DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY

• Master's Degree

  The Department offers the M.S. degree under Plan A, which requires a thesis, and a non-thesis Plan B.

  Master Degree with a thesis (Plan A).

  The requirements for the Master's Degree (Plan A) are as follows:

  1. completion of a minimum of 45 hours of graduate credit at this university;
  2. Three courses from Group I:
     • Entomology 621 Insect Systematics and Diversity
       
     • Entomology 623 Insect Morphology
       
     • Entomology 631 Insect Physiology
       
     • Entomology 641 Insect Ecology

     • One course from Group II -

       Entomology 650 Biocontrol of Arthropod Pests
       

       Entomology 660 Advanced Economic Entomology
       

       Entomology 661 Medical Entomology
       

       Entomology 662 Principles of Insect Toxicology

     • a Special Topics Seminar, Entomology 795
  3. achievement of a cumulative point-hour ratio of at least 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit (failure to maintain the 3.0 minimum at any time results in probation); 4) presentation of an approved thesis; 5) successful completion of a comprehensive oral examination; and 6) a departmental seminar on the topic of the student's research. The seminar must be presented during the quarter in which the student expects to graduate, and before the Final Examination. If possible, it should be presented immediately before the Final Examination but this is not required.
  4. All requirements for the M.S. shall normally be completed within 2-3 years of the date of first enrollment as a regular graduate student in the Department of Entomology. Students who anticipate continuing beyond 4 years must petition the Graduate Committee. A student expecting to finish the M.S. in a given quarter must file an "Admission to Candidacy" form with the Graduate School not later than two weeks after the beginning of that quarter. The student must submit to his/her advisor the completed draft of the thesis at least four weeks before commencement; the deadline for submitting two approved copies of the thesis to the Graduate School is normally one week before commencement (this date is announced each quarter by the Graduate School). A final examination for M.S. candidates is conducted by the student's advisory committee with the advisor acting as chairperson. It is the responsibility of the student to contact the committee members, check their schedules, and set the time and place of the examination. This examination may be written, oral, or both, at the option of the examining committee. (Most M.S. Plan A examinations in this department are entirely oral.) This examination is concerned primarily with the student's research, but may be as broad in scope as the committee wishes. The report of the committee must be unanimous to be considered satisfactory. If there is a single dissenting vote, the case is referred to the Executive Committee of the Graduate School for final action. It is the responsibility of the advisor to certify the results of the examination to the Graduate School and to the Department Graduate Committee. The report going to the Department Graduate Committee will include an assessment by the examining committee of the student's potential as a doctoral candidate (see Form Ent-1). Any special costs involved in the completion of a thesis or dissertation (typing, photographic work, and the like) are normally paid by the student, but in some cases funds may be available to pay a part or all of these costs. The advisor should be consulted on this matter. Instructions concerning the typing and form of the thesis or dissertation are available from the Graduate School, and the deadline for submission of these are set by the Graduate School. Students wishing to continue for a Ph. D. program. The Graduate Studies Committee will evaluate requests from students completing their M. S. degree requirements for entering a Ph. D. program. Evaluation will be based on: 1) the student's M. S. program application materials, 2) Form Ent-1, 3) transcripts or advising reports of coursework for the M. S. program, 4) a statement of purpose for the Ph. D. program. The student may not continue for a Ph. D. without the approval of the Graduate Studies Committee. Students for whom English is a second language must complete the more stringent English language requirements for their Ph. D. program (see section XI).

• Master's degree without a thesis (Plan B)

  The Department also offers a Master's degree without a thesis (Plan B) to students who desire specialized graduate study in Entomology for their chosen profession. The Plan B Master's degree is not considered to be adequate preparation for a Ph. D. program, rather it is considered to be preparation for professional practice in Entomology. The reairements for the Plan B Master's degree are as follows:

  1. completion of a minimum of 45 hours of graduate credit of which 35 must be graduate credit hours in Entomology with:
     • Entomology 621 Insect Systematics and Diversity
       
     • Entomology 623 Insect Morphology
       
     • Entomology 631 Insect Physiology
       
     • Entomology 795 Special Topics Seminar

     • Individual Studies in which a literature review is conducted, Ent. 693
     • and at least two additional Entomology courses in the area of the students professional interest at the 500 level or above;

  2. achievement of a cumulative point-hour ratio of at least 3.0 in all courses taken for graduate credit;
  3. successful completion of a comprehensive Master's exam. The student must demonstrate competency in the following areas:
     • general entomology (including morphology, physiology, behavior and ecology);
     • classification (sight identification to family of adult arthropods and immatures of economic importance;
     • their area of professional interest.

• Doctor of Philosophy Degree

  The University requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree, in part, as follows:

  1. completion of 90 quarter hours of graduate work beyond the Master's degree;
  2. a period of concentrated resident study beyond the Master's during three consecutive quarters;
  3. successful completion of a written and oral comprehensive candidacy examination;
  4. presentation of an acceptable dissertation in the immediate field of investigation.

  Additional requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree as set by the Department of Entomology are as follows:

  1. Teaching: for all students a minimum of one quarter of Teaching Associate experience, or equivalent, in Entomology or Introductory Biology. Teaching experience gained during work on the M.S. degree will count toward this requirement. The teaching requirement may be waived by the Department Graduate Committee if the student has previous teaching experience at another college or university;
  2. Foreign Language Requirement: the advisory committee shall determine if specific training or testing in one or more foreign languages is essential to the student's program of study;
  3. Required Courses:
     • Entomology 621 Insect Systematics and Diversity
       
     • Entomology 623 Insect Morphology
       
     • Entomology 631 Insect Physiology

       two Special Topics Seminars, at least one of which is Entomology 795 (the second can come from any relevant department or program at OSU as long as it meets the guidelines and objectives for 795s set out by the Department)

     • and one from this list -

       Entomology 660 Advanced Economic Entomology
       

       Entomology 661 Medical Entomology
       

       Entomology 662 Principles of Insect Toxicology;
       

  4. Seminar: A departmental seminar on the subject of the student's research, which must be presented during the quarter in which the student expects to graduate and before the two-hour final oral examination, normally immediately before the examination.

Work at OARDC Wooster and at the Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory is considered on-campus for purposes of satisfying residence requirements.