Master of Arts in Biology
Working adults enroll in the 30-credit Master of Arts in Biology program in order to:
- update their science knowledge;
- pursue a specialty such as biotechnology, ecology, neurobiology, or genetics;
- prepare for employment in emerging science fields;
- improve their professional standing;
- deepen their understanding of biology;
- obtain a graduate science degree on a part-time basis through evening and weekend courses.
Designed to be adaptable to individual students' unique backgrounds and goals, the program provides a flexible curriculum and close individual advising for each student. Students include science and health professionals, teachers, technicians, and people in science-related businesses.
Students seeking the Master of Arts in Biology must satisfactorily complete 30 units of graduate work in the biological sciences in courses approved by the Program Committee. Up to six units of related graduate-level course work may be transferred from another university.
Please note that the M.A. in Biology degree is a terminal graduate degree awarded on the basis of course work rather than research. Except in rare cases, it is not intended as preparation for a Ph.D. degree. No more than 6 of the 30 credits may be earned in research courses.
Those interested in graduate research or in earning a Ph.D. should apply to the Ph.D. programs offered by Washington University's Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences.
The M.A. in Biology program is co-sponsored by the Washington University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, the Washington University Department of Biology, and University College.
Admission
The M.A. in Biology program is open to qualified applicants with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution who have completed previous undergraduate course work in biology, mathematics and chemistry.
Applicants to the M.A. in Biology program must submit the following materials:
a completed application form including a short essay describing the role of the program in the applicant's career
- a $35 non-refundable application fee
- official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate work and degrees granted
- Graduate Record Examination results (analytical, quantitative, and verbal sections);
- three letters of reference
- other material that either the student or the Program Committee may consider relevant
A pre-requisite for enrollment in M.A. in Biology courses is admission, through formal application, to the M.A. program in Biology. On occasion a student whose application is pending, or whose record suggests he or she should take one or two courses on a trial basis, will be allowed to register for a course, but only after consultation with a University College graduate advisor or Professor Garland Allen. To obtain approval, students not yet formally enrolled in the program must submit a course application form and collegiate transcripts to the program director for permission to enroll. Students admitted to the Master of Arts in Education program may enroll in graduate-level biology courses with the approval of the student's academic advisor.
Prospective students are urged to discuss admission and tentative course schedules, including prerequisite courses, with the biology program coordinator or other members of the Program Committee. Upon admission, each student will be assigned a faculty advisor; course registration and performance will be reviewed each semester.
Faculty
Advantages of the M.A. in Biology Program at Washington University include:
- distinguished faculty (participating faculty are listed below);
- modern laboratories and classrooms;
- Tyson Research Center with its resources for work in wildlife, environmental studies, ecology, and education;
- The Biology Department's close ties with the Washington University School of Medicine and the Missouri Botanical Garden.
Participating Faculty
Garland Allen, Ph.D. Harvard University; Professor of Biology and Program Director
Richard W. Coles, Ph.D. Harvard University; Adjunct Professor of Biology
Sarah Elgin, Ph.D. California Institute of Technology; Professor of Biology; chromosome structure
Jeffrey Jeddeloh, Ph.D., Washington University; Danforth Plant Biology Center; molecular biology
Kathryn Miller, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Professor Biology; developmental biology
Daniel Hanson, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Biology; immunology
For more information about the program, please call or write The M.A. in Biology Program, University College, Campus Box 1064, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, 63130-4899. Telephone (314) 935-6700.
For more information, E-mail: ucollege@artsci.wustl.edu
