Chemical Biology, M.Sc.

Offerings

Note that the Department of Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences (BBS) and other affiliated departments offer 12-week courses that are equivalent to one half of a full graduate course while the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology offers 6-week modules that are equivalent to one-quarter of a full graduate course. In addition to Chemical Biology courses (equivalent to one-half of a full graduate course), a mixture of courses from participating departments is encouraged.

Requirements

A candidate for the M.Sc. degree is required to spend at least one calendar year in full-time study at McMaster University. The candidate is required to complete satisfactorily not fewer than one full graduate course which must be at the 700-level. All M.Sc. students must take

Thesis Requirement

The candidate must also present a thesis which will embody the results of original research. The thesis must be defended in an oral examination. The candidate will be required to participate in the departmental seminar program.

Transfer to Ph.D. from the M.Sc. Program

Students who have satisfactorily completed the course requirements for the M.Sc. degree and have made satisfactory progress in their research may apply to the Program Director for transfer to Ph.D. studies, without first satisfying the M.Sc. thesis requirement. This is normally done by submission of a report detailing the student’s research progress, projected research goals and successful completion of an oral examination.

Chemical Biology Program Colloquia and Seminars

All graduate students are expected to attend all program colloquia and seminars. M.Sc. students must register in one of the Chemical Biology Graduate Colloquium courses:

Students enrolled in CHEM BIO *701 will be given a PASS or FAIL grade for their colloquia. In cases involving a FAIL grade, students must repeat the colloquia, and in some cases extra work may be assigned to cover areas of weakness. CHEM BIO *702 will be graded using the standard lettergrade format.

Students entering the Ph.D. program with an external M.Sc. degree must present one seminar during their second year of study (CHEM BIO *701) and a second seminar at the time of the thesis defence. Ph.D. students who transfer from the M.Sc. program are required to take a total of two seminar courses (one prior to transfer and one at the time of their defence), but may take CHEM BIO *702 only once.

Accelerated MSc. Pathway

An accelerated MSc pathway is available to students currently enrolled at McMaster University in Honours Chemical Biology or BBS or Honours Co-op Chemical Biology or BBS whereby the degree may be completed in 12 months of full-time study. Application for entry into the accelerated option occurs in by mid-November of their last undergraduate year for admission in May or September immediately following completion of their BSc in Level IV (for Honours Chemical Biology and BBS graduates) or Level V for (Honours Co-op Chemical Biology and BBS graduates). Applicants must have a sessional average of 10.0 at the time they are applying for the option.

• Applicants for the accelerated MSc pathway will need to complete the undergraduate thesis course (CB 4G12 or BBS 4T15 or alternative equivalent courses) with their proposed Accelerated MSc supervisor during completion of their undergraduate degree.
• Advance Credit:. Eligible students may request advance credit for up to one course based on a course taken in their undergraduate degree at McMaster. Requests for advance credit are done by petition to the Associate Dean of the Faculty once enrolled in the graduate program and must be approved by their supervisor and the Director of the Chemical Biology Graduate Program. Courses taken at the 600-level in a student’s undergraduate career at McMaster may be considered for advanced credit.