Mission Statement
The Master of Arts in Biology degree is designed to give working professionals the opportunity to advance their knowledge in a wide variety of biological disciplines. The degree will allow certified secondary school teachers to enhance their ability to teach a variety of courses within the discipline and pursue national certification. For business professionals already employed in a scientific endeavor, the program allows individuals to construct a plan for professional advancement in their field. The degree is also appropriate for those individuals contemplating a career change into the growing field of biological research.
Admission Requirements
- Complete online application and application fee.
- Submit official transcript(s) to the graduate college.
- All students must successfully complete either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Millers Analogy Test (MAT). The minimum for the GRE is a verbal and math combination of 290. The minimum for the MAT is a raw score of 396. Individuals who fail to meet the minimum score requirement may be admitted to regular student status with a recommendation of the Associate Dean upon the completion of twelve or more hours of work with a minimum grade point average of 3.25.
Program Requirements
The Master of Arts in Biology degree requires a minimum of eight graduate level courses totaling at least 32 credit hours. At least five of these courses must be biology courses chosen from the Graduate Course List.
With the approval of the graduate advisor, students entering in the M.A. in Biology program may apply up to three graduate courses in allied areas toward their graduation requirements. These allied areas may include, but are not limited to: education, chemistry, geology, psychology, and physics.
There is no thesis required, however, opportunities for research with faculty are available and students are encouraged to explore these opportunities.
Students admitted to the program are not required to have an undergraduate major in biology, however it is assumed that students have had at least eight hours in college level biology courses. Prospective students who do not have the recommended eight hours in undergraduate biology must confer with the department head or graduate advisor prior to beginning the program.
All students must meet with the graduate advisor prior to beginning their course of study.