The Master of Arts degree in Biology is for students wishing to gain additional knowledge in any area of the biological sciences. This is a non-thesis master's degree designed for secondary school science teachers, individuals looking for additional background or preparation for professional school (e.g. medicine, dentistry or Ph.D. programs) and those seeking employment in life science industries in a non-research capacity.
Biology - M.A.
Contact Us
- Oscar Rocha | bscigrad@kent.edu |
330-672-2297
- Connect with an Admissions Counselor: U.S. Student | International Student
Master of Arts in Biology
Expand your expertise in the biological sciences with ºÚÁÏÍø’s Master of Arts degree in Biology. Engage in advanced coursework that covers a broad range of topics, from molecular biology to ecological systems. Our program is designed to enhance your knowledge and skills, preparing you for careers in education, research, and various scientific fields.
Program Information for Biology - M.A.
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Program Description
Full Description
The Master of Arts degree in Biology is for students wishing to gain additional knowledge in any area of the biological sciences. This is a non-thesis master's degree designed for secondary school science teachers, individuals looking for additional background or preparation for professional school (e.g. medicine, dentistry or Ph.D. programs) and those seeking employment in life science industries in a non-research capacity.
The Biology major includes the following optional concentrations:
- The Biological Data Analytics concentration combines required courses in data analytics and elective options in biology to provide students with the understanding of the type of data collected while conducting biological research and how to analyze it.
- The Cellular and Molecular Biology concentration provides a heavy focus on cell-to-cell interactions and signaling pathways to give students a deep understanding of the cellular and molecular processes that occur within cells and physiological systems.
- The Environmental Biology concentration provides students with a balance between better understanding the relationships between organisms and the environment and how this balance can be sustained through environmental management and conservation.
- The Medical Biology concentration provides students with a deep understanding of physiological systems and the mechanisms that underlie various disorders and disease pathologies.
Students who declare the Biology major with no concentration will select their area of specialization in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.
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Admissions
for Biology - M.A.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s) - copies of official transcripts can be used for initial application
- Goal statement
- One letter of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:1
- Minimum 94 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 7.0 IELTS score
- Minimum 65 PTE score
- Minimum 120 DET score
- 1
International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Spring Semester
- Rolling admissions
- Summer Term
- Rolling admissions
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Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Understand advanced biological concepts beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate degree and to increase the depth of their knowledge through coursework and hands-on experiences.
- Apply scientific principles and appreciate work outside of their particular field.
- Effectively communicate about science with colleagues as well as those outside of the student's area of expertise.
- Develop the necessary laboratory skills that will allow testing of hypotheses.
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Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements BSCI 60104 BIOLOGICAL STATISTICS 4 BSCI 60110 CAREERS AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS FOR BIOLOGISTS 2 BSCI 60184 RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2 BSCI 60191 SEMINAR IN BIOLOGY (repeated for 2 credit hours total) 2 2 BSCI 60196 INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION 6 Additional Requirements or Concentration Choose from the following: 15 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 31 - 1
Students must enroll for 1-3 credit hours of BSCI 60196 each semester.
- 2
Students must enroll for 1 credit hour of BSCI 60191 each semester.
Additional Requirements for Students Not Declaring a Concentration
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Major Requirements Courses selected in consultation with academic faculty advisor 1 15-16 Students interested in cell-/molecular-/biomedical-/biotechnology-related areas are encouraged to choose from the following:BSCI 50142BIOENERGETICS BSCI 50143
& BSCI 60144EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY
and SELECTED READINGS IN EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGYBSCI 50158MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BSCI 50174IMMUNOLOGY BSCI 50432ENDOCRINOLOGY Students interested in ecology are encouraged to choose from the following:BSCI 50163EVOLUTION BSCI 50363MICROBIAL ECOLOGY BSCI 50364LIMNOLOGY BSCI 50368WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT BSCI 50374CONSERVATION BIOLOGY BSCI 50556VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY BSCI 60371EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY Teachers holding or pursuing K-12 licensure are encourged to choose from the following:BSCI 50141EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BSCI 50163EVOLUTION Minimum Total Credit Hours: 15 - 1
Students may not use BSCI 50104 to fulfill degree requirements.
Biological Data Analytics Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements BSCI 50218 INTRODUCTION TO GENOMICS 3-4 or BSCI 50220 BIOINFORMATICS or BSCI 60107 REPRODUCIBLE QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR ECOLOGICAL DATA Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 12-13 BSCI 50141EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BSCI 50158MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BSCI 50159MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY BSCI 50218INTRODUCTION TO GENOMICS BSCI 50220BIOINFORMATICS BSCI 60107REPRODUCIBLE QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR ECOLOGICAL DATA BSCI 60145MEDICAL GENOMICS BSCI 60371EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY BSCI 60372COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS BSCI 60373POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY CS 54202MACHINE LEARNING AND DEEP LEARNING CS 63015DATA MINING TECHNIQUES CS 63016BIG DATA ANALYTICS CS 63017BIG DATA MANAGEMENT CS 63018PROBABILISTIC DATA MANAGEMENT LIS 60030PEOPLE IN THE INFORMATION ECOLOGY Minimum Total Credit Hours: 15 Cellular and Molecular Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements BSCI 50143 EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY 3 BSCI 50158 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 3 Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 9-10 BMS 60729CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE BSCI 50141EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY BSCI 50148PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE BSCI 50150MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER BSCI 50151MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES BSCI 50152MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS BSCI 50154DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BSCI 50159MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY BSCI 50174IMMUNOLOGY BSCI 50220BIOINFORMATICS BSCI 60145MEDICAL GENOMICS BSCI 60200FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROSCIENCE Minimum Total Credit Hours: 15 Environmental Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements BSCI 50374 CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 4 or BSCI 50375 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT Concentration Requirements, choose from the following: 11-12 BSCI 50160MARINE BIOLOGY BSCI 50162SOIL BIOLOGY BSCI 50163EVOLUTION BSCI 50170STREAM BIOLOGY BSCI 50222INVASION BIOLOGY BSCI 50363MICROBIAL ECOLOGY BSCI 50364LIMNOLOGY BSCI 50365FIELD METHODS IN ORNITHOLOGY BSCI 50368WETLAND ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT BSCI 50374CONSERVATION BIOLOGY BSCI 50375ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT BSCI 50376TROPICAL FIELD BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BSCI 50380BIOGEOCHEMISTRY BSCI 50556VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY BSCI 60370ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS BSCI 60371EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY BSCI 60372COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS BSCI 60373POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY ESCI 53042ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY GEOG 51077WATER AND SOCIETY GEOG 56080URBAN SUSTAINABILITY GEOG 59070GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE GEOG 59230REMOTE SENSING or ESCI 52030REMOTE SENSING Minimum Total Credit Hours: 15 Medical Biology Concentration Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Concentration Requirements Medical Biology Electives, choose from the following: 6 BSCI 50148PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE BSCI 50150MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER BSCI 50151MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES BSCI 50152MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS BSCI 50154DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BSCI 50460ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Concentration Electives, choose from the following: 9-10 BSCI 50143EUKARYOTIC CELL BIOLOGY BSCI 50146DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY BSCI 50147DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY BSCI 50148PRINCIPLES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE BSCI 50150MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: CANCER BSCI 50151MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: OBESITY AND RELATED METABOLIC DISEASES BSCI 50152MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF DISEASE: NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS BSCI 50154DIABETES AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE BSCI 50157NEUROBIOLOGY OF DRUG ADDICTION BSCI 50174IMMUNOLOGY BSCI 50431NEUROENDOCRINOLOGY BSCI 50432ENDOCRINOLOGY BSCI 50450BIOLOGICAL CLOCKS BSCI 50460ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY BSCI 50462ADVANCED HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY: READINGS AND CASE STUDIES BSCI 50517MEDICAL HISTOLOGY BSCI 50519HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR BSCI 60145MEDICAL GENOMICS BSCI 60200FOUNDATIONS OF NEUROSCIENCE HED 64050HEALTH BEHAVIOR PHIL 50005HEALTH CARE ETHICS SOC 62332SOCIAL CONTROL OF MENTAL ILLNESS Minimum Total Credit Hours: 15 Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA - 3.000 - Students must complete a minimum of 23 credit hours of biological science (BSCI) courses toward the degree with one exception: Teachers holding or pursuing K-12 licensure who do not declare a concentration may complete a minimum 18 credit hours of biological sciences (BSCI) courses toward the degree.
- The Department of Biological Sciences frequently offers special topics classes in specialized areas of interest, which can count towards the degree when approved to be part of a student's program of study. Coursework in other fields within the natural and physical sciences may be used to meet credit hour requirements when approved to be part of the student's program of study.
- No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
- Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.
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Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
Additional Information
Graduate Assistantships are NOT available for students enrolled in the M.A. program.
** We offer rolling admissions into the MA program for Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. **
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FAQ for Current M.A. Students
1. How do I register for the Individual Investigation course?
- MA students have opportunities to pursue research projects and gain experience working with state-of-the-art instrumentation under the guidance of members of the biological sciences faculty through Individual Investigation.
- The Individual Investigation course is a student-initiated course. MA students who are interested would directly contact faculty members to discuss the details of course set up. The form of MA Individual Investigation can be versatile. Students can perform hands-on research, in-depth literature reading and review, data analysis, etc. The length of the course could be half semester, one semester or multiple semesters. Please noted that 1 credit hour equals to 3 hours/week working hours for a full spring/fall semester. Please CLICK HERE for current openings in one of the many faculty’s research laboratories.
- An application form needs to completed by both student and the faculty he/she will work with prior to registration. The form can be found in the Biology Form library or Please submit the signed e-form to the MA coordinator via xmou@kent.edu. After approval, a notification will be sent to you to register for the Individual Investigation course that is set up for you.
2. How can I find out what courses are offered each semester?
- Go to www.kent.edu
- Sign into Flashline
- Hover over the Student tab on the left
- Under Resources, select Courses & Registration
- Select Look Up and Register for Courses
- At the bottom of the next screen hit I Acknowledge
- Then at the bottom of the following screen hit I Acknowledge again
- For Select by Term, hit the drop-down arrow
- Select Fall 2021 (or whatever semester you are searching in the future)
- 1/2 way down on the next screen:
- For Subject: hit the drop-down arrow and select Biological Sciences
- Skip the next 4 categories
- For Course Level select Graduate
- You can skip all the rest of the categories
- Hit Class Search at the bottom
- ** If you are ever looking for a specific course number or name, you can enter them in the Course Number or Course Title fields
- ** If you are trying to find courses taught by a specific instructor, you can hit the drop-down for Instructor and select the faculty member you are looking for
- On the next screen, you will get a class list for the semester you specified
- The blue numbers are the unique CRN’s that every course is assigned / it will be followed by the BSCI course & section number and course name, along with instructor, dates and course location, etc.
- For more information, please go to /registrar/how-register
3. Where can I find program requirement for my concentration?
- The program requirement, including the course list of Major requirements, Concentration requirements, Concentration Electives and minimum Total Credit Hours can be found on our MA program webpage.
- MA program concentrations include:
- Self-Guided Program (no concentration)
- Biological Data Analytics
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Medical Biology
- Environmental Biology
- If you have taken some of the required courses before (at the graduate or undergraduate level), those required courses can be waived and substituted. Please complete the Course Substitution and Waiver Approval form and submit it to the MA coordinator via xmou@kent.edu.The form can be found on the Biology Forms page or .
4. How many credit hours do I need to register for each semester?
- The ºÚÁÏÍø MA in Biology program requires 31 credit hours in order to graduate. 5 concentrations are offered, so students should note the coursework required for each concentration and work with the MA Program Coordinator, Dr. Jen Mou (xmou@kent.edu) to determine what courses to take. The coursework can be completed at a student’s own pace without deadlines for finishing the required credits for graduation. However, students are required to register for at least 1 credit hour for each of spring and fall semesters. Summer courses are offered, but students are not required to register for any summer courses.
5. How to register, add/drop a course? What should I do if I need a late registration?
- General information can be found on /registrar/how-register
- For BSCI MA students, we recommend you to email your tentative course list to the MA coordinator (xmou@kent.edu) and graduate secretary (skieklak@kent.edu) for double checking and approval. Please do so at least 2 weeks before the semester starts.
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FAQ for Prospective M.A. Students
1. Is the GRE required for the MA Biological Sciences graduate programs?
- The GRE is NOT required.
2. Why is the GRE listed on my application checklist as being required?
- The GRE is NOT required & will be removed manually from your checklist.
3. Are English Proficiency scores required if my education was in Nigeria or another country that offers waivers and was taught in English?
- No. Nigeria & other countries are on the waiver list, so you do not need to submit proof of English proficiency if educated in those countries. Check the eligibility for an English Proficiency Waiver: English Language Proficiency | ºÚÁÏÍø.
4. Why is the English Proficiency listed on my application checklist as required when my education was from Nigeria or another country that offers waivers and was taught in English?
- Since Nigeria & other countries are on the waiver list, you do not need to submit proof of English proficiency if educated in those countries. It will be removed manually from your checklist.
5. Can I apply for admission for Fall, Spring or Summer semester?
- Yes. We accept students in our MA program year-round.
6. Can I submit my UNOFFICIAL transcript with my application?
- No. Unofficial transcripts are not accepted. We accept copies of OFFICIAL transcripts with your application. If you are accepted into our program, we will ask you to have your official transcripts submitted directly to our university at that time.
7. Am I able to get an application fee waiver?
- Unfortunately, we do not offer application fee waivers.
8. Is my GPA high enough for me to be eligible for your MA program?
- The minimum GPA the university accepts for graduate program admission is 2.75/4.0. International transcripts will be converted to the US 4.0 scale by our Office of Global Education.
9. How do I upload documents to my application portal?
- We are unable to accept document submissions via email. All application requirements and supporting documents must be uploaded through your applicant portal. You may follow the below instructions:
- Go to your status page on your applicant portal and scroll to “upload materialsâ€
- Click on “choose fileâ€
- Click on “uploadâ€
If you have any additional questions, please contact our MA Coordinator, Dr. Jen Mou, at xmou@kent.edu or contact the Biological Sciences Graduate Office at bscigrad@kent.edu or call (330) 672-2819.
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Biology - M.A.
Students who complete the Master of Arts in Biology at ºÚÁÏÍø can benefit from specialized career opportunities in education, research, and various scientific fields.
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Biological scientists, all other
2.2%
slower than the average
44,700
number of jobs
$85,290
potential earnings
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Biological technicians
4.9%
about as fast as the average
87,500
number of jobs
$46,340
potential earnings
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Food scientists and technologists
4.4%
about as fast as the average
14,200
number of jobs
$73,450
potential earnings
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Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
3.8%
about as fast as the average
1,050,800
number of jobs
$62,870
potential earnings
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Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' . Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.