Students may pursue a general biology curriculum or may choose to focus their studies in one or more of the following specialization areas: botany, cell and molecular biology, ecology, genetics, microbiology, physiology, or zoology. Students also have the opportunity to study in a state-of-the-art facility with the Fall 2014 opening of the innovative $147 million science building comprising more than 250,000 square feet for teaching, research, and collaborative learning. The Biology master?s requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate credit and six hours of research tools or foreign language. The degree also includes written oral comprehensive exams and a research thesis. Program completion typically requires two to three years.
Recent M.S. graduates have followed a variety of career paths, including pursuit of advanced research degrees (Ph.D.) and professional degrees (M.D. for medicine, D.D.S. for dentistry, M.T. for medical technology); employment with a variety of private, university, state, or federal laboratories and agencies; and teaching in high schools and junior colleges.