Overview
The Master of Science in biology program is designed to prepare students to pursue careers in research, science education, industry, and government. The Department of Biology offers both thesis and non-thesis options. Courses are taught by award-winning, nationally recognized research and teaching faculty and cover a range of essential topics in contemporary biology.
About The Program
Students pursuing a thesis have the option to conduct research leading to a thesis in a variety of specializations, including aquatic biology, ecology, genetics, evolutionary biology, genomics, microbiology, and cell biology. The thesis option is intended to prepare students for Ph.D. programs and careers in research and industry by obtaining skills such as the collection and analysis of data, evaluation of primary literature, and essential laboratory techniques. The non-thesis option is intended to meet the needs of students looking to advance in their careers or those seeking additional preparation for professional or health science programs. Graduates of this program can currently be found working in consulting, resource management, state and local agencies, and K-12 education. The program can be completed within two years and offers some flexibility for working students through a combination of evening, online, hybrid, and face-to-face modalities.
Degree Options
Master of Science Thesis Option (MST)
The thesis option is intended to prepare students for Ph.D. programs and careers in research and industry by obtaining skills such as the collection and analysis of data, evaluation of primary literature, and essential laboratory techniques.
Master of Science Non-Thesis Option (MSNT)
The non-thesis option is intended to meet the needs of students looking to advance in their careers or those seeking additional preparation for professional or health science programs. Graduates of this program can currently be found working in consulting, resource management, state and local agencies, and K-12 education.
Admission Requirements
The following are minimal requirements for entrance into the graduate program in Biology. However, satisfying or exceeding these requirements does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission to the program is determined solely by the Biology Graduate Studies Committee and the Graduate School and is based on an evaluation of all pertinent aspects of an applicant's record.
Admission status in the Master of Science program is determined as follows:
Unconditional Admission
Decisions are based on consideration of all the information listed below and are not based on any single criterion alone.
A Bachelor's degree in Biology or a Bachelor's degree in some other discipline with at least 12 hours of advanced-level coursework (junior or senior level courses) in Biology.
A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, as calculated by the Graduate School. Applicants' overall GPA in the Sciences and within Biology are also considered.
A satisfactory score on the Verbal and Quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Exam. Successful students tend to have a minimum combined total score of 1000 (old GRE scale), or 296 (new GRE scale) on the Verbal and Quantitative sections, with a strong performance on the Quantitative section of the GRE exam.
Favorable letters of recommendation from at least three individuals able to assess the applicant's potential for success in graduate school.
Evidence of previous research experience may also be considered.
International students whose native language is not English must provide a score on the Test of Spoken English (TSE) of at least 45, a minimum score of 23 on the Speaking portion of the TOEFL iBT exam, or a minimum score of 7 on the Speaking portion of the IELTS exam.
Denial of Admission
A candidate may be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of the admission criteria listed above.
Probationary Admission
If an applicant does not meet a majority of standards for unconditional admission outlined above, he or she may be considered for probationary admission after careful examination of their application materials. Probationary admission requires that the applicant receive a B or better in his/her first two long semesters of graduate coursework at UT Arlington.
Deferred and Provisional Admission
A deferred application decision may be granted when a file is incomplete or when a denied decision is not appropriate. An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but who otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
