Students generally are bound by the requirements stated in the catalog for the academic year stated in their Notification of Admission letter. The department in which a student specializes and individual advisory committees may prescribe additional requirements for their students.
Academic Residency
To fulfill the full-time academic residency requirement of the School of Marine Science, students must:
- Successfully complete the core course requirements;
- Be a full-time student in academic standing for two consecutive semesters.
Coursework
SMS Core Curriculum
Successful completion of the SMS core curriculum ensures that students achieve a broad understanding of the essential processes that define oceanic, coastal, and estuarine environments. Students are expected to build upon this foundation by pursuing specialized and advanced courses tailored to the needs of their individual research projects.
Relative to this goal, specific objectives of the SMS core course curriculum are to:
- Educate students in the fundamentals of marine science in a way that fosters interdisciplinary and synthetic understanding of oceanic, coastal and estuarine systems;
- Provide students with an appreciation for the integration of marine science and its application to complex environmental problems;
- Ensure that students have the methodological, quantitative and communication skills needed to pursue successful careers in marine science.
Students must pass all required SMS core courses with a grade of B- or better by the end of their second year in the School of Marine Science. Students are required to choose courses in each of the following four groups, I-IV, as follows:
I. Fundamentals Core Courses: MSCI 501A , 501B , 501C , 501D , 501E , 501F
- A Ph.D. student must choose four (4) of the fundamentals courses outside of the student’s specialty.
- A M.S. student must choose three (3) of the fundamentals courses outside of the student’s specialty. (For example, a student in the Department of Biological Sciences is encouraged to take Fundamentals of Biological Oceanography; however, it will not satisfy the core course requirement.)
- Successful completion of an advanced principles core course outside of one’s specialty in lieu of one of the above Fundamentals Courses will also satisfy the above core course requirement. In order for a core course to satisfy the core course requirements, a grade of B- or above must be earned in the course.
II. Advanced Principles Core Courses:
- Students in either degree program must choose one of the advanced principles courses their department of specialty (For example, a student in the Department of Biological Sciences must take MSCI 526):
- Biological Sciences: MSCI 526
- Environmental & Aquatic Animal Health: Any course in the department over the 550 level
- Fisheries Science: MSCI 528
- Physical Sciences, discipline specific: MSCI 520 (physical oceanography); MSCI 522 (geological oceanography);MSCI 524 (marine chemistry)
III. Quantitative Core Courses:
- Students in either degree program must choose at least one of the following quantitative courses; the required course may be specified by each department: MSCI 504 , MSCI 554 , or MSCI 642
IV. Interdisciplinary Core Requirement:
- Students in any degree program are required to take the following interdisciplinary course: MSCI 503
Department Core Courses
In addition to the SMS core courses specified above, students are expected to take core courses required by their department as follows:
Biological Science: MSCI 515A (every Spring Semester).
Environmental and Aquatic Animal Health: MSCI 515B (every Fall and Spring Semester) and at least one additional departmental offering.
Fisheries Science: MSCI 515C (every Spring Semester) and one of the following: MSCI 625 , MSCI 667 , MSCI 669 , MSCI 670 , or MSCI 671 .
Physical Sciences: MSCI 515D (every Fall and Spring semester) and at least one advanced course (550-level or higher) appropriate to the student’s specialty.
*Students will be expected to register for seminar (MSCI 515) as required by their respective departments; however, only two (2) credits will be applicable to the degree.
Core Course Exemption
With the exception of MSCI 503 , students who have had comparable course work elsewhere may petition for exemption from any of the SMS core courses. The application for core course exemption must be approved by the core instructor(s) of the SMS course for which exemption is sought. Prior to consulting the core instructor, the student must attach the following to the application for exemption: (1) a syllabus of the student’s applicable prior course work and (2) a transcript showing the grade/credits of the student’s prior course work. The SMS instructor must indicate on the application that he/she has reviewed the student’sprevious studies and is satisfied that those studies are sufficient to permit exemption from the applicable core course. The application and attachments must be submitted in entirety to the Academic Status and Degrees Committee, in care of the SMS Registrar (Registrar@vims.edu). Credits for exempted courses will not be transferred to a student’s record until the student petitions the Academic Status and Degrees Committee for credit transfer and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies approves the request. There are no exemptions from MSCI 503 .
Retaking a Course
In order for a core course to satisfy the core course requirements, a grade of B- or above must be earned in the course. A deficiency in a core course may be made up by:
- retaking the course and passing with a grade of B- or better;
- taking another course from the core group (outside of specialty) with a grade of B- or better;
- taking an Advanced Principles core course (outside of specialty) with a grade of B- or better.
In the case of non-core coursework, degree credit is granted only for the course in which a student earns a grade of “C” or above. A graduate student may also repeat one non-core course in which a grade of “C” or lower is received. When a course is repeated, both the initial and new grades earned are included in computations of quality point requirements. Any student receiving more than one “D” or “F” in a program of study will be dismissed from the degree program.
Transfer of Academic Credit
On the recommendation of the Academic Status and Degrees Committee and the approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies, a regular student may apply up to 15 hours of graduate credit for graduate courses equivalent to the SMS core courses earned at another accredited institution. Credit may be transferred only for courses in which the student received a grade of “B” or better and will not be counted in compiling his/her quality point average at William and Mary.
To petition for acceptance of transfer credits, the approved application must be submitted to the Academic Status and Degrees Committee c/o the SMS Registrar, (Registrar@vims.edu). The application must include documentation for the course(s) proposed to supplant the core course(s), and a statement from each School of Marine Science faculty teaching the course for which transfer credits are sought. The faculty member’s statement must indicate that he/she has reviewed the student’s previous studies and is satisfied that those studies are sufficient to permit acceptance of the applicable transfer credits.
Students may petition for up to six additional credit hours of graduate work not already applied toward another degree, but the total transfer credits cannot exceed 15 hours. The credits must have been earned in courses appropriate to the student’s program in the SMS and must fall within the time specified by the general college requirements for degrees.
Auditing a Course
Any graduate student may audit a graduate or undergraduate course with permission of the instructor, the student’s advisor and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies. The form may be obtained from the SMS Registrar. Before beginning the audit, the student and the instructor must agree on what is required for the audit to be successful. The audited course is listed on the student’s official transcript as either a grade of ‘O’ for a successful audit, or ‘U’ for an unsuccessful audit.
System of Grading and Quality Points
The grades A (excellent), B (good), C (fair), P (pass), in certain courses, D (unsatisfactory), and F (failure) are used to indicate the quality of work in a course. “W” indicates that a student withdrew from the College before mid-semester or dropped a course between mid-semester and the last day of class and was passing at the time that the course was dropped.
For each semester credit in a course in which a student is graded A, 4 quality points are awarded; A-, 3.7; B+, 3.3; B, 3; B-, 2.7; C+, 2.3; C, 2; C-, 1.7. P carries credit but is not included in a student’s quality point average; D and F carry no credit, but the hours attempted are included in the student’s average.
In addition to the grades A, B, C, P, D, F, and W, the symbols “G” and “I” are used on grade reports and in the College records. “G” is given to work in progress towards master’s (MSCI 599 ) or Ph.D. (MSCI 699 ) research, since there is insufficient evidence upon which to base a grade. “I” indicates that because of illness or other major extenuating circumstances, the student has postponed, with the explicit consent of the instructor, the completion of certain required work. “I” automatically becomes “F” at the end of the next semester if the postponed work has not been completed.
Degree Program Milestones
Student progress within the degree programs of the School of Marine Science is guided by milestones, which specify how long a student has to complete each degree requirement. In addition to fulfilling course and credit-hour requirements, the student must complete and document their program milestones. Forms for
documenting completed milestones are available from the Office of Associate Dean of Academic Studies or may be printed from the following URL: http://www.vims.edu/intranet/graduate_studies/forms/index.php The milestones of the School of Marine Science are as follows:
- Selection of Major Professor
- Selection of Committee & Research Topic
- Pre-Qualifying Interview
- Comprehensive Examination (Ph.D. only, for those entering Fall 2008 or later)
- Qualifying Examination
- Prospectus Acceptance
- Admission to Candidacy
- Seminar Presentation
- Defense of Thesis or Dissertation
- Acceptance of Approved Thesis/Dissertation by Swem/Hargis Libraries
Failure to meet major milestones (Qualifying Examination, Comprehensive Examination, Graduation) is evidence that a student is not making satisfactory progress in the program and may result in loss of funding, academic probation or dismissal from the program.
Graduation Milestones: Students are expected to complete all degree work within the following time lines established by the faculty:
- 36 months - students pursuing a master’s degree
- 48 months - students pursuing a Ph.D. who enter the program with an SMS master’s degree
- 60 months - students pursuing a Ph.D. who enter the program with an outside master’s degree
- 72 months - students pursuing a Ph.D. who bypass completion of a master’s degree
Degree Program Time Extension: A student who fails to meet their graduation milestone must apply for an extension to the Academic Status and Degrees Committee. Adequate justification for the extension is required, as is the permission of the student’s advisor and committee members. In addition, the student and student’s advisor may be required to meet with the Associate Dean of Academic Studies to discuss reasons for delay and remediation plans. If an extension is recommended by the Academic Status and Degrees Committee and approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Studies, the student must complete all requirements for the degree program within a maximum of one year for the M.S. or two years for the Ph.D. Students who exceed the first extension may continue in the degree program with the recommendation of the Academic Status and Degrees Committee and the approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies, but will be required to cover their own tuition costs out of pocket (i.e., grant or contract funds, or other institutional support, regardless of source, may not be used). Students exceeding the graduation milestone by 2 years for M.S. or 3 years for Ph.D. will be terminated from the degree program.
Students who have exceeded the time limit for degree completion and who have not been granted a time extension will not be permitted to register in the School of Marine Science.
Leave of Absence: The Associate Dean of Academic Studies may grant a leave of absence upon the recommendation of the student’s advisor. An approved leave of absence is limited to a maximum of one year during the student’s degree program, and relieves the student of the obligation of paying tuition. It is understood that a student on leave of absence is not present on campus, not receiving financial support and not drawing upon campus resources. A student must terminate the leave of absence and be a registered student in the semester in which his/her degree requirements are completed or in which he/she graduates.
Students approved for a leave of absence will have their milestone timeline and time limit for degree completion requirements stopped for the duration of the approved period. Upon return from approved leave, the student’s milestone timeline and time limit to degree completion will resume.
Non-Resident Students: Students who leave VIMS to take outside employment will be required to meet milestones and complete all requirements for graduation within the same time limits as listed above for M.S and Ph.D. students. The same degree program milestones and SMS rules and regulations apply unless permission to change degree program milestones has been approved by the Academic Status and Degrees Committee and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies.
VIMS Employees: Employees who are concurrently enrolled in a degree program are expected to meet the same milestones and complete all requirements for graduation within the same time limits as listed above for M.S and Ph.D. students. The same degree program milestones and SMS rules and regulations apply unless permission to change degree program milestones has been approved by the Academic Status and Degrees Committee and the Associate Dean of Academic Studies.
Comprehensive Examination
A written comprehensive exam at the Ph.D. level allows a student to demonstrate quantitatively, comprehension and integration of material from the disciplines of marine science that are relevant to the student’s area of specialization. Successful completion of a rigorous comprehensive exam signals that a student is ready to pursue advanced training and original scientific research. The comprehensive examination milestone is 21 months. The exam must be passed within 6 months. If more than one section is not passed, the student receives a “no pass” for the entire exam. The student is allowed one exam retake for any sections that were not passed. A Ph.D. student may take the exam twice and will be given an option to enroll in the M.S. degree program if they do not pass. Master’s bypass candidates who do not pass the first examination are not permitted to advance directly to the Ph.D. program.
The objective of the written comprehensive examination is to ensure that the student has an appropriate general understanding of the field as well as the specific knowledge needed to undertake their research project. The exam will be created, administered, and graded by the student’s advisory committee. The student’s advisor will notify the Associate Dean of Academic Studies of the outcome of the pass/fail exam and if any remedial action is needed. Following the exam, a copy of the questions, as well as the graded exam with the questions and student responses will be submitted to the Associate Dean of Academic Studies. The questions will be maintained electronically in the Office of Academic Studies. The graded exam will be maintained in the student’s file.
Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination and prospectus defense gauge a student’s progress early in their research program. The qualifying examination milestone is 18 months for a M.S. student and 30 months for a Ph.D. student. The exam must be completed within 6 or 12 months of the milestone date for M.S. and Ph.D. students, respectively. A student who fails to meet the milestone in the timeframe specified will be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation will have one calendar year to satisfy any outstanding deficiencies. Failure to do so will result in automatic termination of the student’s degree program.
The qualifying examination is an oral exam designed to test a student’s scientific competence and ability to pursue his/her graduate research project. The exam consists of two components: (1) questions that address knowledge specific to the proposed research project and (2) questions concerning the general knowledge in the student’s field of study. The qualifying examination will be administered by the student’s advisory committee and chaired by a moderator who is not a member of the student’s advisory committee. The moderator must be identified at least three weeks prior to the examination. Students must file appropriate paperwork for the scheduling and announcement of the qualifying examination with the VIMS/SMS Office of Academic Studies. Consistent with SMS procedures, the examination will be advertised and open to all faculty members. The examination allows a student’s advisory committee to identify any deficiencies in a student’s preparation to successfully conduct and complete their degree program. The minimum elapsed time between successful completion of the qualifying examination and the final defense must be no less than six months for M.S. students and no less than one year for Ph.D. students. VIMS policy prohibits audio or video recording of exams, although exceptions may be made for students with documented disabilities.
Thesis or Dissertation Defense
The defense of a thesis or dissertation will consist of two parts. First, all students are required to present a seminar to the marine science faculty, staff and students on their thesis or dissertation research. The seminar will be advertised and open to any interested individuals.
Second, immediately following the seminar, the student will undergo an oral examination (i.e., the defense of his or her thesis or dissertation), focused on the student’s research project. The defense will be chaired by a Moderator who is not a member of the student’s committee, and administered by the student’s Advisory
Committee. Any interested faculty members of the College are invited to attend. VIMS policy prohibits audio or video recording of exams, although exceptions may be made for students with documented disabilities.
At the conclusion of the defense, the student’s Advisory Committee will vote on a pass/fail decision, and indicate this on the Thesis/Dissertation Defense Acceptance Form. Unanimous committee approval is necessary for satisfactory completion of both a student’s thesis or dissertation defense and the final version of the thesis or dissertation.
Master of Science Bypass Option
A student originally accepted to the SMS master’s program who clearly demonstrates early potential to successfully conduct Ph.D. level research may petition to bypass the M.S. degree and proceed directly toward the doctorate. Students interested in the bypass option should file a Notification of Intent to Bypass M.S. Degree form as early as possible and in all cases prior to taking a comprehensive examination (end of second year in degree program). Once approved and by the start of their third year the student may submit an Application to Bypass the M.S. Degree to the Academic Status and Degrees Committee, with the following elements:
- Approval of the Notification of Intent to Bypass M.S. Degree form.
- Completion of the SMS core course requirements for the M.S. degree.
- A student must be in good academic standing.
- Submission of a CV and 1-2 page statement by the student describing the student’s achievements and demonstrated potential to conduct independent research.
- Submission of a 1-2 page statement by the student’s advisor describing the student’s achievements and demonstrated potential to conduct independent research.
- Recommendation by the student’s advisory committee to bypass the master’s degree.
- Successful completion of a written comprehensive examination.
Evidence of scholarly potential in the form of independent research, professional presentations, submitted or accepted manuscripts and research proposals will strengthen a student’s petition for the bypass. The Academic Status and Degrees Committee will recommend to the Associate Dean of Academic Studies whether or not permission to bypass should be granted. A bypass also represents a change in funding obligations for most students and, for that reason, must be approved by the student’s Department Chair. Appeals of an adverse decision of the Academic Status and Degrees Committee or department chair may be made to the Associate Dean of Academic Studies. It is important that a student submit the Application to Bypass the M.S. Degree form as early as possible, and no later than the start of the third year. VIMS/SMS will not guarantee institutional funding to students who fail to submit the petition in a timely fashion. In order to apply the doctoral program milestones equitably, the Academic Status and Degrees Committee will determine an “effective completion date” of the doctoral program, which normally will be designated as 72 months from date of matriculating at VIMS/SMS.
Graduation
Filing for Graduation
Students filing for graduation must complete an Online Graduation Application in Banner. Instructions are found at:
http://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/graduation/onlinegraduation.
There is a one-time graduation fee, currently $75.00, payable for the initial filing date. Only first-time filers can use the on-line filing process. If a student is unable to complete the requirements for graduation by the date specified he/she must notify the SMS Registrar and complete a paper form to re-file for a new graduation date. There is no graduation fee charge for re-filing.
Submission of Theses and Dissertations
All graduating students are required to submit copies of their theses or dissertations, ready for binding, to both the Swem and Hargis Libraries no later than 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date listed in the calendar in this catalog. A receipt of payment of binding fees from the SMS Cashier also must be presented to the respective libraries. One copy of the thesis or dissertation is required for archiving in Swem Library and two copies for Hargis Library. Additional copies will be required for advisors and personal use.
In addition, each graduating student must deposit an electronic (PDF) copy of his/ her thesis or dissertation with the Hargis Library. Authors will retain all copyrights for their work.
Ph.D. students must submit to Swem Library one additional copy of their dissertation abstract for UMI Dissertation Publishing. This may be the abstract prepared by the student for his/her dissertation, however, the abstract for UMI should not be numbered. At the bottom of the last page of the abstract for UMI, the author’s full name, name of school or department, name of college, the advisor’s name, and the advisor’s title should be centered on separate lines. The additional abstract and the student’s Agreement Form will be submitted to ProQuest’s UMI Dissertation Publishing for production of an archival microform copy and inclusion in the ProQuest dissertation database.
Conferral of Degrees
The College confers degrees in August, January and May of each year. The commencement ceremony is in May. Degree recipients of the previous August and January are recognized and invited to attend the May ceremony. Students who will complete requirements in August rather than May may participate in the spring commencement with permission of the Associate Dean of Academic Studies and the Vice President for Student Affairs. |
