Main Content

Master of Science in Biological Sciences

SIU Biological Sciences Students work in lab

Students in our Biological Sciences masters program can take courses across our programs and work with faculty spanning Microbiology, Physiology, Plant Biology, and Zoology, Whether you aspire to work in research, academia, healthcare, or education, our flexible curriculum supports your ambitions with specialized tracks and both thesis and non-thesis options. And our MEDPREP Concentration, in particular, prepares our students for careers in healthcare.

Visit SIU

Virtual Tour

 

Thesis Option

The Thesis Option in the Biological Sciences master's program requires 37 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in areas like plant biology, microbiology, physiology, zoology, organic chemistry, physics, and statistics. Students missing prerequisites may be admitted conditionally but must complete them by their third semester. By the end of the first semester, students must select a faculty adviser and form an advisory committee, which approves their course plan and research proposal. The course plan must be filed by the eighth week of the second semester, and the research proposal by the end of the second semester. Any changes to the plan must be approved by the committee.

Non-Thesis Option

The Non-Thesis Option in the Biological Sciences master's program requires 37 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in areas like plant biology, microbiology, physiology, zoology, organic chemistry, physics, and statistics. Students missing prerequisites may be admitted conditionally but must complete them by the third semester. By the end of the first semester, students must select a faculty adviser and form an advisory committee, which approves their course plan and research paper proposal. The course plan must be filed by the eighth week of the second semester, and the research paper proposal by the end of that semester, with any changes requiring committee approval.

Contact Information

Jennifer Weber
Program Coordinator
Life Science II 425A
1125 Lincoln Dr
Carbondale, IL 62901
618-453-3219
jennifer.weber@siu.edu

MEDPREP Concentration

The MEDPREP Concentration (Non-Thesis) in the Biological Sciences master's program is designed for students accepted into the SIU School of Medicine's MEDPREP program, offering specialized preparation for careers in healthcare. This concentration provides focused advisement from MEDPREP faculty and requires the completion of 47 credit hours. Of these, 20 credit hours are dedicated to biological sciences coursework, with an additional 12 credit hours from MEDPREP-specific courses. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA to graduate. The program also allows students to specialize in areas such as Microbiology, Physiology, Plant Biology, and Zoology, offering a broad foundation in biological sciences.