Biology (MSc, PhD)

Program Overview

The Master's and PhD programs in Biology at the University of Regina emphasize research and provide students with advanced skills in research design, hypothesis testing, and science communication. Students conduct research in diverse locations, collaborating with national and international partners, and have access to state-of-the-art facilities. Graduates are highly competitive in the job market, with potential career paths in government, academia, and the medical field.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

• Program Name: Master of Science (MSc) in Biology (thesis-based) and Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Biology
• Objectives: The program aims to train students in research skills, communication, and networking, providing them with a broad skillset applicable across biological sciences and other areas.
• Description: The program is thesis-based and emphasizes research.
It includes coursework and research, with a focus on the latter. Students conduct research in diverse locations across Canada and internationally, collaborating with national and international partners. The program offers state-of-the-art facilities and labs for research in environmental science, ecology, cellular and molecular biology, and more.
• Emphasis: The program emphasizes training in research skills, including project planning, hypothesis testing, experimental design, and science outreach and communication.
• Supervisor Recommendation: The program recommends arranging for a supervisor prior to applying for admission.

Teaching:

• Teaching Methods: The program emphasizes hands-on research training with supervisors and research groups.
This includes field-based, laboratory-based, or a combination of both.
• Faculty: The program boasts expert faculty members with diverse research interests, including:
• Bats and nightjars, animal ecology, thermoregulation, and hibernation
• Neurobiology, stem cell physiology
• Bacteriology, molecular genetics, microbial ecology
• Clinical virology, science education
• Cell biology, plant ecology, traditional plant uses
• Limnology and fresh water studies, fish biology
• Bioinformatics, sequencing, immunotherapy
• Biogeochemistry, forest dynamics, global change
• Systems biology, pathogen-host interaction, public health
• Entomology, physiology
• Molecular epidemiology, antibiotic resistance, environmental microbiology
• Genetics and genomics, bioinformatics
• Unique Approaches: The program emphasizes student-driven research with guidance from supervisors and thesis committees.
It also fosters collaboration with other department members and external partners.

Careers:

• Potential Career Paths:
• Government scientists in provincial and federal ministries (fisheries, wildlife management, public health, health care, museums, etc.)
• Medical professions (Master of Science in Biology is popular for students entering medical fields)
• Postdoctoral fellows and professors in academia
• Opportunities: The program provides students with a high success rate for employment in biological and research professions.
• Outcomes: Graduates are equipped with advanced skills in reasoning, critical thinking, and inquiry, making them highly competitive in the job market.

Other:

• Research Funding: The Biology Department has the highest percentage of research labs funded by NSERC Discovery Grants in the University of Regina.
This success is attributed to the department's commitment to training highly qualified graduate students.
• Facilities: The program offers access to state-of-the-art facilities, including:
• Aquatics facility and fish swim performance lab
• Animal care facility
• Environmental Quality Analysis Laboratory (EQAL)
• Institute of Environmental Change and Society (IECS)
• Institute for Microbial Systems and Society (IMSS)
• Field station in Cypress Hills
• George F. Ledingham Herbarium
The department also collaborates with other departments and agencies, including:
• Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Royal Saskatchewan Museum
• Roy Romanow Provincial Laboratory
• Study Abroad: The program offers opportunities for study abroad through Mitacs Globalink, a student mobility and research funding program.
• Long-Term Research: Dr. Peter Leavitt, a Canada Research Chair, leads a 30-year study on freshwater quality in southern Saskatchewan, providing valuable data for understanding climate change impacts.
• Awards: The program has a strong record of student awards, including:
• NSERC scholarships
• Teaching assistantships
• Paul Riegert Graduate Award in Biology
• Biology Undergrad and Grad Society (BUGS) Graduate Scholarship
• Paul W. Riegert Memorial Scholarship in Graduate Studies
• Gerhard Herzberg Fellowship
• Saskatchewan Innovation and Excellence Graduate Scholarship
• American Society of Mammologists Fellowship
• Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal