The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz is designed for students seeking graduate-level research training that is focused and of shorter duration than a doctoral program. The curriculum emphasizes core competencies in ecology, evolution, physiology, and behavior, blending coursework, field and lab experience, and independent research. The program requires a series of advanced courses shared with PhD students but omits comprehensive and qualifying exams. Students must complete a master’s thesis based on independent research, which is defended in a closed oral examination and presented in a departmental seminar by the end of the second year. Extensive faculty-student interaction, fieldwork, and interdisciplinary collaboration are hallmarks of the program. 来源： https://www.eeb.ucsc.edu/academics/graduate/