Advisor Contacts
B.S.+M.S. Program Faculty Advisors (This is your main contact for the program)
Erin Wilson Rankin (erin.rankin@ucr.edu). Dr. Rankin is the advisor for current B.S.+M.S. students, and for incoming students/new applicants.
Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Kia Herron (kia.herron@ucr.edu)
Graduate Student Services Advisor
Fidel Rivas (fidelr@exch.ucr.edu)
Entomology Combined B.S.+M.S. Program Prospective Student Timeline and Preparation Check-List
Use this timeline and the Am I on Track Checklist to stay on track. Please refer to Sample Student Plan for recommended order of courses. Enrollment for 6 consecutive quarters (3 as an undergraduate and 3 as a master's student) is required for eligibility to the program. Timeline infographic can be found here:
JUNIOR YEAR
- Review Combined B.S.+M.S. website to become acquainted with the Entomology B.S.+M.S. program requirements and timeline.
- Ensure that GPA requirements are met.
- Find eligible major professor with research position opening in the lab and enroll in ENTM 19X with that professor.
- Become familiar with lab environment, develop the program of study with your major professor, and plan thesis research project with your major professor.
- Work with your major professor to complete the B.S.+M.S. Statement of Interest & Eligibility (SIE) form.
- Submit SIE form to the B.S.+M.S. faculty advisor before the beginning of the senior year but we recommend submitting this as early as possible in the junior year. You must submit this form PRIOR TO your final three quarters of your undergraduate degree (i.e., BEFORE your senior year). This serves as your application to the B.S.+M.S. Program in Entomology.
SENIOR YEAR (Year 1 in the BS+MS Program in Entomology)
- To stay on track, you will need to meet each quarter with the B.S.+M.S. faculty advisor. This is your main contact for ALL questions regarding the program. Please also refer to the Am I on Track Checklist to stay on track.
- Begin B.S.+M.S. research during senior year via ENTM 197 and ENTM 199. Please visit Entomology's Undergraduate Research page, fill out and submit the ENTM Research Form prior to each quarter. Contact the appropriate Enrollment Manager in the CNAS Enrollment Management Center (http://cnasemc.ucr.edu/) for enrollment assistance. Check R’Web to confirm your enrollment in the appropriate research course.
- Select two thesis committee members (Entomology faculty or cooperating faculty member) in addition to major professor. Meet with this committee by the first quarter of the senior year and submit the B.S.+M.S. Program of Study Form (see link below). This form will indicate which course credits (up to 12 units) completed as an undergraduate will count towards the M.S. unit requirement.
- Submit B.S. degree and diploma application by CNAS deadline. You can refer to UCR's Bachelor's Degree Checklist or the Registrar's website for up to date deadlines.
- When instructed by B.S.+M.S. faculty advisor, submit UCR Master's application* via GradSIS during final undergraduate quarter. The deadlines for submission of this application for the B.S.+M.S. Program in the Entomology Department are Apr 15th to start MS portion in Fall Quarter, Oct 1 to start MS portion of program in Winter Quarter and Feb 1 to start MS portion in Spring Quarter.
*Graduate Application Requirements:
1. UCR Transcript
2. Statement of Personal History (Please discuss how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a Master's in Entomology. Please include any educational, familial, cultural, economic or social experiences, challenges or opportunities relevant to your academic journey. Limit 3000 characters)
3. Statement of Purpose (Please state your specific interests including your thesis topic, career objectives, research interests and experience. Include academic awards, prizes, honors, fellowships, presentations, publications and memberships to any professional or scholarly organization. Limit 3000 characters)
4. Submit 3 names for reference letters, which must include the major professor and the B.S.+M.S. faculty advisor
- Receive admission decision after application is evaluated by the Entomology Department's Instructional and Student Affairs Committee.
- Admitted students register for M.S. program classes and research credits via R'Web after receiving and accepting admission offer.
- At this time, you will complete the B.S. + M.S. Program of Academic Study Form signed by thesis advisor and committee, and send to erin.rankin@ucr.edu
MASTER'S YEAR (Year 2 in the BS+MS Program in Entomology)
- Enroll in the departmental seminar (ENTM 250) each quarter of the master's year.
- When registering for classes as a MS student, please remember that you must sign up for 6-12 research credits (ENTM 297 and/or ENTM 299) each quarter during the regular registration process. The number of credits will depend on your graduate course load for the quarter. Please note this is a different process than registering for research as an undergraduate.
- Present at the Annual Graduate Student Seminar Day.
- Meet with B.S.+M.S. Faculty Advisor prior to each quarter of the graduate year to ensure satisfactory progress in the program. Make sure to use the Am I on Track Checklist to help you plan ahead and stay on track. Refer to Graduate Division to keep up on all the current deadlines. You are responsible for knowing the deadlines for registration, candidacy, graduation and thesis submission.
- M.S. students must apply for advancement to candidacy via R'Web by the first day of the quarter in which they intend to graduate.
- Refer to the Preparing the M.S. Thesis and Defense section below for details on preparing the written thesis and defense.
- M.S. students must apply for MS graduation via R'Web before Week 4 of the quarter in which they intend to graduate.
- Submit written thesis to committee at least 30 days before scheduled defense.
- Defend thesis in a final oral examination.
- Submit final version of written thesis to Graduate Division. See details at http://www.graduate.ucr.edu.
- Submit report of defense to Graduate Division.
Preparing the M.S. Thesis and Defense
Master's students must file an application for advancement to candidacy no later than the first day of the quarter in which they plan to graduate. The master's application for candidacy is accessed through R'Web. M.S. students must complete a written thesis with an oral defense subject to the approval of their Master's Guidance Committee. A minimum of 30 days is required between submission of the thesis, including the abstract, introduction, data chapter(s) and summary/conclusions, to the M.S. Committee and the final oral examination (e.g. oral defense). This period should be sufficient for the Committee to read and provide comments on the thesis, and for the student to complete revisions and return the thesis for approval by the M.S. Committee prior to the oral defense.
The defense will deal primarily with the relation of the thesis to the general field in which the subject lies. This examination will be given by the M.S. Committee. The Major Professor, chair of the M.S. Committee, is responsible for scheduling the time and place of the examination. The student must inform the Graduate Student Services Advisor of when and where the exam will be administered. The Graduate Student Services Advisor prepares the Report on Final Defense for Master's Degree form and gives it to the Major Professor before the defense. A seminar open to the academic community will be required as part of the final oral examination for all M.S. students. Following the examination, the Major Professor is responsible for transmitting the result to the Graduate Student Services Advisor, who then forwards the results of the examination to the Graduate Division.
Additional details concerning formatting and submission of the thesis are available at https://graduate.ucr.edu/.