1. Graduation Requirements

• Please be careful not to take same courses more than once, searching for alternative courses in course registration programs.
• In case you earn 6 credits of undergraduate courses in the Master’s program, you may not earn credits of undergraduate courses for completion of the Doctoral program.
  - Example of repetitive course taking:
  i.e.) 3344.518 Cell biology (Cell biology 6) and 3344.518 Cell biology (Cell biology 8) are different courses.
  Therefore, if the subtitle (number) is identical, it is the same course (repetitive course taking), and if different, it is not a repetitive course.
• Student in Master’s program needs to take at least 2 courses and in doctoral program 3 courses from Common Core Courses(Common Core Courses has been lifted since Student ID: 2019-), not including Graduation Dissertation Research. A substitute for qualification exam for dissertation submission.
  ※ Courses taken in Master’s program can be accepted as ones in Doctoral Program.
• Students entering in 2014 afterwards must work as assistant for the courses of Liberal Arts Biology or Biology Lab for at least one semester.
• Required Credits
  Half of your course credits should be earned in courses offered by the Dept. of Biological Sciences, not including credits of Graduate Thesis (Dissertation) Research.
  e.g.) Master’s 24 credits – 6 credits for Graduation thesis research = 18 credits of 1/2 = 9 credits
  Master’s/Ph.D combined 60 credits – 18 credits for Graduation thesis research = 42 credits of 1/2 = 21 credits
• Graduate Students are advised to complete the required credits of courses in accordance with the above instructions if the credits shown in mysnu (my.snu.ac.kr) do not agree with these rules.

(1) Qualification Exam for Dissertation Proposal Submission (Major)

• Students entering prior to year 2011 are to take written exams as in the past, and students entering in year 2011 and thereafter should follow the new rules.
• Under the new system,
  1. Grades on Common Core Courses (Masters 2, Ph.D 3)
  2. Written proposal on Research Plan
  3. Evaluation on Verbal Presentation
  are the factors of evaluation for passing.
• On-line submission of application on the indicated date is required for official approval to be allowed to take the qualification exam.

(2) Minimum English Scores for Dissertation Proposal Submission

• TEPS : 551point
• TOEFL(CBT) : 203point

(3) Dissertation Advising Committee – Evaluation of Dissertation Proposal

• Students must receive approval for their dissertation proposal from their examination committee before being eligible to take their thesis examination.
• Advising committee meeting should be held at least 6 months before the evaluation of dissertation proposal for Doctoral Program
• Documents including the ‘Evaluation Report’ (attached) by Dissertation Advising Committee and a printed copy of presentation should be submitted to the office of the Department after the Committee evaluation is completed.

(1) Eligibility

1. Process

2. Qualification Exam

3. Applicable Students for the Rule

※ List of Common Core Courses

Master’s Dissertation

1. Students Applicable

2. Process of Dissertation Evaluation

• ①Announcement of Dissertation Evaluation Plan: The department will announce the reschedule
• ②Applicants’ online registration
  On-line registration in mysnu “academic administration” before deadline
• ③Submission of documents and evaluation fee for dissertation evaluation
  • (a)Submission of Dissertation paper: 3 copies (submitted directly to committee evaluators)
  • (b)Fee : ￦100,000
  • (c)Payment method
    Paying at the designated bank in person or transferring to the designated virtual account specified in the bill (If required, you may submit a receipt issued by the designated bank to the College administrative office.)
    ※ Method of Receipt Printout
    Seoul National University Portal MySnu (http://my.snu.ac.kr/portal/site/snuep/) Login (Student ID) ⇒ Academic Affairs ⇒ Graduation ⇒Receipt for Thesis Examination Fee Payment ⇒ Printout
  • (d)Guideline on Dissertation Writing for Evaluation
    • -The dissertation may be written in Koean or English, but include both Korean AND English language abstracts.
    • -The keywords representing the subject of the paper should be indicated at the bottom of the abstract.
• ④Appointment of Committee Member
  • (a)Qualification for judge < Article 7 >
    • -Professor, associate professor, assistant professor of SNU
    • -Experts with Ph.D degree, outside of SNU
  • (b)Appointment of Committee Member
    • -Chair of Dept. recommends more than 3 committee members to the Dean of the College.
    • -The Dean asks the Committee of Academic Affairs for Graduate School to choose 3 members (chair, vice chair and a member) of the Dissertation Evaluation Committee.
    • -Applicants should be fairly distributed among examiners to prevent any one faculty member from taking on responsibility for examining too many students.
    • -Neither the applicant’s advising professor nor outside experts (including emeritus professors) are allowed to chair the committee.
• ⑤Presentation on paper abstract: Presentation will be held under the direction of the Chair of the Dept.
• ⑥Dissertation Evaluation and Oral Exam
  • (a)Dissertation Evaluation
    • -(Organizer) Chair of the Evaluation Committee
    • -(Evaluation on Dissertation)
      ㈀ A : All members agree (Pass)
      ㈁ B : 2/3 of members agree (Pass)
      ㈂ C : 1/3 or less agree (Fail)
    • -Criteria for pass – 2/3 of more members agree( thesis grade: more B) Pass
  • (b)Oral Exam
    • -Oral exam will be done at the time of final review of the thesis. At least 60 points are required to pass.
  • (c)Submission of Evaluation Summary
    • -The judges' chairman shall fill out the evaluation summary and submit it to the corresponding administrative office of the university department with the approval seal mark from all judges. (If there is any opinion other than the unified opinions of all the judges, the respective opinions shall be submitted to the evaluation summary.)
• ⑦Print of Dissertation paper and its submission for preservation
  For more information on submitting dissertation copies, please contact the Main Library
  • (a)How to submit
    • -Those who have passed the dissertation examination must submit the copies of the paper for official filing by stated due date, following instructions specified by the Dean (refer to the Instructions on Binding and Printing of Dissertation Papers)
      ※ Students who do not submit the copies will not be conferred their degree
  • (b)Where to submit
    • -A location designated by the Main Library
  • (c)Submission of PDF file
    • -Submission deadline : check with the Main Library after evaluation
    • -How to Submit
      Main Library Homepage (http://library.snu.ac.kr) ⇒ Using the Libraries ⇒ Thesis Submission
      ※ Submission of pdf original text file should be completed prior to submitting bound thesis.
  • (d) Confirmation on Dissertation Submission
    • -Confirmation document on Dissertation submission can be printed from “Online Dissertation Submission System”
    • -The copy of confirmation document should be submitted to the Dept. office.
      ※ In case that any “check-out” books are in your account, you may print the document out only after the books are returned.
  • (e)Questions
    • -Department of Biological Sciences and/or Main Library (☏ 880-5466)

Ph.D. Dissertation

1. Eligible Students

2. Process of Dissertation Evaluation

• ①Announcement of Dissertation Evaluation Plan : The department will announce the evaluation schedule.
• ②Applicants’ online registration and payment of evaluation fee
  • (a)Form is given at Dept. Office
  • (b)Registration and Payment of Fee
    • -Online registration in my snu “academic administration” before deadline
    • -Required Documents
      · Form of Request on Dissertation Evaluation
      · Recommendation Letter of Advising Professor
      · Curriculum Vitae
  • (c)Fee: ₩ 300,000
  • (d)Payment method
    • -Paying at the designated bank in person or transferring to the designated virtual account specified in the bill(If required, you may submit a receipt issued by the designated bank to the College administrative office.)
      ※ Method of Receipt Printout
      Seoul National University Portal MySnu (http://my.snu.ac.kr/portal/site/snuep/) Login (Student ID) ⇒ Academic Affairs ⇒ Graduation ⇒Receipt for Thesis Examination Fee Payment ⇒ Printout
• ③Submission of Dissertation paper
  • (a)Where to submit : directly to the evaluation committee members before evaluation
  • (b)Paper copies for submission
    • -5 copies (not necessary to print)
    • -1 copy of dissertation abstract (written in Korean)
      ☞ Applicants can submit additional materials such as reference papers, auxiliary papers, translated materials, mock-ups, samples and others if these materials are necessary for the evaluation.
  • (c)Guideline on Dissertation Writing for Evaluation
    • -The dissertation may be written in English, but include both Korean AND English language abstracts.
      The keywords representing the subject of the paper should be indicated at the bottom of the abstract.
• ④Recommendation of Evaluation Committee member < Rule on Conferral of Degree, Article 24 and Guideline on Dissertation Evaluation of Graduate School and Degree Conferral Article 7, 8, and 9>
  • (a)Qualifications of Committee Member
    • -Professor, associate professor, assistant professor of SNU
    • -Experts with Ph.D degree, outside of SNU
      ㈀ Non-SNU Faculty : Assistant professor and/or higher positioned faculty
      ㈁ Faculty in research institute: more than 2 years of research experience after receiving Ph.D. degree;
      ㈂ Others : Person considered having same experience as above ㈀, ㈁
  • (b)Recommendation and Appointment of Committee members
    • -Chair of Dept. recommends candidates who qualify the criteria above to the Dean of College.
    • -One or more experts from outside SNU should be included. ※ Emeritus professors are considered as inside-SNU members.
    • -The Dean reviews at the Committee of Academic Affairs for Graduate School, and chooses 3 members (chair, vice chair and a member) of the Dissertation Evaluation Committee.
    • -The Dean reports the review result to the Committee of Graduate School.
    • -The chair of the committee cannot be the applicant’s advising professor nor outside experts (including emeritus professors)
• ⑤Presentation on paper abstract and pre-reviewing
  • (a)Presentation on paper abstract Presentation on paper abstract: ‘Presentation will be held under the direction of the Chair of the Dept.
  • (b)Pre-reviewing on paper : it will be held more than 2 under the direction of the Chair of the Dept.
  • (c)Result report of paper pre-reviewing
    • -Result period : under the direction of dept
    • -Result from : fixed form
    • -Place to submit: College of natural science Administrative Department
• ⑥Dissertation Evaluation and Oral Exam
  • (a)Dissertation Evaluation
    • -Time and place will be set by the College
    • -Passing Criterion : at least 4 of 5 members agree.
  • (b)Oral Exam
    • -Oral exam will be conducted at the time of dissertation evaluation
    • -Passing Criterion : Average score more than 70 points
      At least 4 of 5 members should give more than 70 points.
• ⑦Extension of Dissertation Evaluation
  • -One semester extension is allowed under extraordinary occasions with the approval from the Committee of Academic Affairs for Graduate School
    • *Unlikely to approve the extension if the reason of extension is to improve documents
    • *If the applicants could not meet the submission deadline, or the applicants have had their deadline extended, one semester extension may be granted in exceptional circumstances.
• ⑧Printing of dissertation paper and its submission for preservation
  ☞ For more information on submitting dissertation copies, please contact the Main Library
  • (a)How to Submit
    • -Those who have passed the dissertation examination must submit the copies of the paper for preservation by the indicated due date to a place that the Dean indicates (refer to the Instructions on Binding and Printing of Dissertation Papers)
      ※ Students who do not submit the copies will be excluded from conferral of degree.
  • (b)Place to submit
    • -A place designated by the Main Library (☏ 880-5466) or biological sciences office
  • (c)Submission of PDF file
    • -Submission deadline : indicated by the Main Library after evaluation
    • -How to Submit
      "Main Library Homepage (http://library.snu.ac.kr) ⇒ Using the Libraries ⇒ Thesis Submission
      ※ Submission of pdf original text file should be done prior to submitting bound printed dissertation.
  • (d)Confirmation on Dissertation Submission
    • -Confirmation document showing evidence of dissertation submission can be printed from “Thesis Submission System”
    • -The copy of confirmation document should be submitted to the dept. office.
      ※ In case that any “check-out” books are in your account, you may print the document out only after the books are returned.
  • (e)Questions
    • -Department of Biological Sciences and/or Main Library (☏ 880-5466)
• ⑨Publication of Dissertations
  • -Those who received a doctoral degree must publish the thesis within one year from the date of granting the degree. There are exceptions in case that the dissertation has already been published or when it is deemed inappropriate by the Dean of the college to publish the dissertation.
  • -Those who want to reserve publication of thesis by patent application, military confidentiality, invasion of privacy, or other unavoidable reasons should submit a non-disclosure application to the Dept. office
    ※ Dissertation publication method
    Publication can be as a book, in journals, in periodicals, in international journals, and also can be presented in academic seminars, etc.

Deadline of Dissertation Submission

• ①Deadline of Submission
  • (a)Master's : Within 4 years after course completion
  • (b)Doctoral : Within 6 years after course completion
• ②Extension of Deadline on Dissertation Submission (2 years)
  • (a)Master, Doctoral 2years
  • ※Extension period is calculated, connected to the date of initial deadline of dissertation submission
• ③Registration as research students granted extended deadline (3 years)
  • (a)An extension can be granted only once, and the dissertation paper should be submitted within 3 years from the approved semester.
  • (b)You must earn additional credits as shown below.
    • -Master’s program: 6 credits or more, Doctoral program: 9 or more credits
  • (c)Registration as student granted extension
    • -Master ‘s program: 1 semester or more, Doctoral program: 2 semesters or more
      • ※In the case of Ph.D. program, it is not possible to complete 9 credits in one semester. However, it is possible to complete more than one credit in the next semester.
      • ※You may not include the credits earned during the extension but they will be listed on your University transcript.
  • (d)Notice
    • -The term "Deadline extending research student” does not mean graduate research student (150,000 won for humanities, 200,000 won for science and engineering), but means students who need to pay tuitions based on credit hours and have exceeded the deadline for submitting a thesis.
    • -If you fail to pass the thesis examination for the semester you paid the tuition fee per credit and apply for the thesis examination in the next semester, you should register as "Graduate research student (Humanities department: 150,000 won, Science and Engineering: 200,000 won)".
    • -When you already passed some parts of qualification exams, you may take only failed parts again.

In order to enhance the competitiveness of the Department of Biological Sciences, the Rule on Conferral of Ph.D Degree students must meet the minimum accomplishments as follows: