Fifth Year Masters Degree Program

The requirements for admission to the Fifth-Year Master of Science degree program are those of the graduate school.

Applications are most often accepted for the summer semester and students are in the program for 15 months (summer-fall-spring-summer semesters). This accelerated Master of Science program is offered to exceptional undergraduates who have performed two or more semesters of independent research in the laboratory of an Animal Biotechnology and Biomedical research faculty member. Students wishing to pursue a Fifth-Year Master’s degree should meet with their sponsoring faculty member no later than the spring semester of their junior year to discuss a research project and to identify two courses (six credits) of graduate level coursework that will be completed and transferred for credit toward the Master’s degree. Thirty credits are earned by participation in formal coursework, journal clubs, seminars, independent study, and thesis research. Either a thesis summarizing the major research findings during the course of study, or a non-thesis presentation or alternative written document as agreed upon with the advisor is also required. Fifth year master’s does not imply it is a fifth academic year as conducted while pursuing a bachelor’s degree (2 semesters) but rather it is a fast-track or accelerated degree but requires 4 semesters total. Students are expected to transfer in 6 credits of course work and largely have research skills in hand that will be required to complete the research.