Exit exam for graduating seniors

Who needs to take the exam?

Biology Seniors in their last semester of classes.  This is a requirement for graduation. 

When is the exam offered?

Biology students will be able to take the exam during the second half of their last semester prior to graduation.  Remember that graduation is only possible if a Graduation Application has been submitted and accepted by the University.  The exam is taken online.  Students should receive an email notification, including a web link to the exam, usually at about the middle of their last semester of classes prior to graduation. 

What is the exam?

The exam is actually an Exit Survey called GenBioMAPS (General Biology-Measuring Achievement and Progression in Science).  This survey is administered through Cornell University.  Any and all information related to exam answers and performance is secured and strictly confidential. 

Why is the exam required?

The exit survey is used by the School of Biological Sciences to determine how well biology students are being educated, relative to other biology undergraduates across the country.  Another way to think about it is that this survey helps the faculty of biology assess how well they are performing as educators.  Are they effectively teaching the core concepts of biology.  Are biology students effectively understanding those core concepts?  Knowing the answers to these questions is important to the continued success of the program.  If the exam scores indicate a deficiency, the curriculum can be changed for future students to make sure they will get the education they will need to be competitive in their careers. 

How long does the exam take?

Plan to dedicate about an hour to completing the entire BioMAPS survey.

Do I need a particular score on the exam to graduate?

No.  Even so, please give the exam your best effort because the results will be used to shape the experience of future Biology majors at UNC. Also, please complete every question on the exam --  skipping questions or exiting early may invalidate the survey, and that would require completing the exam a second time.  THANK YOU for taking the time to help improve the Biology Major at UNC!

What happens after the exam?

After the survey closure date, the School will be notified of who completed the exam.  The ‘ETS Biology Exam Required’ note in Degree Works should be cleared within about a week after that.  Please contact Biology@unco.edu if the note in Degree Works is not cleared. 

Who should I talk to if I have questions before the exam?

Please contact your academic advisor in Biology if you have any questions about the survey before or after it is completed.