Biological Science, Non-Thesis, M.S.

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The non-thesis Master of Science (M.S.) in biological science degree is a coursework-focused program. This M.S. degree program in biological science is specifically designed for professionals in the Tulsa metroplex who would like a graduate degree in biological science but who work full time, such as teachers and medical technicians. It is also ideal for those pursing medical or dental careers and who require coursework beyond their undergraduate degree in order to obtain the skills needed to be competitive applicants to these professional schools.

Although the non-thesis M.S. is a coursework-focused degree, it is not dependent on completing a set list of classes. Instead, the degree allows each student to specify a field of focus and work with advisors to choose coursework within that focus to complete the degree. Options range from molecular and cellular biology to ecology, and include genetics, microbiology and physiology.

Learning Objectives

Students that complete the non-thesis Master’s program will:

demonstrate knowledge in the core areas of biology.
demonstrate knowledge in a subfield of biology.
demonstrate a technical biology skill.
develop communication skills relevant for the biological sciences
demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of a topic within their speciality.

Admission

Application for graduate degree programs in biological science must be made through the Graduate School. An undergraduate G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required. The application must also contain:

Results from the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam;
A statement of purpose describing the applicant’s background, specific interests in biology, and long-term professional objectives;
Reference letters (evaluations) from three individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and/or technical background; and
TOEFL or IELTS exam scores for students from countries where English is not the primary language. Minimum TOEFL score to be considered for graduate school is 90 on the internet-based exam or 575 on the paper exam. The minimum IELTS score is 6.5.

Students not meeting the specific course requirements at the time of application may be admitted on conditional grounds. In such cases, coursework required to make up deficiencies will be determined by the departmental Graduate Committee and should be undertaken during the first year of graduate work. Credit for courses required to correct deficiencies cannot be applied to the graduate degree requirements.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

The non-thesis M.S. in biological science requires 36 hours of coursework with no more than 40 percent at the 6000 level.

Graduate Seminar	9 to 12 hours*
Coursework in focus area	12 to 15 hours*
Coursework providing technical bio-skill	3 hours
Research Courses	6 hours
Directed Reading Capstone Project	3 hours
Total	36 hours

*If student only takes 12 hours of coursework, then 12 hours of graduate seminar is required. However, if student takes 15 hours of coursework, only 9 hours of graduate seminar is necessary.

Capstone Seminar

Graduation is contingent upon a satisfactory presentation of a seminar to the department. The M.S. student will be expected to answer questions posed by the faculty of biological science related to the content of the presentation.