About This Program
The Biology M.A. program is designed for students who want to deepen their knowledge in biology and prepare for advanced studies or careers in research, education or industry. With a focus on research and advanced coursework, you'll gain the skills needed to tackle complex biological questions and make a meaningful impact in the field. Read more...
Contact Information
Program Delivery
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Biological scientists, all other
- 2.2% slower than the average
- 44,700 number of jobs
- $85,290 potential earnings
Biological technicians
- 4.9% about as fast as the average
- 87,500 number of jobs
- $46,340 potential earnings
Food scientists and technologists
- 4.4% about as fast as the average
- 14,200 number of jobs
- $73,450 potential earnings
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
- 3.8% about as fast as the average
- 1,050,800 number of jobs
- $62,870 potential earnings
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s) - copies of official transcripts can be used for initial application
- Goal statement
- One letter of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 587 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
- Minimum 94 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 82 MELAB score
- Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 65 PTE score
- Minimum 120 Duolingo English test score
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Spring Semester
- Summer Term
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
BSCI 60104 | BIOLOGICAL STATISTICS | 4 |
BSCI 60110 | CAREERS AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOR BIOLOGISTS | 2 |
BSCI 60184 | RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | 2 |
BSCI 60191 | SEMINAR IN BIOLOGY (repeated for 2 credit hours total) 2 | 2 |
BSCI 60196 | INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION | 6 |
| 15 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 31 |
Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
1 | 15-16 |
| |
| BIOENERGETICS | |
| EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY and SELECTED READINGS IN EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY | |
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| IMMUNOLOGY | |
| ENDOCRINOLOGY | |
| |
| EVOLUTION | |
| MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | |
| LIMNOLOGY | |
| WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | |
| CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | |
| VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY | |
| EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | |
| |
| EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| EVOLUTION | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Biological Data Analytics Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
BSCI 50218 | INTRODUCTION TO GENOMICS | 3-4 |
or BSCI 50220 | BIOINFORMATICS |
or BSCI 60107 | REPRODUCIBLE QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR ECOLOGICAL DATA |
| 12-13 |
| EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | |
| INTRODUCTION TO GENOMICS | |
| BIOINFORMATICS | |
| REPRODUCIBLE QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR ECOLOGICAL DATA | |
| MEDICAL GENOMICS | |
| EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | |
| COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS | |
| POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY | |
| MACHINE LEARNING AND DEEP LEARNING | |
| DATA MINING TECHNIQUES | |
| BIG DATA ANALYTICS | |
| BIG DATA MANAGEMENT | |
| PROBABILISTIC DATA MANAGEMENT | |
| PEOPLE IN THE INFORMATION ECOLOGY | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Cellular and Molecular Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
BSCI 50143 | EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY | 3 |
BSCI 50158 | MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | 3 |
| 9-10 |
| CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE | |
| EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY | |
| PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER | |
| MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS | |
| DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE | |
| MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY | |
| IMMUNOLOGY | |
| BIOINFORMATICS | |
| MEDICAL GENOMICS | |
| FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROSCIENCE | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Environmental Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
BSCI 50374 | CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | 4 |
or BSCI 50375 | ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT |
| 11-12 |
| MARINE BIOLOGY | |
| SOIL BIOLOGY | |
| EVOLUTION | |
| STREAM BIOLOGY | |
| INVASION BIOLOGY | |
| MICROBIAL ECOLOGY | |
| LIMNOLOGY | |
| FIELD METHODS IN ORNITHOLOGY | |
| WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | |
| CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT | |
| TROPICAL FIELD BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION | |
| BIOGEOCHEMISTRY | |
| VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY | |
| ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS | |
| EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | |
| COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS | |
| POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY | |
| ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY | |
| WATER AND SOCIETY | |
| URBAN SUSTAINABILITY | |
| GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE | |
| REMOTE SENSING | |
| REMOTE SENSING |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Medical Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER | |
| MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS | |
| DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE | |
| ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY | |
| 9-10 |
| EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY | |
| DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY | |
| DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY | |
| PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER | |
| MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES | |
| MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS | |
| DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE | |
| NEUROBIOLOGY OF DRUG ADDICTION | |
| IMMUNOLOGY | |
| NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY | |
| ENDOCRINOLOGY | |
| BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS | |
| ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY | |
| ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY: READINGS AND CASE STUDIES | |
| MEDICAL HISTOLOGY | |
| HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR | |
| MEDICAL GENOMICS | |
| FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROSCIENCE | |
| HEALTH BEHAVIOR | |
| HEALTH CARE ETHICS | |
| SOCIAL CONTROL OF MENTAL ILLNESS | |
Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 23 credit hours of biological science (BSCI) courses toward the degree with one exception: Teachers holding or pursuing K-12 licensure who do not declare a concentration may complete a minimum 18 credit hours of biological sciences (BSCI) courses toward the degree.
The Department of Biological Sciences frequently offers special topics classes in specialized areas of interest, which can count towards the degree when approved to be part of a student's program of study. Coursework in other fields within the natural and physical sciences may be used to meet credit hour requirements when approved to be part of the student's program of study.
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Understand advanced biological concepts beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate degree and to increase the depth of their knowledge through coursework and hands-on experiences.
- Apply scientific principles and appreciate work outside of their particular field.
- Effectively communicate about science with colleagues as well as those outside of the student's area of expertise.
- Develop the necessary laboratory skills that will allow testing of hypotheses.
Full Description
The Master of Arts degree in Biology is for students wishing to gain additional knowledge in any area of the biological sciences. This is a non-thesis master's degree designed for secondary school science teachers, individuals looking for additional background or preparation for professional school (e.g. medicine, dentistry or Ph.D. programs) and those seeking employment in life science industries in a non-research capacity.
The Biology major includes the following optional concentrations:
- The Biological Data Analytics concentration combines required courses in data analytics and elective options in biology to provide students with the understanding of the type of data collected while conducting biological research and how to analyze it.
- The Cellular and Molecular Biology concentration provides a heavy focus on cell-to-cell interactions and signaling pathways to give students a deep understanding of the cellular and molecular processes that occur within cells and physiological systems.
- The Environmental Biology concentration provides students with a balance between better understanding the relationships between organisms and the environment and how this balance can be sustained through environmental management and conservation.
- The Medical Biology concentration provides students with a deep understanding of physiological systems and the mechanisms that underlie various disorders and disease pathologies.
Students who declare the Biology major with no concentration will select their area of specialization in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.