarding acceptance into the Ph.D. program are made using the following criteria:
   • minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in undergraduate work and 3.5 in graduate work;
   • Graduate Record Examination (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) is required of all applicants before admission. A minimum score of 60th percentile or above is required on the verbal and quantitative sections of the general GRE. No minimum score is established for the analytical writing section, but any score below the 60th percentile triggers additional evaluation of other sources of information on student writing ability; and
   • minimum TOEFL score of 237 (computer-based for applicants from non- English speaking nations).
   
   
   Further evaluation is based on letters of recommendation, the applicant’s statement of specific interests and goals, and a resume detailing work experience from college entry to the present. The final criterion for accepting an applicant is the willingness of a faculty member to serve as advisor (major professor). The statement of specific interest is used to identify faculty members whose interests most closely match those of the applicant. Therefore, students are encouraged to communicate with potential advisors before applying. Under no conditions are applicants accepted without the agreement of a faculty member to serve as the major professor.
   
   The Graduate Admissions Committee determines acceptability of applicants based on the above criteria (any exceptions to stated minimums must be approved by a vote of the WBIO faculty). Students must enroll in the semester stated in their acceptance letter.

III. ADVISORS AND COMMITTEES

The Graduate Advisor (“Major professor”) and the student will work together closely throughout the student’s tenure. The advisor must approve all proposal and thesis materials before they are circulated to the rest of the committee, and notify the WBIO Office of the time, date, and place of the final examination. The advisor is also responsible for helping the student choose committee members and for helping develop the research topic.

1. M.S. Degrees (Thesis and Non-thesis options). The M.S. Graduate Committee consists of three faculty members (the advisor as chair and two others), including representatives from both CFC and DBS. Federal employees of the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit may serve as either DBS or CFC Faculty in this context. In all cases, a majority of committee members must be UM Wildlife Biology faculty members. This Committee assumes the general sponsorship and control of the student's program. Non-UM faculty may serve on the Committee in addition to the three UM faculty members when appropriate, but may not vote on committee actions unless they possess Faculty Affiliate or Adjunct Faculty status at The University of Montana.
   
   The Graduate Committee must be assembled by the end of the first semester in residence and must meet by that time to discuss course work. After discussion with the advisor about appropriate committee members, the student is responsible for obtaining verbal commitment to serve from prospective committee members. The advisor will then e-mail a list of the committee members to the Wildlife Biology Office. The Director of the Wildlife Biology Program, after checking to make sure the committee meets the above criteria, forwards it to the Graduate Dean, who notifies the program of the committee’s appointment. Makeup of the committee may change as the research proposal develops, but the Director of Wildlife Biology must be notified of and approve any such changes.
   
   Duties of the M.S. Graduate Committee are:
   
   • Evaluate the schedule of courses presented for the degree;
   • Evaluate the proposal for thesis or professional paper;
   • Insure that all Graduate School requirements are met;
   • Provide direction and supervision for the candidate;
   • Evaluate the Master's thesis or professional paper and attend related seminars; and
   • Evaluate the candidate’s performance on the defense.
     
2. Ph.D. Degree. The Ph.D. Dissertation Committee consists of the major professor as chair and four other members. A majority of committee members must be UM Wildlife Biology faculty, with at least one faculty member from DBS and one faculty member from CFC. Federal employees of the Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit may serve as either DBS or CFC Faculty in this context. Members of the committee must have attained a Ph.D., and any exceptions require approval by the Director of Wildlife Biology and the Dean of the Graduate School . Non-UM faculty may serve on the Committee in addition to the UM faculty members, when appropriate, but will not vote on committee actions unless they possess Faculty Affiliate or Adjunct Faculty status at The University of Montana. The Dissertation Committee assumes general sponsorship and control of the student's program. The Dissertation Committee must be assembled by the end of the first year in residence, and must meet by that time to discuss course work and the research statement. After discussion with the advisor about appropriate committee members, the student is responsible for obtaining verbal commitment to serve from the prospective committee members. The advisor will then e-mail a list of the committee members to the Wildlife Biology Office. The Director of the Wildlife Biology Program, after checking to make sure the committee meets the above criteria, forwards it to the Graduate Dean, who notifies the program of the committee’s appointment. Makeup of the Dissertation Committee may change as the research proposal develops, but the Director of Wildlife Biology must be notified of and approve any such changes. Duties of the Ph.D. committee are the same as those listed above for the M.S. committee, with the additional requirement of conducting the written and oral comprehensive exam (see X).

IV. COURSE WORK AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS

All students must be familiar with the requirements and procedures established by the Graduate School for their particular degree, as published on the Graduate School website, www.umt.edu/grad. Students on a Research or Teaching Assistantship must register for at least 9 credits each semester during the academic year. Upon completion of course requirements, degree candidates must register for at least 1 credit of research or thesis each fall and spring semester until graduation (as per University of Montana requirements). All graduate students must enroll in WBIO 594, Graduate Seminar, for at least 2 semesters, and must attend during every semester in residence (see VI-A).

1. M.S. Thesis Option. The minimum requirement for the M.S. Degree, Thesis option, is 30 graduate semester credits beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Of these, at least 20 must be in formal course work, and at least half of the course work credits must be at the 500 level or above. Up to 10 of the 30 credits may be taken as research and thesis credits. The majority of course work normally is taken in WBIO, Biology, and Forestry, but the Graduate Committee may require work in other departments. A copy of the approved course work outline must be approved prior to the end of the first semester in residence; it will then be placed in the student’s file in the WBIO office.
   
2. M.S. Non-thesis Option. Minimum requirement for the M.S. Degree, Non-thesis Option, is 36 graduate semester credits. Of these, at least 29 must be in formal course work and at least half of the course work credits must be at the 500 level or above. Up to 7 of the 36 credits may be taken as professional paper credits.
   
3. Ph.D. Degree. Primary emphasis in the Ph.D. program is on professional development, stimulation of intellectual curiosity, and competency in science, rather than on a specified set of courses. However, certain course work requirements must be completed successfully:
   
   
   • The Ph.D. student must obtain a minimum of 60 graduate semester credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. A dissertation committee may require more, depending on the student’s background for the proposed Dissertation research program;
   • of the 60 semester credits, 20 may be thesis credits;
   • of the remaining 40 credits, at least 20 must be numbered > 500;
   • at least 30 semester graduate credits must be taken at UM;
   • up to 30 semester masters degree credits, 10 of which may be for thesis, research, or independent study courses, may be applied to the 60 credit requirement;
   
   Required course work is geared toward preparing the student to develop sound scientific knowledge and to facilitate the incorporation of that knowledge into conservation practice. Hence, required course work may include aspects of theory, applications, biology and ecology, socio-political aspects of conservation, and statistical and other quantitative methods. The course work package is developed, in consultation with the Dissertation Committee, to assist the student in planning, conducting, and writing the dissertation.
   
   A course work outline must be approved by the dissertation committee prior to the end of the first year in residence. A brief statement followed by the signatures of the committee members will serve as evidence of committee approval. The committee and student may make reasonable amendments to the course work outline if later evaluation shows that further course work is needed. Copies of the approved course work outline and approval are placed in the student’s file in the WBIO office.
   
   The WBIO Ph.D. Program has no foreign language requirement, but the Graduate Committee may require competence in a foreign language when appropriate for the student’s area of research.

V. CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION AND LEAVES OF ABSENCE

The Graduate School requires that graduate students register for credits every fall and spring semester. The number of credits should be that deemed commensurate with use of facilities and faculty time, but is at least 1 credit per semester (9 for students on Teaching or Research Assistantships). Students must apply for a leave-of-absence if they do not plan to be continuously registered. Students who do not register for at least 1 credit per semester for two or more semesters without such approval will be dropped from the program by the Graduate School. Re-admission is allowed through petition only.

VI. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY GRADUATE SEMINAR SERIES (WBIO 594)

1. Purpose and Participation. The purpose of WBIO 594 is to encourage the regular (weekly) exchange of scientific ideas among Wildlife Biology faculty and students and to promote improved communication skills. All graduate students must enroll for at least 2 semesters of WBIO 594 and attend during every semester they are in residence. A few class meetings each year will focus specifically on improving the skills needed for presenting quality seminars, and students and faculty will present seminars during the remaining meetings. Seminar attendance is mandatory when enrolled.
   
2. Timing of Seminars. Both M.S. and Ph.D. students must present both a pre-project seminar and a thesis or dissertation seminar. The maximum time allowed for each seminar is 40 minutes (enforced) to allow ample time for questions and discussion.
   
   The pre-project seminar should be presented early in the student’s development of the thesis or dissertation topic. Although it must be done absolutely no later than the time that the student’s committee approves the proposal (i.e. proposal approval is contingent on a completed public pre-project seminar), students are encouraged to present the proposal early enough to facilitate input to development of the proposal.
   
   The thesis or dissertation seminar usually is presented on the same day as the student’s thesis or dissertation defense with the committee, but may be presented up to 2 weeks prior to the defense.
   
   For both seminars, students should note that prior planning is important. The WBIO 594 schedule will be filled on a first-come first-served basis and cancellations will not be permitted except in an emergency. Ph.D. students are required to present a seminar once every 2 years during their residence.

VII. RESEARCH PLANNING AND PROPOSALS

1. Research Statement. As soon as possible after the graduate committee is formed, students must prepare a 1-2 page statement describing their research plans. The student must then arrange a formal committee meeting, no later than the end of the first semester (M.S.) or first year (Ph.D.) in residence. Committee members evaluate the research statement and the proposed course work outline, and either approve them or offer modifications.
   
2. Research proposal. Each student is required to complete a formal research proposal that presents the conceptual and empirical framework within which the study will be conducted. The proposal should consist of a title, an introduction to the research problem, an explanation of how the problem fits into a broader conceptual framework defined by existing literature, a justification of its importance, the specific objectives, methods (including details about design and proposed methods of analysis), a timetable, and a budget.
   
   M.S. candidates must present an oral defense of their thesis proposal (see VI-B) to their committee by the end of the first academic year in residence. The student must pass this defense before beginning formal research. A committee-signed copy of the proposal must be placed in the student’s file in the WBIO office.
   
   Doctoral students must obtain committee approval of a preliminary research proposal no later than the end of their first academic year. They must defend their proposal in a committee meeting no later than 1 April of their fourth semester, and receive final committee approval of their proposal no later than the end of the student’s fifth semester. We suggest that the final Ph.D. proposal be structured in the format of an NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant. Doctoral students must present a formal and detailed oral defense of the dissertation proposal. This defense will be presented during a regularly scheduled WBIO seminar time slot (see VI-B). Following this public defense, the student will meet with the committee for an oral defense. After approval by the committee, a committee-signed copy of the proposal (including a statement that the pre-project seminar was successfully completed) must be placed in the student's file in the WBIO office. Doctoral students must also submit an advisor-signed copy, timeline included, to the Dean of the Graduate School .
   
   In approving the proposal, the advisory committee agrees that successful completion of the project will be sufficient research for a satisfactory thesis or dissertation. Any substantive changes made after committee approval must be brought back to the committee for discussion, and documented as a revised and signed proposal in the student’s WBIO file. All graduate students are encouraged to meet with all of their committee members at least annually to keep them informed of progress.

VIII. TEACHING REQUIREMENT AND TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS

All Ph.D. students, including those whose primary support is an RA, must engage in supervised teaching activities and must teach the equivalent of a regular TA assignment for at least two semesters. Non-UM teaching experience will be considered for substitution for the teaching requirement. Each semester that a student is a TA, they must ensure that the Professor for the course prepares a teaching evaluation (see under Annual Review of Student Progress below) and submits it to the Wildlife Biology office, with a copy to the major professor (advisor).

Teaching assistantships are awarded annually on a competitive basis. Initial support is contingent upon the nature and quality of completed course work, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, and other evidence of scholarship filed with the student's application for admission. Renewed support is contingent upon satisfactory progress toward degree requirements and quality of teaching performance. An individual graduate student may not receive more than 4 semesters of support on a Teaching Assistantship.

IX. ANNUAL REVIEW OF STUDENT PROGRESS

Students are required to complete certain tasks by specified deadlines. The WBIO Student Evaluation Committee and the full faculty evaluate student progress every spring based on a form completed by the student and major professor by April 1 (Progress Report Form). The Student Evaluation Committee then conducts a follow-up evaluation each fall to determine whether students are making satisfactory progress in rectifying deficiencies. Students who do not meet stated deadlines will be on probation; those who fail to meet the second probationary deadline will become ineligible for TA or RA support. A formal meeting of the student’s committee will then be held to determine whether additional conditions need to be met (e.g., discontinuation of field work until deficiency is corrected). If the task is still incomplete by the end of the next semester, the student will be dropped from the program.

Each semester the student is a TA, the student is responsible for having the professor in charge of the class submit to the WBIO office (with a copy to the major professor), a short evaluation that ranks the student from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), with any comments appended as desired on the following 6 criteria:

1. Preparedness/organized?
2. Positive interaction with students
3. Independent creativity in teaching
4. Enthusiasm
5. Student evaluations
6. Overall assessment

Note that the major professor must sign the form. If the student is on an RA, the professor in charge of the RA must attach a brief evaluation statement.

X. COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION GUIDELINES (PhD Students Only)

The comprehensive exam will normally be completed by the end of the doctoral student’s 4th semester, but in all cases prior to the end of the 5th semester.

1. At least one month before the beginning of the exam, the student must:
   
   • provide a copy of these regulations to all examination committee members
   • convene a committee meeting at which an examination committee chair is selected and examination topics are discussed. The comprehensive examination committee chair is normally a member of the Wildlife Biology faculty and the student’s committee, but not the student’s major professor.
     
2. At least two days before the beginning of the exam, the examination committee must meet to approve the examination. Given the diversity of faculty in the Wildlife Biology Program, a formal meeting is required to ensure consistency in application of the examination to different students. The student will be informed as to how the examination will be administered.
   
3. The written portion of the comprehensive examination will consist of up to 8 hours of open and/or closed book questions from each committee member, at the discretion of each committee member, typically answered by the student over five consecutive days. At least one committee member will ask biologically oriented questions and at least one committee member will ask policy- or management-oriented questions. Most wildlife conservation and management involves biology as well as social/political/legal/economic aspects; the intent here is to ensure that doctoral candidates have been exposed to and have knowledge in both.
   
4. At least three (and no more than 10) working days after completion of the written examination, faculty will communicate to the examination chair their evaluation of the student’s answers. If the written portion is acceptable, students will progress to the oral exam. If the written portion is unacceptable, the committee meets to discuss requiring some or all to be re-written and may postpone for a reasonable time the oral examination.
   
5. The oral examination explores in depth the areas presented in the written questions, but is not restricted to those areas. The oral examination is restricted to three hours in length. The examination is open to all members of the faculty of The University of Montana, though all except committee members are excused before the vote.
   
6. Normally, the vote for admission to candidacy will occur at the end of the oral examination. Each examination committee member will rate the student’s performance across both portions of the examination in one of three categories:
   
   • Pass – No further work is necessary. Student progresses to candidacy.
   • Conditional pass – The examination demonstrates weakness in one area. The student is required to make up for this deficiency before progressing to candidacy. At the examination, the comprehensive examination committee will specify the tasks required for the student to progress to candidacy, and the criteria for evaluating their completion. Typically, students in this category are required to take an additional course or complete additional written work.
   • Fail – The examination may be rescheduled if the student fails, but the Comprehensive Exam Committee retains the right to recommend termination of the student’s program upon majority opinion at any time. After each committee member states their opinion, the committee discusses the vote. At least 75% must vote in favor of a “Pass” or “Conditional pass” or the student has failed the exam.

XI. ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY

At least 6 months before the M.S. or Ph.D. degree is awarded, and after successful completion of the comprehensive exam (for Ph.D. students), the student must submit to the Graduate School three copies of the Application for Graduation Form (available from http: //www.umt.edu/grad/ or the Wildlife Biology Office). One copy must also be submitted to the WBIO Office.

XII. COMPLETION AND DEFENSE OF M.S. THESIS OR PH.D. DISSERTATION

1. Content. The thesis or dissertation must embody the results of independent research by the candidate. It must be an original contribution to knowledge, appropriate for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Many WBIO students write their thesis or dissertation as a series of papers, and some submit such papers to journals before graduating. A paper that is accepted by a journal does not, however, ensure that it will automatically be accepted by the committee.
   
2. Deadlines and approvals. Copies of the dissertation or thesis draft (edited and approved by the advisor as being ready for defense) are provided to the rest of the committee, and a meeting is scheduled for a vote on approval. This important step cannot be circumvented by having the student visit faculty to collect signatures individually. After the committee unanimously approves the thesis for defense - or > 75% of the committee approves the dissertation for defense - it is submitted to the WBIO faculty for their review at least 10 days prior to the defense date, and to the Graduate School (by the major professor) in an electronic format for its approval at least one week prior to the defense date. The signatures of the committee members on the title page indicate that all members of the committee have agreed that it is ready for defense. Public notice of the defense should be posted one week prior to the defense date.
   
3. Defense. Masters and doctoral students are required to conduct a public 40-minute seminar presentation of the research findings to the advisory committee and any other interested persons followed by a 10- minute question and answer period (see VII-B). This should be done during the WBIO seminar series. The one (M.S.) or two (Ph.D.) hour defense, which normally occurs immediately following the seminar but may occur up to 2 weeks thereafter, is open to all faculty members of the University. The student is expected to answer questions specific to the research and those of a more general conceptual nature. Additionally, the student is required to “defend” the approach, methods, analysis, and conclusions of their research. Earlier draft thesis copies that were marked by committee members, as well as copies of the proposed final draft, must be brought to the defense for reference. The exam is passed with no committee votes to fail on the M.S. Defense and with no more than one committee vote to fail on the Ph.D. Defense. In the case of failure, one repeat defense examination is permitted, following a suitable interval as determined by the committee. Students who are unable to finish during the academic year must return the following fall for the defense. No summer defenses are allowed because faculty usually have other summer commitments, and the campus community is generally not available for what is a public defense.
   
4. Thesis and Dissertation Copies. At least two weeks before the end of the semester, the student must submit to the Graduate School , 1 unbound copy of the thesis or dissertation, and the applicable fees and forms. For guidance in preparing a thesis or dissertation, as well as forms and procedures required, consult the Graduate School website www.umt.edu/grad/. The major professor or the Wildlife Biology Office will submit the final copy of the thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School in an electronic format. The student submits their final to the Mansfield Library and must submit a bound copy of their thesis or dissertation to the Wildlife Biology Office and is encouraged to have an additional copy of the thesis bound by a commercial binding service for the advisor.

XIII. Timeline

MS PhD   (by end of) Committee submitted to WBIO Office 1st semester 1st year Committee approved coursework to WBIO 1st semester 1st year Committee approves research plan 1st semester 1st year Research proposal approved after oral defense 1st year 4th semester Completion comprehensive exam (PhD only)   4th semester Application for admission to candidacy 6 months before degree awarded Committee reviews dissertation proposal   5th semester Draft certified as ready for defense 10 days before defense/   to Graduate School 1 week   before defense Defense     Final to Graduate School 2 weeks before end of semester Submit final electronically to Mansfield Library 2 weeks before end of semester