Masters Degrees in Environmental Biology, USA

The Department of Biology offers a Master of Science Degree that can be tailored to meet the needs of the student. Choices include a Thesis Option and a Non-thesis Option. The programs are designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students.

Please visit the website to see the curriculum for these programs:

http://bio.wcupa.edu/biology/index.php/graduate-degrees.html

Our Mission

The primary mission of the Department of Biology is to provide a high quality educational experience to graduate students. This is achieved by maintaining small class sizes staffed by full-time faculty. Virtually all courses have a laboratory component, facilitating participatory learning. An integrated core curriculum is intended to strengthen the communication, quantitative and analytical skills of all biology majors. Several focused concentrations within the undergraduate curriculum offer options of either specialising for immediate employment upon graduation, or preparing for postgraduate education. 

Masters students receive training as biological scientists primarily for career advancement. Although most students come from the Delaware Valley region, their educational experience is intended to equip them well for careers anywhere. Biology majors are required to perform independent projects in many courses, and are encouraged to work closely with faculty in collaborative research. The combination of unusually broad course selection and individual attention allows students from very diverse backgrounds to excel within the program. A part of the department's mission is to participate in the process of scientific inquiry.

The department expects its faculty to engage in scholarly activity, and encourages research publication and the acquisition of extramural funding. Scholarship enhances the stature of the Department and University, adds exceptionally current information to lecture material, and has helped to secure technologically up-to-date laboratory equipment. The department's research environment also provides an ongoing framework into which graduate and undergraduate student research projects can beincorporated. A strong record of collaborative faculty-student research is one reason for the successful placement of most Biology Department graduates. 

The Biology Department serves the University by supporting coursework for other disciplines, principally in Nursing, Health, Kinesiology and the Forensic and Toxicological Chemistry program, and is actively involved in maintaining the high quality of the Preprofessional Program. The department is working closely with the School of Education in training Secondary school biology teachers, and is strengthening ties with other departments in environmental science. Department faculty serve the community as consultants to government, non-profit organisations, other schools and industry.

Research Opportunities

The faculty of the Department of Biology are nationally recognised for their research programs and publications in prestigious journals. Faculty research is regularly supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, or similar state and national organisations. Research and teaching facilities are equipped with such state-of-the-art equipment as liquid scintillation and gamma counters, spectrophotometers, and a digitised HPLC system. We also have access to a FEI environmental scanning electron microscope, a FEI transmission electron microscope, and Reichart ultramicrotome.

The Biology Department also manages a USDA certified (NIH approved) animal care facility, the 20,000 specimen William Darlington Herbarium, and 100 acre Robert B. Gordon Natural Area for Environmental Studies.

Research opportunities for graduate students are particularly strong in three areas:

(1) Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology;
(2) Physiology, Development, and Cell Biology; and
(3) Molecular Genetics, Immunology, and Microbiology.

Faculty in each of these programs have ongoing research projects and welcome serious student investigators into their laboratories.

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Program Description

The Master of Science in Biology is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge of both plant and animal biology and microbiology. The program requires a minimum of 30 credits of graduate work. These must include at least one 3-credit course in four of the following five areas: cell biology/biochemistry, molecular biology, computational biology, ecology/evolution, and plant biology.

To fulfill the written thesis requirement, students may conduct laboratory, field work, or bibliographic research. Students selecting the experimentally-based research thesis option must complete a minimum of 24 credits of course work and 6 credits of research with a graduate faculty member of the department. Students choosing the bibliographic-based research thesis option are required to take 27 credits of course work and 3 credits of independent study with a graduate faculty member of the department. For both experimentally-based and bibliographic-based research thesis options, the thesis will be defended publicly followed by a question-and-answer session with the thesis committee. The thesis committee must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and consist of the primary advisor and at least one other reader who is a member of the graduate faculty.

Federal

Federation is a formal agreement between Rutgers University-Newark and NJIT to coordinate many activities. The goal is to increase the quality of teaching and research by drawing from the larger, combined resource base. In particular, the curriculum and requirements of the various Graduate options are the same for both institutions, and students may take courses on both campuses to fulfill those requirements. Federation also involves the sharing of office and laboratory facilities, the coordination of research, and long-term strategic planning.

Career Opportunities 

-Biologist 

-Botanist 

-Biomedical Engineer

-Entomologist 

-Evolutionary Biologist 

-Environmental Scientist

-Food Scientist 

-Herpetologist 

-Mammologist

-Ornithologist

-Pharmacist

-Zoologist 

-Geographer

-Forensic Scientist 

-Microbiologist 

-Hydrologist

-Biological Technician

-Attorney 

-Genetic Counselor 

-Physician Assistant

-Nurse Practitioner

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With programs leading to a research Master of Science (MS) and a non-thesis Master of Arts (MA), graduate studies in the Department of Biological Sciences provide students the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue successful careers in the life sciences. Offering a competitive breadth of knowledge while remaining sensitive to the needs of individual students, the department delivers a diverse academic experience that includes extensive faculty-student interactions and freedom to undertake interdisciplinary studies. Students will find themselves surrounded by a variety of opportunities that enrich their studies such as weekly seminars, research symposia and individual and team research options.

The graduate program in biological sciences has two tracks: biochemical, cell and molecular biology (BCMB) or ecology, evolution and behavior (EEB). These tracks can be combined or pursued concurrently with other academic interests. Students are encouraged to explore faculty profile and research areas before applying and to read the department FAQ for more information about the program:

Students studying the BCMB track are trained in fundamental research approaches and techniques and are exposed to a diverse range of research topics. Research programs are problem-oriented, rather than driven by a single, specialized laboratory technology. Students may work in two or three laboratories simultaneously to pursue a research question. Many students conduct research on-site at biotechnology companies across the nation on a contract basis.

Students studying EEB receive a well-rounded and vibrant academic experience without the dangers of overspecialization. Students often begin conducting research during their first year of study. In addition to opportunities for cross-departmental research, students can also take advantage of the University’s unique interdisciplinary Evolutionary Studies (EvoS) program and take courses on evolutionary studies or even earn a certificate in conjunction with their master’s or doctoral degree.

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university which you attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores
◾Biological sciences minimum TOEFL score: 100 on the iBT
◾Biological sciences minimum IELTS score: 7.0
◾Biological sciences minimum PTE Academic score: 68

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