THE MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY

This MS program is designed to accommodate students with various backgrounds in science who wish rigorous training leading to the MS degree. It offers research and study in a wide variety of areas. Faculty have expertise in the following areas: cell biology, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, physiology, plant sciences, population and evolutionary biology.

Prospective applicants may also be interested in several academic offerings involving cooperation between the Biology Department and the Environmental, Earth and Ocean Sciences (EEOS) Graduate Program. These are described below under Biology and ECOS. In addition, the Biology Department offers a Master of Science program in Biotechnology and Biomedical Sciences.

Program of Study

Students in the MS Program in Biology must complete 30 graduate credits and pass an oral examination. A faculty advisor assists each student in selecting a cohesive program of study that may include one or more concentrations. Areas of research and study within each concentration are listed below.

Cell Biology Biochemistry Developmental Biology Endocrinology Immunology Photosynthesis Microbiology Ecology Genetics Physiology of Bacteria Molecular Biology Molecular DNA Recombinant Technology Gene Regulation Mechanisms of RNA Synthesis Protein chemistry Neurobiology Development and Anatomy of Insect Nervous Systems Electrophysiology

Physiology Animal Physiology Insect Physiology Physiology of Microorganisms Plant Sciences Plant Molecular Biology Plant Tissue Culture Pollination Biology Systematics of Plants Tropical Botany Population and Evolutionary Biology Behavioral Ecology Biotic Interactions within Communities Conservation of Genetic Resources Ethology Evolution of Reproductive Strategies Structure and Organization of Communities

Research Facilities

Extensive resources are available to students in the program for advanced study in behavior, biochemistry, conservation biology, cytology, developmental cell biology, ecology, ethnobotany, microbiology, molecular biology, and plant and animal physiology.

Among the program's facilities are research laboratories, instrument rooms, warm and cold environment rooms and chambers, an aquarium room, greenhouses, animal quarters, and vehicles and boats for field work. Research equipment includes transmission and scanning electron microscopes, DNA sequencers, a phosophimager, freeze sketch apparatus, high performance liquid chromatographs, gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, a variety of spectrophotometers, an amino acid analyzer, preparative and ultracentrifuges, beta/gamma counters, tissue culture facilities, cryogenic and ultra cold storage, and a CO2 gas analyzer. A wide variety of microcomputers and printers is available throughout the University. Considerable mainframe computing capability is provided campuswide by a Digital VAX cluster through a fiber optics-based high speed data communications network.

The University's campus is on Boston Harbor, where programs focusing on the biology of the harbor environment and terrestrial biology are emphasized. The University's marine station on Nantucket Island offers further resources for research in aquatic and terrestrial biology.

Biology and Environmental, Coastal and Ocean Sciences

At the PhD level, Environmental, Coastal & Ocean Sciences, Environmental Biology and the Molecular, Cellular & Organismal Biology tracks are under the Environmental Sciences degree. They are applied marine ecology, environmental microbiology, and aquatic toxicology. Further information about these offerings is available from the director of graduate programs in biology.

Admission Requirements

• Submission of the graduate admissions application form.
• A distinguished undergraduate transcript with at least a 3.0 overall average.
• A bachelor's degree or its equivalent, from a college or university of recognized standing.
• Official transcripts of all graduate and undergraduate work. (Two copies of each transcript must be sent directly to the University's Office of Graduate Admissions and Records. A final transcript showing that the bachelor's degree has been awarded must be received before the student can enter the program.)
• It is expected that entering students will have completed (or will soon complete) the following courses or their equivalents:
  • Bio 252 Genetics
  • Chem 253/254 Organic Chemistry
  • Bio 334 Microbiology
  • Bio 370 Molecular Biology
  • Bio 383/384 Biochemistry I and II
  • CS 110 Introduction to Computing
  • Physics 107/108 Physics I and II
  • Physics 181/182 Physics Laboratory I and II
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Submissions of scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) Combined Aptitude Test.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL official test score) is required for international applicants.
• The stated interests of a prospective student must coincide to an acceptable degree with the faculty specialties represented in the program. The Biology Graduate Committee in conjunction with the Director of Graduate Programs in Biology is responsible for reviewing applications and for recommending candidates to the Dean of Graduate Studies.
• Acknowledgment of acceptance by the applicant. Acknowledgment should be sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions and Records. Applicants who do not acknowledge acceptance may forfeit admission to the program.

Transfer Credit Policy

Applicants who have completed appropriate graduate course work at other accredited institutions may transfer the equivalent of six credits toward UMass Boston graduate degree requirements from courses in which the applicant received a grade of B or higher, provided these are courses that have not been used to fulfill requirements for another degree, and were completed no more than seven years before the applicant's matriculation at UMass Boston.

Transfer credit is subject to the final approval of the graduate program director and the dean of graduate studies.

Costs and Financial Aid

As a public university, the costs of attending UMass Boston are moderate, especially for students who qualify as residents of Massachusetts. Financial aid is available in the form of grants, loans, and a limited number of assistantships that provide a stipend and remission of tuition. For information about grants and loans, please write or call:

Office of Financial Aid Services
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
617-287-6300

BIOLOGY HANDBOOK FOR MS STUDENTS 2006-2007 (PDF)


further information

For more information or an application, please contact:

Dr. Rick Kesseli, Graduate Program Director
rick.kesseli@umb.edu
Department of Biology
University of Massachusetts Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
617-287-6627

Please note:
All information in this publication is subject to change.
This publication is neither a contract nor an offer to make a contract.