Set to open in summer 2020, Saint Louis University's new ISE building will be a showcase facility where undergraduate and graduate science and engineering students and faculty gather to learn, collaborate and experiment. It will feature innovative teaching environments and flexible lab spaces.
Saint Louis University's Master of Arts in Biology is designed to prepare graduates for further training or for careers in academic, private or government sectors.
The program emphasizes coursework and does not require a thesis. Students applying generally desire to broaden their knowledge or become more competitive in seeking employment or gaining admission into a health science program (medical school, dentistry school, etc.). In addition to the M.A. in Biology, SLU also offers an M.S. in Biology that offers experience in laboratory research, including experimental design, interpretation of data and scientific writing. For those who want to continue their studies after completing the M.A., Saint Louis University's Department of Biology also offers a Ph.D. in Biology.
Biology students at Saint Louis University have access to excellent facilities on campus and at the University's Reis Biological Station. Collaborations with neighboring institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo and Danforth Plant Science Center further expand possibilities for research and learning.
The M.A. in Biology requires at least 30 post-baccalaureate credits. Coursework may be chosen from a wide variety of fields, including cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, geographic information systems, ecology, evolution and botany.
Past students have gone on to further study in medical or law school, or to careers as research scientists, teachers, and in various capacities in pharmaceutical companies and government agencies.
Applicants should possess adequate undergraduate preparation in biology with a minimum 3.0 GPA in science and math courses.
Suggested courses include biology (a minimum of 18 upper-division credits); chemistry (a minimum of eight, upper-division credits including two semesters of organic chemistry or one semester of organic chemistry and the other of biochemistry); physics (two semesters); mathematics (through a course in calculus). A formal minor is not permitted.
All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:
Faculty committee members examine each applicant's materials and make recommendations. Consideration is given for matching applicant interests with faculty research areas.
Applicants should outline their research goals in the statement of their professional goals and should identify and correspond with faculty members whose area of research matches their interests early in the application process.
For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, applicants should complete their applications by the program admission deadlines listed. Fellowships and assistantships provide a stipend and may include health insurance and a tuition scholarship for the duration of the award.
For more information, visit the student financial services office online at http://www.slu.edu/financial-aid.
SLU's M.A. in biology degree requires a minimum of 30 credits of post-baccalaureate coursework but does not require a thesis. The expectation of the biology department is that students will complete the degree in two years, though up to five years are allowed by the Office of Graduate Education. The following requirements govern which courses may be counted toward a degree:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Seminars | ||
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar (every semester) | 1 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation (at least one semester) | 2 |
or BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | |
Elective Courses | 27 | |
Elective courses | ||
Total Credits | 30 |
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIOL 4090 | Plant Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 4100 | Natural History of Vertebrates | 4 |
BIOL 4120 | Field Botany | 5 |
BIOL 4130 | Field Mammalogy | 5 |
BIOL 4140 | Field Ornithology | 5 |
BIOL 4150 | Nerve Cell Mechanisms in Behavior | 3 |
BIOL 4160 | Microbial Ecology and Molecular Evolution | 4 |
BIOL 4200 | Aquatic Ecology | 4 |
BIOL 4260 | Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles | 4 |
BIOL 4280 | Biology of Fishes | 4 |
BIOL 4320 | Cave Biology | 4 |
BIOL 4330 | Spring Flora of the Ozarks | 4 |
BIOL 4360 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
BIOL 4370 | Animal Behavior Lab | 1 |
BIOL 4410 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 3 |
BIOL 4440 | Vertebrate Histology: Structure and Function of Tissues | 4 |
BIOL 4480 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
BIOL 4510 | Behavioral Endocrinology | 3 |
BIOL 4540 | Human Systemic Physiology | 3 |
BIOL 4640 | General Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 4650 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
BIOL 4720 | Cancer Biology | 3 |
BIOL 4910 | Internship in Conservation | 3 |
BIOL 4912 | Internship in Plant Science | 3 |
BIOL 5000 | Problems in Vertebrate Morphology | 2-3 |
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5050 | Molecular Techniques Lab | 2 |
BIOL 5070 | Advanced Biological Chemistry | 3 |
BIOL 5080 | Advanced Cell Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5090 | Biometry | 4 |
BIOL 5190 | Geographic Information Systems in Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5350 | Current Topics in Cell Biology | 2 |
BIOL 5400 | Problems in Genetics | 1-4 |
BIOL 5480 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5550 | Advanced Ecology | 3 |
BIOL 5560 | Advanced Evolution | 3 |
BIOL 5610 | Principles of Develop Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5630 | Concepts of Immunobiology | 3 |
BIOL 5640 | Advanced Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 5670 | Advanced Population Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5700 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5780 | Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis | 3 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation | 1-2 |
BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2 |
BIOL 6150 | Neural Basis of Behavior | 3 |
Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.
Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.
Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.
This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester. Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
4000/5000 level electives 1 | 6-4 | |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6-4 | |
Spring | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 6 | |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 5820 or BIOL 5840 |
Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation or Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics |
1-2 |
Credits | 8 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 5980 | Graduate Reading Course (Optional) | 1-3 |
Credits | 1-3 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 7-5 | |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
BIOL 5820 or BIOL 5840 |
Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation or Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics |
1-2 |
Credits | 9-7 | |
Spring | ||
4000/5000 level electives | 5-7 | |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 1 |
Credits | 6-8 | |
Total Credits | 30 |
1 | A maximum of 10 hours of 4000-level courses can counted toward the MA; please see Program Notes below for detailed requirements and a sample schedule of electives. |
Year One | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credits | |
BIOL 5030 | Genomics | 3 |
BIOL 5700 | Advanced Molecular Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 6 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 4250 | Neurobiology of Disease | 3 |
BIOL 5070 | Advanced Biological Chemistry | 3 |
BIOL 5820 | Graduate Seminar in Cell and Molecular Regulation | 2 |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 8 | |
Summer | ||
BIOL 5980 | Graduate Reading Course | 1 |
Credits | 1 | |
Year Two | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 5190 | Geographic Information Systems in Biology | 3 |
BIOL 5640 | Advanced Microbiology | 3 |
BIOL 5840 | Graduate Seminar in Ecology, Evolution and Systematics | 2 |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 0 |
Credits | 8 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 5630 | Concepts of Immunobiology | 3 |
BIOL 5090 | Biometry | 4 |
BIOL 5810 | Department Seminar | 1 |
Credits | 8 | |
Total Credits | 31 |