Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Applicants to the M.Sc. program must hold a B.Sc. degree or its equivalent.

International applicants should verify International credentials and grade equivalencies.

The residence requirement for the M.Sc. degree is 3 terms of full-time study. This is the minimum duration required to complete the M.Sc. degree. The expected duration for completing the M.Sc. degree is 2 years. In some cases, 3 years may be required; students are however cautioned to avoid research projects that cannot be completed in 2 years.


M.Sc. Thesis

A thesis demonstrating independent and original research in a specialized field, written in accordance with McGill's Policies on Research Ethics and Intellectual Property, is the major requirement for the M.Sc. degree. Our Thesis Guidelines contain the resources relevant to the preparation and submission of a thesis.


Course Work

The following Thesis Courses are required for all M.Sc. students:

  • BIOL 697. Master's Thesis Research 1.

    Credits: 13
    Offered by: Biology (Graduate Studies)
    This course is not offered this catalogue year.

    Description

    Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

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  • BIOL 698. Master's Thesis Research 2.

    Credits: 13
    Offered by: Biology (Graduate Studies)
    This course is not offered this catalogue year.

    Description

    Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

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  • BIOL 699. Master's Thesis Research 3.

    Credits: 13
    Offered by: Biology (Graduate Studies)
    This course is not offered this catalogue year.

    Description

    Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

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Additional Required and/or Complementary courses to be taken will depend on the specific program of study.

  • Courses to be taken must be at the 500 level or above.
  • Course selections must be approved by the Thesis Supervisor.
  • Courses may be selected from the Biology Department, other departments or other universities in Quebec (taken through CREPUQ).
  • Students must attain a passing grade of 65% in all required courses. Requests to take supplemental exams should be directed to the Graduate Training Committee.
  • Students may take additional courses not required for their degree (e.g. writing, language and teaching courses), as long as a minimum average of 65% is maintained.

Seminars & Presentations

Candidates to the M.Sc. program are expected to participate regularly in at least one of the department's weekly seminar series. A list of these is available on the Seminars & Events page.

In addition, M.Sc. candidates are required to present a 30 minute seminar on their research annually at an established university seminar series or in a similar public forum.


Option Program Requirements

Biology (Thesis) (M.Sc.) (45 credits)

Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45

Program Description

The Master of Science in Biology is a research-focused program that encompasses a diverse range of topics in biology, from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems, including development, behaviour and evolution. Research themes include:

  1. molecular, cellular and developmental biology,
  2. conservation, ecology and evolution, and
  3. neurobiology and behaviour.

This program allows students considerable flexibility in their choice of research and coursework and encourages cross-disciplinary thinking.

Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to Visual Schedule Builder. A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.

Required Courses (39 credits)

Course Title Credits
BIOL 697Master's Thesis Research 1.13

Master's Thesis Research 1.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 698Master's Thesis Research 2.13

Master's Thesis Research 2.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 699Master's Thesis Research 3.13

Master's Thesis Research 3.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

Complementary Courses (6 credits)

3 credits from the following [choose BIOL 601 Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology. and either BIOL 602 Molecular Biology Research and Professional Skills. or BIOL 603 Organismal Biology Research and Professional Skills.]:

Course Title Credits
BIOL 601Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology.1.5

Introduction to Graduate Studies in Biology.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Foundational, cross-disciplinary skills in research and communication, including graduate student orientation, research integrity and ethics, equity, diversity and inclusion, science communication for a general audience, seminar critiques, elevator pitches, science writing for a general audience, finding/reading the literature, and peer review.

See course page for more information

BIOL 602Molecular Biology Research and Professional Skills.1.5

Molecular Biology Research and Professional Skills.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Core skills in reading, writing, critical thinking and experimental design/interpretation, pertaining to the molecular biology research stream. Research presentations, research proposals, and peer review, related to thesis research projects. Career opportunities and skills relating to career development.

See course page for more information

BIOL 603Organismal Biology Research and Professional Skills.1.5

Organismal Biology Research and Professional Skills.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Core skills in proposal writing, peer review, oral presentation, and practical workflows for reproducibility in science, pertaining to the Organismal Biology research stream, and including stream-specific topics such as field safety and career options. Topics include: paper/pre-print discussion and written review, research presentations,research proposals, rubric-guided peer review, and experimental design in field research disciplines.

See course page for more information

*Or 3 credits at the 500 level or higher with the approval of the Graduate Program Director.

3 credits at the 500, 600, or 700 level in Biology or other departments, and approved by the Supervisory Committee.

BIOL 697 must be taken in the first term, followed by BIOL 698 in the second term and BIOL 699 in the third term.

In addition 6 credits of complementary courses at the 500 level or above are to be selected by the student and approved by the Supervisory Committee.

Biology (Thesis): Environment (M.Sc.) (45 credits)

Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45

Program Description

**This program is currently not offered.**

The M.Sc. in Biology; Environment option is a research program offered in collaboration with the Bieler School of Environment. As a complement to the unit’s expertise, the program considers how various dimensions (scientific, social, legal, ethical) interact to define environment and sustainability issues.

Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to Visual Schedule Builder. A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.

Thesis Courses (36 credits)

Course Title Credits
BIOL 690Master's Thesis Research 4.10

Master's Thesis Research 4.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 697Master's Thesis Research 1.13

Master's Thesis Research 1.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 698Master's Thesis Research 2.13

Master's Thesis Research 2.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

Required Courses (3 credits)

Course Title Credits
ENVR 615Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability.3

Interdisciplinary Approach Environment and Sustainability.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Through a series of modules on current environmental and sustainability issues, this course emphasizes the value and challenges of an interdisciplinary approach by examining how different fields can work together to address these issues.

See course page for more information

Complementary Courses (6 credits)

3-6 credits, one of the following courses:

Course Title Credits
ENVR 610Foundations of Environmental Policy.3

Foundations of Environmental Policy.

Terms offered: Summer 2025

Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies.

See course page for more information

ENVR 614Mobilizing Research for Sustainability.3

Mobilizing Research for Sustainability.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Through workshops and practice, students will develop communication strategies and acquire collaboration and leadership skills to foster innovation and help translate knowledge into action to address complex environmental and sustainability issues. Students will learn methods, build skills, and develop mindsets that can enable their research to have an impact on the most pressing issues in sustainability.

See course page for more information

0-3 credits chosen from:

Course Title Credits
ENVR 585Readings in Environment 2.3

Readings in Environment 2.

Terms offered: Summer 2025

Interdisciplinary literature project/essays related to environment, enabling advanced-level study under guidance of Environment faculty in areas outside the scope of individual departments.

See course page for more information

ENVR 630Civilization and Environment.3

Civilization and Environment.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Considers ways to reduce the human impact on Earth's life support systems through variables such as population size, wealth, technology, and conduct. Critically describes ethical frameworks for judging personal and policy choices, including post-collapse scenarios.

See course page for more information

ENVR 680Topics in Environment 4.3

Topics in Environment 4.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Seminars and discussion of advanced, interdisciplinary aspects of current problems in environment led by staff and/or special guests.

See course page for more information

or 3 credits at the 500 level or higher recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Environment Option Committee.

The Environment option considers how various dimensions (scientific, social, legal, ethical, etc.) interact to define environment and sustainability issues. Students learn to explain and defend their research and thinking in a broader context and understand how knowledge is transferred into action with regard to the environment and sustainability.

BIOL 697 must be taken in the first term, followed by BIOL 698 in the second term and BIOL 699 in the third term.

ENVR 610, ENVR 650, ENVR 651 and ENVR 652 are to be taken to fulfill the 6 credits of required courses.

In addition, 3 credits of complementary courses in Environment at the 500 level or above are to be taken by the student, as recommended by the Supervisory Committee and approved by the Environment Option Committee.

Biology (Thesis): Neotropical Environment (M.Sc.) (45 credits)

Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Master of Science
Program credit weight: 45

Program Description

The McGill-STRI Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) is a research-based option for Masters students in the departments of Anthropology, Biology, Bioresource Engineering , Geography, Natural Resource Sciences, Plant Science, and Political Science at McGill University. NEO is aimed at students who wish to focus their graduate research on environmental issues relevant to the Neotropics and Latin American countries. NEO favors interdisciplinary approaches to research and learning through the participation of researchers from McGill and from STRI. Students will complete their research in Latin America and NEO's core and complementary courses will be taught in Panama. NEO's educational approach seeks to facilitate a broader understanding of tropical environmental issues and the development of skills relevant to working in the tropics.

Whether applying to a Master or a PhD, students are expected to meet all the degree requirements of the department in which they are registered. In addition, NEO students will have to meet the specific requirements of the option.

Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please refer to Visual Schedule Builder. A technical issue is causing the "Terms offered" field to incorrectly report "this course is not currently offered" for many courses in the Course Catalogue.

Thesis Courses (36 credits)

Course Title Credits
BIOL 690Master's Thesis Research 4.10

Master's Thesis Research 4.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 697Master's Thesis Research 1.13

Master's Thesis Research 1.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

BIOL 698Master's Thesis Research 2.13

Master's Thesis Research 2.

Terms offered: this course is not currently offered.

Independent research work under the direction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Supervisory Committee.

See course page for more information

Required Courses (6 credits)

Course Title Credits
BIOL 640Tropical Biology and Conservation.3

Tropical Biology and Conservation.

Terms offered: Summer 2025

Long-term research at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute will be organized and synthesized to examine historical assembly and ecological maintenance of tropical communities. This synthesis will draw on phylogenetic concepts for historical insight and will examine the probable resilience of these communities to global change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

See course page for more information

ENVR 610Foundations of Environmental Policy.3

Foundations of Environmental Policy.

Terms offered: Summer 2025

Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies.

See course page for more information

Elective Courses (3 credits)

3 credits, at the 500 level or higher, on environmental issues to be chosen in consultation with and approved by the student’s supervisor AND the Neotropical Environment Options Director.

The Neotropical Environment Option is aimed at students who wish to focus their graduate research on environmental issues relevant to the Neotropics and Latin American countries. NEO favors interdisciplinary approaches to research and learning through the participation of researchers from McGill and from STRI. Students will complete their research in Latin America and NEO's core and complementary courses will be taught in Panama.

BIOL 697 must be taken in the first term, followed by BIOL 698 in the second term and BIOL 699 in the third term.

BIOL 640 and ENVR 610 are to be taken to fulfill the 6 credits of required courses.

In addition, 3 credits of elective courses at the 500 level or above are to be selected by the student, as recommended by the Supervisory Committee and approved by the Neotropical Environment Option Director.

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