Program Overview

Master of Science - Biological Sciences

About

The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Biological Sciences within the School of Life Sciences (SoLS) consists of four sectional research concentrations that reflect the scope of modern biology: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), Integrative Physiology (IP), Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB), and Microbiology (MB). The degree is research-centered and requires the defense of a thesis that describes a novel research project that can serve as the basis for the publication of at least one paper in a peer-reviewed journal. The M.S. degree in Biological Sciences prepares students for careers in education, government, and industry as well as preparing them for more advanced degrees in the life sciences. Students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours from a list of core and approved courses within their section.

Learning Outcomes

All students graduating with a Masters of Science in Biological Sciences should be able to:

• Master a critical set of key concepts specific for each sectional concentration.
• Become familiar with key methodologies specific for each sectional concentration.
• Comprehend and critically evaluate the current published scientific literature.
• Engage in scientific research in which the individual can formulate hypotheses, generate high-quality data, and evaluate that data for reasonable scientific conclusions.
• Communicate scientific results effectively in oral presentations to general and specialized audiences.
• Communicate scientific results effectively in written reports suitable for publication.
• Instruct and engage students and members of the community at all levels to appreciate the importance of biology in their lives.

Career Possibilities

Careers in education, government, industry, and advanced degrees in the life sciences.

Requirements

Plan Description

The School of Life Sciences offers an M.S. program with concentrations in Cell and Molecular Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Physiology, Microbiology, and Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics. This degree is less research-intensive than the Ph.D. and is designed to prepare students for a diverse set of science-related careers.

Plan Admission Requirements

• Application Deadlines: Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.
• All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.
• Bachelor's Degree: Four-year baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution or an approved equivalent.
• Grade Point Average: Minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.00=A) for the bachelor's degree or a minimum 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester credits).
• Transcripts: Official transcripts required upon admission.
• Credentials not in English must be accompanied by an English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service.

Department Admission Requirements

• Applications for fall admission that are completed by the posted deadline will be given priority for state-funded graduate assistantships.
• Admission is based on a combination of criteria that may differ from one year to another, however, most successful applicants have a minimum of a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average (last two years of undergraduate work).
• Decisions for fall applicants will be made by April 1 if not sooner.
• Please note that the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the School of Life Sciences (SoLS) are research degrees. Applicants must look through the faculty web pages to identify one or more potential mentors as part of their application. They are required to contact these faculty directly regarding the possibility of joining their lab.

Application Requirements

• Two Letters of Recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic record and potential for advanced study in the biological sciences.
• A two-page personal statement describing a summary of research interests, reason(s) for wishing to earn an advanced degree, motivation for attending UNLV, possible faculty mentors, and an explanation of any non-traditional grades (other than letter grades A-D & F) earned during your degree(s).
• A CV or resume that includes all post-secondary education with dates of attendance, research experiences with dates and names of the principal investigators, research-related work experiences with dates and names of supervisors, publications, research presentations, honors/awards, and service/outreach activities.

Subplan Requirements

Subplan 1: Cellular and Molecular Biology

• Total Credits Required: 30
• Course Requirements:
  • BIOL 701 - Ethics in Scientific Research (1 credit)
  • Core Courses (6 credits)
    • BIOL 607 - Molecular Biology
    • BIOL 625 - Genomics
    • BIOL 645 - Cell Physiology
    • CHEM 772 - Nucleic Acid Chemistry
  • Didactic Course (3 credits)
  • Seminar Courses (4 credits)
    • BIOL 793 - Advanced Topics in Life Sciences
    • BIOL 796 - Graduate Seminar
  • Elective Courses (10 credits)
  • Thesis (6 credits)

Subplan 2: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

• Total Credits Required: 30
• Course Requirements:
  • BIOL 701 - Ethics in Scientific Research (1 credit)
  • Didactic Courses (9 credits)
    • BIOL 603 - Restoration Ecology
    • BIOL 612 - Molecular Evolution
    • BIOL 618 - Microbial Ecology
    • BIOL 626 - Plant Anatomy
    • BIOL 632 - Herpetology
    • BIOL 634 - Mammalogy
    • BIOL 636 - Biometry
    • BIOL 641 - Field Ecology
    • BIOL 644 - Principles of Plant Ecology
    • BIOL 680 - Introduction to Biological Modeling
    • BIOL 690 - Biogeography
    • BIOL 745 - Arid Zone Soils
    • BIOL 748 - Environmental Physiology
  • Seminar Courses (4 credits)
    • BIOL 714 - Topics in Population and Evolutionary Genetics
    • BIOL 781 - Topics in Population and Evolutionary Ecology
    • BIOL 783 - Topics in Community and Ecosystem Ecology
    • BIOL 784 - Topics in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology
    • BIOL 793 - Advanced Topics in Life Sciences
    • BIOL 796 - Graduate Seminar
  • Elective Courses (10 credits)
  • Thesis (6 credits)

Subplan 3: Integrative Physiology

• Total Credits Required: 30
• Course Requirements:
  • BIOL 701 - Ethics in Scientific Research (1 credit)
  • Didactic Courses (9 credits)
    • BIOL 604 - Principles of Neurobiology
    • BIOL 617 - Biochemical Adaptations
    • BIOL 626 - Plant Anatomy
    • BIOL 636 - Biometry
    • BIOL 642 - Principles of Plant Physiology
    • BIOL 645 - Cell Physiology
    • BIOL 647 - Comparative Animal Physiology
    • BIOL 653 - Immunology
    • BIOL 655 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Biomechanics
    • BIOL 658 - Stem Cells and Regeneration Biology
    • BIOL 660 - Microbial Physiology
    • BIOL 666 - Developmental Biology
    • BIOL 681 - Advanced Cell Biology
    • BIOL 748 - Environmental Physiology
    • CHEM 771 - Metabolism and Energetics
  • Seminar Courses (4 credits)
    • BIOL 793 - Advanced Topics in Life Sciences
    • BIOL 796 - Graduate Seminar
  • Elective Courses (10 credits)
  • Thesis (6 credits)

Subplan 4: Microbiology

• Total Credits Required: 30
• Course Requirements:
  • BIOL 701 - Ethics in Scientific Research (1 credit)
  • Core Courses (3 credits)
    • BIOL 609 - Virology
    • BIOL 618 - Microbial Ecology
    • BIOL 653 - Immunology
    • BIOL 660 - Microbial Physiology
    • BIOL 664 - Bacterial Pathogenesis
    • BIOL 685 - Microbial Genetics
  • Didactic Courses (6 credits)
    • BIOL 607 - Molecular Biology
    • BIOL 609 - Virology
    • BIOL 616 - Bioinformatics
    • BIOL 618 - Microbial Ecology
    • BIOL 625 - Genomics
    • BIOL 636 - Biometry
    • BIOL 653 - Immunology
    • BIOL 660 - Microbial Physiology
    • BIOL 664 - Bacterial Pathogenesis
    • BIOL 669 - RNA Biology
    • BIOL 685 - Microbial Genetics
    • BIOL 794 - Techniques in Molecular Biology
  • Seminar Courses (4 credits)
    • BIOL 793 - Advanced Topics in Life Sciences
    • BIOL 796 - Graduate Seminar
  • Elective Courses (10 credits)
  • Thesis (6 credits)

Subplan 5: Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics

• Total Credits Required: 30
• Course Requirements:
  • BIOL 701 - Ethics in Scientific Research (1 credit)
  • Core Courses (6 credits)
    • BIOL 612 - Molecular Evolution
    • BIOL 616 - Bioinformatics
    • BIOL 625 - Genomics
    • BIOL 636 - Biometry
    • BIOL 680 - Introduction to Biological Modeling
    • BIOL 714 - Topics in Population and Evolutionary Genetics
    • BIOL 716 - Topics in Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics
  • Didactic Courses (3 credits)
  • Seminar Courses (4 credits)
    • BIOL 714 - Topics in Population and Evolutionary Genetics
    • BIOL 781 - Topics in Population and Evolutionary Ecology
    • BIOL 783 - Topics in Community and Ecosystem Ecology
    • BIOL 784 - Topics in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology
    • BIOL 793 - Advanced Topics in Life Sciences
    • BIOL 796 - Graduate Seminar
  • Elective Courses (10 credits)
  • Thesis (6 credits)

Degree Requirements

• Complete a minimum of 30 credits beyond the undergraduate degree. At least 18 of these credits must be completed at the 700-level.
• Students may request a maximum of 15 graduate credits taken at UNLV prior to admission into SoLS's Graduate Program to be counted towards the 30 credit minimum graduation requirement, provided that those credits were not used to fulfill undergraduate requirements and that a minimum grade of "B" (3.00) was earned in each course.
• At least 50 percent of the total credits required to complete the master's degree must be earned at UNLV after admission into the Graduate Program.
• Students should register for at least nine (9) credits each semester if they are receiving financial support from SoLS; otherwise, they must register for at least six (6) credits each semester.
• Students working on their thesis must register for at least three (3) credits each semester (excluding summer, unless it's their semester of graduation) until the Master's Thesis is completed and given final approval.

Graduation Requirements

• The student must submit and successfully defend their thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
• After the thesis defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their thesis to the Graduate College for format check. Once the thesis format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for thesis defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here.
• Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.