Republic of the Philippines MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY AT NAAWAN School of Marine Fisheries and Technology Naawan, Misamis Oriental DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN MARINE BIOLOGY (Ph.D. MAR. BIOL.) 1. Rationale: Cognizant of the current national thrust and consistent with the mandate of the Commission on Higher Education as the only Center-of-Development in Marine Science and Mathematics outside of Luzon, the School of Marine Fisheries and Technology of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Naawan, Misamis Oriental explored varied avenues in the pursuit of implementing the Ph. D. Marine Biology program with ultimate goals for the sustainable growth and development of Southern Philippines. The Ph. D. Marine Biology program is committed to the task of developing highly competent and top-caliber marine biologists through advanced marine biology instruction and relevant research. The program assumes the responsibility of producing balanced high quality marine biologists responsive to the manpower needs of our Country. Considering that the university has offered a B.S. program in this field, it is imperative that these same graduates be developed more to be highly competent and competitive in the field of Marine Biology. With this important concern, the existing BS Marine Biology Program and Master of Science in Marine Biology serve as feeder to a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology. The Ph.D. Marine Biology program has been offered by the Federation of Institutions of Marine and Freshwater Sciences (FIMFS) with Silliman University as the focal institution. The Mindanao State University at Naawan being a member of FIMFS, however, would like to adopt such program formally through the MSU System s policy on authority to offer of new curricular programs. Given the CHED recognition as COD in Marine Science and Mathematics, the SMFT upholds the university s vision with its strong desire to be globally competitive in pursuing its commitment to excellence in science and technology. 2. Objectives: The program aims to produce graduate with advanced training in marine science who are capable of: 1. undertaking original and independent research in experimental or theoretical marine science; 2. assuming top-level marine scientist positions in academic and/or research institutions. 3. Other Components 3.1. Application for Admission 3.1.1. New Applicants 1. Prospective students must obtain the Admission Application Forms, which are available at the Office of the Graduate Program Coordinator. 2. The applicant must (a) fill out and return the application forms (b) pay the application fee, and (c) submit official or informative copy of Transcript of Records as directed. All items must be submitted to the Office of the Graduate Program Coordinator. 3. Applications must be submitted within January to May for admission in the First Semester and within July to October for admission in the Second Semester. 3.1.2. Students with Post-master s Status 1. Students who received classified or unclassified master s status must apply directly to the Office of the Coordinator of the Graduate Program for admission to the graduate program.
Note: Students who have submitted official transcripts to the Graduate School during the prior two years do not have to submit a transcript once again except for courses taken during this period at other academic institutions. 2. These students must meet the same deadlines as new applicants. 3.1.3. Students Seeking Readmission 1. Classified graduate students who have not been advanced to candidacy for the Doctoral degree may be absent for one semester without having to apply for readmission. Classified graduate students who are absent for two or more semesters must apply for readmission following the same procedure and meeting the same deadlines as new applicants. 2. Students who have been advanced to candidacy for the Doctoral degree must maintain continuous enrollment until they graduate. Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment lose their classified graduate status and must apply for readmission following the same procedure and meeting the same deadlines as new applicants. 2. Graduate Program Requirements for Admission 2.1. Admission with Graduate Classified Status* 2.1.1. Admission to the Doctoral program with graduate classified status (full graduate standing; no deficiencies) requires all of the following: 1. an M.S. Marine Biology/Marine Science or in any field related to biology from a recognized institution of higher learning; 2. a copy of the Official Transcript of Records; 3. GPA of at least 2.0 for all courses in marine biology/marine science or a score in the top 50 percentile on the Marine Biology subject test of the Graduate Record Exam. However, by way of exception, students with a lower average than the prescribed admission qualifications and with failure in any of their major courses may initially be admitted to a non-degree program. If a student obtains a GPA of 1.75 after taking 9 units, he may be allowed to pursue a Doctoral program upon the recommendation of the Coordinator of the Graduate Program and the approval of the Dean of SMFT. 4. three (3) letters of recommendation from former professors and immediate supervisors attesting to the applicant s intellectual capacity for advanced studies; 5. compliance of admission requirements of MSU at Naawan and its School of advanced studies. 3. Degree Requirements 3.1. University Requirements 1. A minimum of 63 units of academic credit is required for a Doctoral degree. 2. If the student is a graduate of the FIMFS Consortium M.S. in Marine Biology program, a maximum 15 units of core courses and 12 units major courses may be credited to the Ph. D. in Marine Biology program. 3. Before commencing the degree, the student must determined his/her area of study. An adviser will guide the student throughout his/her Ph. D. program. 4. Units taken to remove admission deficiencies of any type, such as deficiencies in courses and GPA, cannot be used to meet requirements for the Doctoral degree. 5. The 51 units of academic credit that are used to meet degree requirements must include a minimum of 18 units of 200-level/300-level courses. 6. A minimum of 21 units must be earned in residence at MSUN. 7. A minimum of 20 units must be earned in the major field. (=Department) 8. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for all courses used to meet degree requirements.
9. After the successful completion of all preparatory courses, the student will take a written comprehensive examination, an oral candidacy examination, and then passed the dissertation proposal defense. The dissertation must be orally defended successfully. The diploma will be granted only after submitting proof of one publication in an international journal. 3.2. Mandatory requirements (Doctoral degree in Marine Biology). 1. Course Requirements a. Fifty one units of academic credit are required for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Marine Biology; b. The units of academic credit that are used to meet degree requirements must include the following graduate core courses (6 units): Element of Research (3 units) Seminar (3 units) 2. Doctoral comprehensive examination requirement Doctoral students must pass the comprehensive examination designed by the graduate faculty of the Graduate School after taking the core courses of the program prior to the candidacy examination. 3. Doctoral candidacy requirement After passing the comprehensive examination, the doctoral students shall advance to doctoral candidacy examination prior to dissertation proposal defense. 4.. Doctoral Dissertation Requirement A Doctoral Dissertation is required of all students who plan to earn a Doctoral degree. 5. Doctoral Dissertation Seminar Requirement Each student who plans to receive a Ph. D. degree must give an oral presentation (seminar) of his/her dissertation prior to receiving the degree. 3.3. Retention Policies in the Graduate School 3.3.1. Change in Graduate Status from Conditionally Classified to Classified 1. A student who receives graduate conditionally classified status must make up for deficiencies within two semesters of entering (enrolling in courses) the Ph. D. Marine Biology program or he/she will be removed (declassified) from the graduate program. 2. A student who receives a conditionally classified status must pass all courses in which he/she is deficient with a grade of 1.75 or better. 3. Upon making up for deficiencies, the student is responsible for asking the Chair of the Graduate Committee to verify that deficiencies have been made up. 4. The Chair of the Graduate Committee is responsible for notifying the Graduate School Coordinator that the student has made up his/her academic deficiencies and for requesting that the student receives graduate classified status. 3.3.2. Registration Requirements 1. A student who does not enroll for one semester is granted an automatic leave of absence. The student need not to file any form or petition to receive this leave of absence. The student maintains his/her classification status and catalog rights and is exempted from re-application fees. There is one exception to this policy: see the next paragraph. 2. A student who has completed all of his/her coursework must maintain continuous enrollment. Continuous enrollment can be maintained by enrolling in unit-earning courses (regular courses). 3. A student who does not finish the thesis within four semesters of enrolling in the thesis units will receive a grade of "INC" for these units and will be required to re-enroll for the thesis units.
(LIST OF COURSES BY SEMESTER) First Year, First Semester Course No. Course Title Units BIO 200 Elements of Research 3 3 Ocea 211 Biological Oceanography 3 3 Stat 233 Biostatistics 3 3 Ocea 221 Physical Oceanography 3 3 Total 12 12 First Year, Second Semester Course No. Course Title Units Ocea 231 Chemical Oceanography 3 3 Specialty Elective 1 3 3 Specialty Elective 2 3 3 Specialty Elective 3 3 3 MB 398 Seminar in Marine Biology 1 1 Total 13 13 Prerequisite(s ) Prerequisite (s) First Year, Summer Course No. Course Title Units Specialty Elective 4 3 3 Specialty Elective 5 3 3 Specialty Elective 6 3 3 MB 398 Seminar in Marine Biology 1 1 Comprehensive Exam Total 10 10 Second Year, First Semester Course No. Course Title Units Specialty Elective 7 3 3 Specialty Elective 8 3 3 Specialty Elective 9 3 3 MB 398 Seminar in Marine Biology 1 1 Candidacy Exam Total 10 10 Prerequisite(s) Prerequisite(s) Second Year, Second Semester Course No. Course Title Units Prerequisite(s) MB 400 Doctoral Dissertation 12 12 Dissertation Proposal Defense Total 12 12
Second Year, Summer Course No. Course Title Units Prerequisite(s) Specialty Elective 3 3 10 Specialty Elective 3 3 11 Total 6 6 Third Year, First Semester Course No. Course Title Units Prerequisite(s) MB 400 Doctoral dissertation Third Year, Second Semester Course No. Course Title Units Prerequisite(s) Doctoral Dissertation Defense Grand Total = 63 units SUMMARY OF COURSES AND UNITS Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology Program A. Pre-requisite Core Descriptive Titles/ Areas No of Units Courses 1. Core courses 21 units BIO 200 Elements of Research* 3 STAT 233 Biostatistics* 3 OCEA 211 Biological Oceanography* 3 OCEA 221 Physical Oceanography* 3 OCEA 231 Chemical Oceanography* 3 Sub Total 21 2. Required courses 15 units MB 398 Seminar in Marine Biology 3 MB 400 Doctoral Dissertation 12 Sub Total 15 3. Specialty Electives 33 units or 11 Subjects BIO 201 Microtechnique 3 BIO 230 Principles of Systematics** 3 BIO 251 Advanced Genetics 3 BIO 256 Population Genetics 3 BIO 267 Evolutionary Biology 3 MB 203 Marine Microbiology** 3 MB 205 Advanced Marine Parasitology 3 MB 212 Marine Invertebrate Zoology 3 MB 214 Marine Plankton** 3
A. Pre-requisite Core Descriptive Titles/ Areas No of Units Courses MB 216 Marine Vertebrate Zoology 3 MB 218 Biology of Marine Fishes 3 MB 222 Marine Ecosystems** 3 MB 224 Biology of Corals 3 MB 226 Marine Geology 3 MB 231 Marine Biogeography 3 MB 251 Marine Pollution** 3 MB 252 Marine Toxicology** 3 MB 261 Developmental Biology of Marine Organisms 3 MB 262 Marine Reproductive Biology 3 MB 263 Mariculture 3 MB 271 Marine Biotechnology 3 MB 275 Morphology and Physiology of Marine Animals** 3 MB 276 Morphology and Physiology of Marine Plants** 3 MB 282 Fisheries Biology 3 MB 292 Integrated Coastal Management 3 MB 295 Computer-based Applications in Marine Biology 3 MB 301 Advances in Marine Biology 3 MB 303 Biology of Marine Mammals 3 MB 323 Intertidal Ecology 3 MB 330 Biodiversity 3 MB 325 Molecular Ecology 3 MB 365 Impacts of Mariculture 3 MB 392 Marine Fisheries Biology 3 MB 395 Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Restoration 3 MB 396 Marine Natural Products 3 MB 397 Marine Ecological Modeling 3 MB 399 Research Methods in Marine Biology 3 * FIMFS Consortium masters subjects that can be credited to 15 units of core courses. ** FIMFS consortium master s subjects that can be credited to a maximum of 12 unit of major courses. Units Per Semester Term/Semester No of Units First Semester 12 First Year Second Semester 13 Summer 10 First Semester 10 Second Year Second Semester 12 Summer 6 First Semester - Third Year Second Semester - Grand Total 63