Detailed information regarding the EEB M.S. program of study is provided below. The M.S. Program has both a thesis option and a coursework-only option. The program is flexible and serves a variety of career objectives, such as teaching in secondary schools, employment in a variety of research-oriented jobs, interpretive work in parks and nature centers, and preparation for further professional training. Students are encouraged to seek some research experience with one or more U-M faculty as part of their degree. The master's degree is not a prerequisite for admission to the doctoral program, nor is it intended as probationary admission to the doctoral program. Students applying to the EEB M.S. program are expected to have a solid foundation in the biological sciences. In addition, they are recommended to have completed the following college level courses: Physics (two semesters of lectures or one semester of lecture and one semester of lab), Calculus (one semester), Organic Chemistry (two semesters of lectures and one semester of lab.) Applicants are evaluated on their past academic performance, laboratory or field experience, statement of professional goals, and letters of recommendation. Unusually promising students whose backgrounds are substantially deficient in either the biological or physical sciences may receive special status for one or two terms in order to enable them to acquire a suitable background.