The MS Program in Biology


The following requirements are for the Master of Science Degree in Biology:

  1. Complete of 30 units with a grade of B or better in all approved courses for the degree from the following sections.
    1. Seminars (12 units): BIOL691 Proseminar (3 units) and 600-level seminar or lecture courses (9 units)
    2. BIOL502 Biometry or BIOL503 Bioinformatics (4 units)
    3. Electives: Any 400, 500, or 600-level biology courses except BIOL490, 495, 497EE, 499, 692, 696, 698, and 699.  A maximum of 9 units of 400-level courses may be applied to the degree.  Up to  6 units of approved science courses from other disciplines (e.g. Chemistry, Psychology, etc.) may be applied to the degree.  Contact the Graduate Coordinator to determine if a course is approved for the Biology Graduate Program.
    4. Thesis courses: BIOL696 Directed Graduate Research (up to 6 units) and BIOL698 Thesis (3-6 units)
  2. BIOL692 Biology Colloquium (1 unit credit/no credit)
  3. Completion and successful oral defense of a thesis.
  4. Formal approval by the Biology faculty.