What could I do with a master's degree in biology? What kind of financial support is available for MS biology students?
The master of science in biology is a 30-semester-hour thesis program with concentrations in cell biology, and environmental and organismic biology. The thesis is an answer to a research question that is revealed through careful planning and sustained effort under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
A thesis-based MS degree, such as our MS in biology, provides training and experience in communication, problem solving, critical thinking and integrating information derived from multiple sources. These are highly marketable skills in their own right, and they equip you with a tool set necessary for accomplishment and success in virtually any professional endeavor. A non-thesis option is also available.
Graduates of our MS in biology program may further their education at the doctoral level, or secure careers in education, research, business, state and federal agencies, and health sciences. They may become post-secondary teachers, environmental scientists, biological scientists, medical scientists, microbiologists, wildlife biologists, biochemists and biophysicists. More than 90 percent of graduates in the program find jobs in their field of training, or continue with additional professional training.
Approximately $10,000 in assistantship support covering the fall and spring semesters is competitively available to students entering the program. An additional $2,500 is available during the summer through a combination of teaching and research assistantships and departmental resources. In addition, a limited number of Graduate Scholar Awards of $4,000 per year, awarded through the Graduate School, have been available in the past for the strongest applicants.
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