Jun 20, 2025  
Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2022-2023 
    
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Undergraduate/Graduate Catalog 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED CATALOG] See drop-down menu above to access other catalogs.

Biology, MS

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The Master of Science in Biology is an opportunity to advance knowledge and skills in the ecological, environmental, cellular or molecular aspects of the biological sciences. It is intended to meet the growing need for highly skilled professionals in the field of biology by strengthening the preparation of individuals already working in the field while also providing necessary content knowledge, critical thinking skills and technical skills for individuals who wish to continue graduate study beyond the Master of Science degree. The program consists of 30 credits and offers rigorous, research-driven training through thesis, non-thesis and practicum options to develop skills necessary for professional positions in industry, education, outreach, governmental and non-profit agencies, or continued advanced graduate study. Students currently engaged in undergraduate research at Bridgewater State University can apply for early admission to continue their current research at the graduate level.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Biology or a closely related field
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
  • A detailed personal statement explaining research interests and experience
  • Two appropriate letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work

BSU undergraduates can apply for early admittance in their junior or senior year of undergraduate study. Both Biology BS and BA students are eligible and should consult with the graduate program coordinator during the sophomore or junior year to ensure proper preparation. Upon acceptance, students may take up to two graduate-level courses during their final year of undergraduate study, and may apply these courses to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Requirements for early admission are:

  • Junior or senior rank in the BS or BA program in Biology at BSU
  • Completion of at least one semester of undergraduate research (BIOL 396 or BIOL 497) and continued participation until enrollment in the MS program
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
  • A detailed personal statement explaining research interests and experience
  • Two appropriate letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts of all undergraduate course work
  • Completion of CHEM 243 - Organic Chemistry I , CHEM 244 - Organic Chemistry II  and MATH 141 - Elements of Calculus I  
  • Selection of the thesis option

Program of Study

Core courses (9 credits)

Electives (11 credits)

Complete 11 credits of BIOL courses at the 500-level. BIOE courses may be substituted with the approval of the graduate program coordinator.

Research experience and exit requirements (10 credits)

Students may select a thesis or non-thesis option.

1.) Thesis option (10 credits):

Complete 10 credits of research selected from the following:

* At least three credits (usually the final three) must be BIOL 588 - Graduate Thesis in Biology ; oral defense required. For further information, please see the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures  ”Thesis” section of the catalog.

A thesis proposal will be completed within the student’s first academic year in the program. Thereafter, a written progress update will be submitted to the research mentor at the end of each semester.

2.) Non-thesis option (10 credits):

Complete six credits of research selected from the following:

Complete four additional credits of BIOL courses at the 500-level. BIOE courses may be substituted with the approval of the graduate program coordinator.

A comprehensive examination, which should be attempted in the last semester of the student’s program. Please see the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures  section of this catalog for additional information.

Total minimum credits: 30

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