Departments & Programs
Department of Biology
Master of Science
Degree Options
M.S. Non-thesis in Interdisciplinary Biology
This program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours of registration, at least 21 of which must be in biology. For students who wish to combine biology training with work in a secondary area as a mechanism to meet career objectives, up to 9 credit hours can be taken in the secondary area. Advanced-level undergraduate course work hours are limited to 6. Examples of secondary areas include, but are not limited to, chemistry, mathematics, public affairs, business, statistics, law, computer science, administration, and, for those interested in teaching, education. For those students with no secondary area of interest, all 30 credit hours may be taken in biology. The program requires registrations in BIOL 59500 Special Assignments and BIOL 69600 Seminar. The former consists of an independent, creative project done in association with a faculty member. Typical examples include a limited laboratory research experience or a library research assignment. The results of the project are reported both in writing and orally in BIOL 69600.
M.S. Pre-professional Non-thesis
This program also consists of a minimum of 30 credit hours, all of which must be taken over two semesters. This challenging program is highly intensified and is open only to those students who meet a high admission standard based on undergraduate GPA and GRE or MCAT or DAT scores. The program is available to those students planning careers in medicine, dentistry, optometry, or other health-related fields and differs from the interdisciplinary non-thesis M.S. by having no requirement for the BIOL 59500 and BIOL 69600 registrations.
M.S. with Thesis
This 30 credit hour program requires a minimum of 9 credit hours of 500-level and 600-level course work in biology chosen in consultation with the student’s graduate advisory committee, and intensive research leading to a thesis. Most full-time students should expect to spend at least two full years to complete this program. Areas in which research opportunities are available include: physiology, neuroscience, eye regeneration, biochemistry, plant hormones, developmental genetics, cell biology, membrane biochemistry and biophysics, plant physiological ecology, plant and animal molecular biology, and regenerative biology. The overall emphasis of the department’s research program focuses on questions at the cellular, biochemical, and molecular levels. Many of the projects provide a foundation in biotechnology and an excellent preparation for biomedical and industrial applications.
Admission Requirements
- Students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning and demonstrate good preparation in biological sciences, organic chemistry, physics, and mathematics.
- The GRE and/or subject tests are not required for Ph.D. and Thesis M.S. applicants; however, if submitted, the results are added to the applicant’s file for consideration. Only non-thesis M.S. applicants are required to take the GRE General Test. In place of the GRE, non-thesis MS applicants can use MCAT or DAT test scores.
- Three letters of recommendation are required.
- A minimum graduation grade point average of 3.0 or its equivalent is required for unconditional admission.
Transfer of Credit
Transfer credit to be used in the non-thesis option may be given for up to 9 credit hours of graduate work completed elsewhere with a grade of B or higher. Such credit may be used only in the secondary area and will be accepted only after one semester of satisfactory work is completed in residence at IUPUI. Transfer credit is not accepted in the thesis option. Up to 12 hours of biology graduate credit taken at IUPUI under graduate non-degree status may be transferred to the thesis or non-thesis options.
Requirements
Grades
Only grades of A, B, or C are acceptable, although performance higher than C may be required. Pass/Fail grades are unacceptable.
Residence Requirements
Thirty (30) credit hours of registration are required for the M.S. degree. Students entering with advanced standing from another graduate school are given residence credit commensurate with the graduate work accomplished.
Final Examination
A comprehensive written or oral examination in the individual’s primary area may be required of non-thesis students unless their cumulative GPA is 3.0 or higher. The final examination for thesis students will consist of a thesis defense, which will be done in conjunction with BIOL 69600 Seminar.
All students (except for the pre-professional non-thesis students) are required to take BIOL 69600 Seminar. The creative project required of all non-thesis students will provide the basis for the public presentation.
Financial Assistance
The Department of Biology has financial support available in the form of tuition-refund assistantships, associate faculty positions, fellowships, and stipends from local industry on a limited basis.
Biology, Master of Arts For Teachers (MAT)
The IU Online Master of Arts for Teachers in Biology combines coursework in education and biology to prepare students to be a dual-credit instructor at the high school and community college levels.
The educational component of the program covers instruction and curriculum, assessment, diversity and inclusive teaching, and research.
The biology component of the program covers the nature of living organisms at an advanced level. Students gain the ability to break down and analyze biological concepts for an undergraduate audience, the ability to develop and analyze hypotheses and experiments, a fluency with scientific literature, and a richer understanding of biology in the natural world around us.
Specific areas of focus include:
- Evolution
- Molecular and cellular biology, including biochemistry, cell biology, molecular and macromolecular biology, immunology, bioinformatics, and molecular genetics
- Organismal biology, including developmental biology, neurobiology, field zoology, marine community ecology, animal nutrition, ornithology, horticulture, and ecology
Of Special Interest for Teachers/Instructors Needing to Meet HLC Dual-Credit Standards
The stackable structure of the MAT in Biology is ideal for high school and community college educators wanting to teach dual-credit courses, or for high school educators wanting to teach at the community college level. This program is designed to help students meet Higher Learning Commission dual-credit qualification standards. These standards require teachers wanting to teach dual-credit courses in biology to hold either a master's degree in biology or a master's degree in another discipline (such as education), plus at least 18 credit hours of discipline-specific graduate coursework.
- Students need both discipline-specific coursework and a master's degree, the MAT in Biology meets HLC standards.
- Those who already hold a master's degree in a discipline other than biology, can meet HLC standards by completing the Graduate Certificate in Biology (see below).
This 100 percent online, consortial program is taught by IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows you to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.
Graduate Certificate in Biology
The graduate certificate in Biology is offered 100% online through IU Bloomington, IU East, IUPUI, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. This consortial model allows students to take coursework from several campuses and learn from a wide range of faculty.
Students in the IU Online Graduate Certificate in Biology, analyze and explore the nature of life and living organisms at an advanced level and gain the ability to break down and analyze biological concepts for an undergraduate audience, the ability to develop and analyze hypotheses and experiments, a fluency with scientific literature, and a richer understanding of biology in the natural world around us.
Specific areas of focus include:
- Evolution
- Ecology and environmental biology
- Organismal biology
- Cell and molecular biology, and biochemistry
- Genetics, bioinformatics, and genomics
- Anatomy and physiology
- Developmental biology
For Dual-credit and Community College Instructors needing to meet HLC standards
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) requires all high school teachers who teach dual-credit or other college-level courses to hold a master's degree in the field, or to have a master's degree in another area (such as education), plus at least 18 credit hours of graduate coursework in the discipline. The Graduate Certificate in Biology provides these 18 discipline-specific credit hours.
The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Biology prepares students for such careers as:
- Biology dual-credit teacher (high school)
- Biology instructor (community college)
Understanding the requirements
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Biology, students must complete 18 credit hours. Requirements are broken down as follows:
- Core course (3 credit hours)
- Molecular-cellular-level electives (6 credit hours)
- Organismal-level electives (6 credit hours)
- Capstone course (3 credit hours)
