Program Purpose

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The M.S. in Physiology and Developmental Biology will prepare students for subsequent training elsewhere at the doctoral level with eventual entrance into academic positions in teaching and/or research. It will prepare students who choose to use this degree to enter a career teaching biology at the junior college level. It will enhance the competitiveness of students who apply for admission to professional schools.

These goals are consistent with the aim of BYU to provide graduate students with a program that offers greater competency than undergraduate programs. The program will help students achieve excellence in, and contribute original insights to, their discipline. It will also prepare them to enter the workforce or pursue further training.

Curricular Structure

Program Details

Department Information

Graduate Catalog

Learning Outcomes

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Advanced Cell Biology and Physiology

Students will describe the current state of the discipline in their area of specialization as well as foundational theories, concepts and practices of the field. Students will add new knowledge to their field through designing and conducting experimental procedures, analyzing the collected data, and determining how the new knowledge fits in with current understanding.

Critical Literature Analysis and Effective Communication

Critically evaluate current literature in the discipline and generate effective oral and written presentations.

Research Design and Experience

Successfully apply the scientific method by generating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis through personal research that includes appropriate controls, and formulating defensible conclusions.

Independent Work and Thought

Work independently and think for oneself.

Evidence of Learning

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Student progress is evaluated regularly by the student's graduate committee. Competency in the discipline is evaluated by a Coursework Oral Examination. Research competency is evaluated by a final Defense of Thesis. Placement into Ph.D. programs, professional schools, or employment is tracked by the department Graduate Committee. Publication of student theses is reported yearly as part of the annual faculty report.

Direct Measures

1. Quality of written/oral prospectus of research (Learning Outcomes 1-3)
2. Performance on coursework oral exam (Learning Outcome 1,4)
3. Performance on presentations in PDBio 601 and 694R (Learning Outcome 2)
4. Quality of written master's thesis (Learning Outcomes 1-4)
5. Performance on oral defense of thesis (Learning Outcomes 1-4)
6. Published research (Learning Outcomes 2-4)

Indirect Measures

1. Exit interview (Learning Outcome 4)
2. Placement in professional or graduate schools or jobs (Learning Outcome 3)

Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement

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Written work (prospectus of research, thesis, published research) for each student will be stored in the department office. Results from the exit interview and information about placement will be maintained within each student's department file. Performance on oral examinations (coursework oral exam, final oral defense of thesis) will be assessed by each student's graduate committee and these assessments will be maintained within each student's file. Each Spring/Summer Term, the Department Graduate Committee will evaluate the assessment evidence for our program and courses in light of the program goals. When evidence exists that our program is not meeting its goals, the Committee will make recommendations to the faculty for improvement. This could involve a recommendation to modify the objectives or proposed learning outcomes for a given course. It could also involve a recommendation to modify the purpose, goals, or curriculum of the program. Any changes that require approval from the College and University will be presented to the College Graduate Council by our department representative for consideration up the line.