Master’s Examination
All Master's of Science in Anatomy students are required to complete a written and an oral portion of the Master’s Examination. However, thesis and non-thesis students have slight variations as to who their Master’s Examination Committee can consist of.
Thesis track: The student, in consultation with the research and academic adviser, will form a Master’s Examination Committee appropriate for the student’s area of specialization. The committee must consist of at least three faculty members including the master student’s academic adviser (who will serve as the committee chair), research adviser, and a minimum of one representative of the Division of Anatomy GSC.
Non-thesis track: The student, in consultation with the academic adviser, will form a Master’s Examination Committee. The academic adviser will chair the committee. Generally, the four sub-disciplines of anatomy should be represented by at least three committee members. Each committee member will be responsible for the examination topic(s) that they represent.
Master’s Thesis
Only graduate students participating in the thesis track will complete a thesis, which is a publishable-quality research paper in the student’s area of specialization. Ideally, the research will be based on original data collected by the student but may also be based on archival or existing data. Regardless of the source of data, the thesis must be an original contribution that demonstrates the student’s ability to develop and complete a hypothesis-based research project.
It is strongly suggested that any student wishing to continue in the PhD program complete a master’s thesis or can otherwise demonstrate research experience and skills gained during their master’s education.
Learn more about the similarities and differences between the thesis and non-thesis track in the graduate program handbook.