Policy on Course Prerequisites for Graduate Students
Approved by vote of the faculty 24 January 2000
The Department expects incoming graduate students to have taken courses in biology or botany (3 quarters), physics, higher mathematics (two quarters of calculus, linear algebra, or statistics), chemistry (6 quarters to include general, organic, and biochemistry), and genetics (1 quarter).
Students who lack acceptable prerequisites must take appropriate course work to correct the deficiency before arrival or as early as possible in the student's graduate program, preferably within the first year of graduate work. The deficiency of one course for which there is not graduate credit available can remain uncorrected with the approval of the student's graduate committee.
The Graduate Studies Committee will maintain a list of Oregon State University courses that fulfill each prerequisite.
The Chair will appoint a person to oversee this policy and verify that identified deficiencies have been corrected. Graduate programs will not receive Departmental approval without an approved plan for correcting deficiencies.
A student may petition the Department to waive a requirement on evidence of strong background in the subject area. Waiver will be granted only if the student's advisory committee and the person overseeing this policy approve the petition.