2023-2024 Catalog

Biology M.A.

Admission Requirements

  1. A completed application form accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
  2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records.
  3. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in undergraduate course work.
  4. A minimum of 24 credit hours of courses in biology, including those courses required of RIC undergraduate biology majors.
  5. A minimum of 6 credit hours of courses in physics.
  6. A minimum of 16 credit hours of courses in chemistry, including organic chemistry.
  7. Three letters of recommendation.
  8. A faculty research advisor must be identified.
  9. A plan of study approved by the advisor and appropriate dean.
  10. An interview. (This may be waived for RIC graduates in biology.)

Retention Requirements

  1. Students must maintain an overall graduate G.P.A. of 3.0 or above (B grade or better in each course).

  2. Students must remain continuously enrolled in at least 1 credit of required coursework per semester (summer sessions are optional).

Course Requirements

Courses

CourseTitleCreditsOffered
BIOL 560Graduate Seminar

1

Fall.
BIOL 651-654Advanced Topics in Biology

1-4

Fall, Spring, Summer.
BIOL 691-696Directed Research

1-6

Fall, Spring, Summer.
ADDITIONAL COURSES in science at the graduate level

18-21

WRITTEN THESIS based on the research done in BIOL 691–696

Note: BIOL 560: Taken twice for a total of 2 credits.

Note: BIOL 691-696: 6 credit hours minimum

Note: Additional courses in science: 12 to 15 credit hours must be in biology for a total of 24 credit hours of biology courses.

Total Credit Hours: 30