General Access Information
Student Orientation
An annual orientation will be held for all incoming graduate students prior to the beginning of each fall term. This orientation will give all new students a chance to meet the graduate coordinator and to go over all of the policies and requirements of the program, get teaching assignments, and obtain information on getting IDs, keys, parking passes, etc. For those who are appointed as Graduate Assistants (GAs), a portion of the fall orientation will involve professional development with respect to teaching pedagogy. Attendance is required.
Department Office Hours
The main office and office staff are available from 8am-4:30pm. The main office will generally be locked by 5pm.
Activating e-mail accounts
All UNF students will have an email account automatically generated for them. The department will use this primary address for communication purposes, and thus it is up to you to have any previous email addresses converted to the UNF address. More information can be found at: https://www.unf.edu/its/knowledgebase/email/Active-Student-Email.html
Obtaining ID Cards
All students need to obtain an ID Card (the Osprey Card), which can be obtained in 08/1100. More information can be found here:
https://www.unf.edu/business-services/osprey-1card/index.html
Parking Permits
Parking is not free. There are several options for purchasing permits for parking on campus, which can be found here: https://www.unf.edu/parking/student-parking.html
Obtaining Keys
Once you have obtained your teaching assignment, consult with your major professor and the Office Manager to obtain a list of rooms to which access is needed. The administrative secretary can then assist you in obtaining a key request form. Keys are available at the UNF Lock shop (Bldg. 6) open between the hours 8am -3pm. Additionally, if you are a GA you will need a UNF ID that provides access to keyless locks on teaching lab doors. This requires an additional form that can be obtained from the administrative secretary.
Office and Services
The M ain O ffice for Biology is on the first floor of Building 59, Suite 1300. The Chair, Assistant Chair, Office Manager, Administrative Secretary , Teaching & Research Lab Managers each have offices in this suite. Faculty offices are found on all three floors of the Biology Building. A directory is available online and is also posted on the first floor, across from the entrance to the Main Office suite. Faculty generally conduct office hours in their offices or via Zoom. Email individual faculty in order to set up a meeting.
Mail and Postage
The departmental office has mailboxes for everyone, and a photocopier for class use. Items that directly relate to class needs (e.g., quizzes, tests, etc.) or research (articles for advisors, manuscript or grant submissions, etc.) are provided gratis. A copy code (last 4 digits of your student n-number) is required to make copies.
Non-departmental correspondence may also be mailed but must be accompanied by the necessary postage. Larger packages and such can be mailed from the campus UPS Store (Building 8, near Chick Fil-A).
The address format for receiving mail is:
Your Name
Department of Biology
University of North Florida
1 U N F Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Office Supplies
The department will provide various supplies (e.g., pens, pencils, paper, etc.), for Graduate Assistants (GAs) within reason. For other necessary items, please visit the Campus Bookstore. AIf you are a Graduate Assistant (GA) or paid Research Assistant (RA) you are a University employee, and you are eligible for a 20% discount, provided you show your campus ID.
Fax Machine
The department has a fax machine available for school-related endeavors (904-620-3885). Items can be faxed via the fax option on the copy machine.
Academic Advising
Graduate students should seek advice on coursework, research, and career goals from their faculty mentor, their committee, or the graduate coordinator.
In very broad terms, M.S. degrees are more tailored to those who will be continuing to a Ph.D. program or to a potential employer who requires the completion and/or publication of a thesis as prerequisite. M.A. degrees have historically been more geared to those who are already employed in an applied science field (e.g., practicing biologists at parks, herbaria, museums, educators, consultants, etc.), are seeking more advanced knowledge, or will not go on to be scientists actively engaged in primary research (e.g., Principle Investigators). Does this mean you cannot pursue a Ph.D. with an M.A.? No; if you decide to pursue a Doctoral degree subsequent to completing a M.A., you can do so; however, some Ph.D. programs may require an M.S. degree exclusively.
If you begin the program as an M.S. candidate, you may discover that research and thesis work is not your desire, and thus may be interested in switching programs. This would involve a discussion with both your committee and major advisor, and entails taking additional courses. If you begin as an M.A. student, the transition to the M.S. program will necessitate the same discussion, with the added necessity of finding a major professor to help you define and pursue a research question. M.A. students take more courses since they are not writing a thesis, but the same high standards of academic excellence are applied to each program (please see section on maintaining “good standing” for further explanation).
Just remember, a Master’s Program is a great place to explore the biological world. You may discover that you love ecology, are enthralled by molecular genetics, have a passion for physiology or just hate biology altogether. You shouldn’t travel down a path merely because it’s the one you started on; you may not yet know what you find fulfilling, so if you become uninspired with a course of action, explore another. After all, this is your opportunity to embark on what will hopefully lead to a successful career in science.
Choosing a Mentor
Perhaps the most important task that one will undertake is to decide on a faculty mentor, sometimes called a major professor. It is a requirement for admission to the M.S. in biology program at UNF that a major professor is selected prior to acceptance. In the event that you select a different trajectory for your science career from your original plan, you can discuss the need for a different major professor with the Graduate Coordinator.
Once you have decided on a major professor, you should begin formulating your research agenda so that a graduate committee can be convened. Your graduate committee will help you formulate your hypothesis, provide valuable advice and possibly equipment, and generally assist you in your progress toward your degree. You and your major professor will be the best judges as to who is on your committee, but the committee must consist of at least three members (a major professor and two other members). Two of those members must be faculty in the UNF Biology Department, but members outside the department are allowed. However, the Graduate School must vet all potential members, and thus committee members new to UNF must be approved prior to their instatement.
Graduate Faculty in Biology
A list of the faculty in the Biology Department is posted online in the Biology Faculty Directory https://www.unf.edu/coas/biology/contact.html
Those who are designated as Graduate Faculty, approved by the Graduate School, are listed on the Graduate School’s webpages: https://www.unf.edu/graduateschool/staff-resources/grad-faculty.html.
Additionally, off-campus affiliate faculty, involved in the Biomedical Sciences program, are listed on the Biomedical Sciences website: https://www.unf.edu/coas/biomed/contact.html
Program Director Responsibilities
The program director is responsible for ensuring that all of the graduate students are making satisfactory progress toward their degree, handling their responsibilities and enforcing departmental and university policies. The program director will administer the written exam that each graduate student must pass and will maintain a file on each student in the program containing all documentation regarding their degree. Laboratory coordinators report on each of the GAs that teach lab sections in their classes and the program director will compile this information and meet with each GA every semester to discuss their performance. The program director is also the point of contact for any situations that may arise regarding conflicts between a graduate student and their mentor.
Financial Support
Summer Support
At the current time there is no department summer support available. However, several awards (see below) are available for graduate students at different phases of their academic careers. Also, periodic grants from the Coastal Biology may be available, but nothing is guaranteed. Thus, applying for external grants, often through scientific societies (e.g., Sigma Xi Grants-In-Aid-Of-Research) is strongly encouraged.
Awards
The Department has several awards to assist students, typically given during the summer months. The Graduate Committee will periodically send out emails with this information and eligibility requirements, but include:
Thomas Dobson Fellowship In Conservation Biology: this $2000/year fellowship will fund a full-time graduate student of Biology in Conservation Biology.
Biology Graduate Student Awards: this $2000 award is typically awarded in the summer to an outstanding graduate student who has completed their proposal and begun research. This award is sometimes split between two candidates.
Travel funds
One of the most important activities in which a scientist may engage is in the active dissemination of data. Thus, the department strongly encourages graduate student travel and presentations at meetings. Whether local, state, national or international, meeting presentations are of paramount importance to developing one's scientific repartee. Many larger meetings have funds set aside to assist in graduate student travel, so check ahead.
The department also has limited funds in which to assist with graduate student travel. To apply, send an email to the Graduate Coordinator stating the time, place and nature of the meeting, an approximate budget, and whether you are planning on giving a talk or poster. It is best to forward the acceptance email from the organization hosting the meeting so that the Graduate Coordinator can verify that your abstract has been accepted for presentation. Consideration for requests will include stage of student research development, the type of meeting, presentation type, major professor input, etc.
The Coastal Biology Program may have additional funds for Coastal themed presentations.
In-state vs. out-of-state designations
Tuition for out-of-state students is significantly more expensive than for in-state students. Thus, it is a great idea for students entering the program to apply for in-state residency as soon as possible. Graduate Assistants receive a tuition waiver to help reduce costs; however, you must be a full time student taking 9 credit hours to receive the full benefit. Speak to the Office Manager if you have questions regarding this process.
