We invite you to become a valued member of a vibrant and productive scientific community. As our graduate student, you will be guided toward enhancing your critical and analytical thinking skills, and attaining modern research expertise essential to your career progression.

Our program boasts several opportunities for research seminars, internships and other cultural and academic enhancements to enrich your education. We offer our students greater depth and breadth in course work and introduce them to creative and productive inquiry leading to careers in teaching; research in governmental, industrial and academic organizations; and entrance into doctoral programs We require from students seeking unconditional admission to the program a "B" average for a minimum of 30 credits of undergraduate biology, credit for four semesters of chemistry, two semesters of physics, and mathematics through Calculus I. The BBSD Chair exercises ultimate departmental authority over all matters pertaining to graduate education. The Chair may delegate authority to the Departmental Graduate Committee, chaired by the BBSD Graduate Program Director, for operation and policies of the graduate program.

Degree Requirements

• A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required. A grade of "B" or better must be earned in the required graduate core courses for both thesis and non-thesis options.
• At least 30 credits of biology (or approved chemistry and pharmaceutical science) courses including the thesis for the M.S. with thesis option and at least 36 credits including a project for the M.S. non-thesis project option are required.
• Successful completion of an approved graduate biostatistics, bioinformatics or computer science course in lieu of the foreign language requirement.