Master of Science in Biology (MS)
To be admitted to MS in Biology:
- A candidate must have a bachelor’s degree in biology or related field (related fields such as Botany, Environmental Sciences (with a biology emphasis), Marine Science (with biology emphasis), Marine Biology, Microbiology, Neurobiology and Zoology).
- An overall GPA of 2.5 or higher (on a 4 point scale) and a 3.0 GPA in biology (or related field). If the GPA in biology is between 2.75 and 3.0, the student may be admitted on probation and must earn a B or higher in the first 9 hours of graduate courses in the program. If the overall GPA is below 2.5 or in biology below 2.75 the student will not be admitted.
- No GRE will be required for admission to the Master of Science in Biology.
- Approval of the graduate committee of the Department of Biology and Chemistry. The decision by the committee will be based on the interests the candidate has in biology and if a graduate faculty member can and will work with the candidate. The candidate’s interest will be determined by the personal statement the candidate writes for admission. The statement should describe what research the student is interested in doing in the program and how working with a faculty member(s) in the Department can achieve this. Students are strongly encouraged to contact potential mentors prior to applying.
- Admission to the thesis program will be determined by the acceptance of the student by an advisor. A student’s admission for a thesis can be denied because the student’s interest does not match any research program available. A student can be admitted to the non-thesis but the student will be required to take comprehensive exam to complete the degree.
A candidate applying for the MS in Biology without a degree in biology or related field can be admitted if the candidate takes the required stemwork. The following are normally the minimum requirements as preparation for graduate coursework:
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1111 | General Chemistry I and General Chemistry I-Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 1412 | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHEM 2423 | Organic Chemistry I | 4 |
| BIOL 1306 & BIOL 1106 | Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I-Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 1311 & BIOL 1111 | Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II-Lab | 4 |
| BIOL 1413 | Principles of Biology III | 4 |
| BIOL 3406 | Evolution | 4 |
| BIOL 3410 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIOL 3412 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BIOL 3413 | Intro to Genetics | 4 |
A candidate without a degree in biology must have an overall GPA of 2.5 in their bachelor's program and a GPA of 3.0 in stemwork for the Master in Biology, including chemistry, to be admitted to the program. In addition, the student should give a justification that is accepted by the graduate committee of the Department of Biology and Chemistry why they are seeking a degree in biology. The GPA includes stem work taken before the application and all stem work required by the graduate committee of the Department of Biology and Chemistry to fulfill the requirement.
Major Curriculum - Biology
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| BIOL 5290 | Graduate Seminar in Biology 1 | 2 |
| BIOL 5290 | Graduate Seminar in Biology 1 | 2 |
| BIOL 5401 | Biometry 2 | 4 |
| Select 16 semester credit hours from any 5000-level Biology courses except BIOL 5197-BIOL 5697. | 16 | |
| BIOL 5398 | Thesis I | 3 |
| BIOL 5399 | Thesis II | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 30 | |
- 1
To be repeated once when the topic changes to fulfill the requirement of four SCH.
- 2
To be taken in the first three semesters of student's graduate work.