Source: Nicole Yamase

Graduation Requirements *This page is not maintained. Please contact mbiograd@hawaii.edu for more information*

MS Degree Requirements

A minimum of 30 total credits* is required, maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA.

  • Completion of 30 credits of course work, including the MBIO core course.
  • Thesis Defense & Approval
PhD Degree Requirements - Students entering with a BA/BS

A minimum of 30 total credits* is required, maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA.

  • Completion of 30 credits of course work, including the MBIO core course.
  • ONE Statistics or Biometry course
  • Teaching experience equivalent to (or exceeding) one semester as a Teaching Assistant for a course
  • Successful completion of the Oral Comprehensive Exam
  • Dissertation and Final Defense
PhD Degree Requirements - Students Entering with a MS degree (or equivalent) in Life Sciences

Students entering the program with a MS degree are required to take course work as prescribed by their Interim and/or Dissertation Committee.

  • Completion of MBIO core course.
  • Teaching experience equivalent to (or exceeding) one semester as a Teaching Assistant for a course
  • Successful completion of the Oral Comprehensive Exam
  • At least 1 credit of MBIO 800 in the final semester
  • Dissertation & Final Defense**
Minimum Required Courses for Graduation

Core courses are required of ALL students.
Curriculum courses are required for MS students and PhD students who did not enter with a prior MS.

Core Courses: Required for ALL Students


Content/subject Courses

Statistics Course

Annual Requirements

ALL students must complete the following annual requirements.

Thesis/Dissertation Committee Meeting

Progress Report

Research Presentation

*Note: Only credits earned with required letter grades may be applied toward a graduate degree, with the following exceptions:

  • Credits earned for courses offering ONLY the CR/NC option in the course catalog (i.e., not whether the instructor chooses to offer their section of the course CR/NC)
  • 699 credits earned with the CR designation
  • MBIO 700 and MBIO 800 are only offered on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis

For additional details, see the Graduate Division's policies regarding course applicability.

**Students MUST be enrolled in 700/700F (Thesis) or 800 (Dissertation) during the semester of graduation.

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