Biology

Program | Faculty | Master's | Doctoral | Courses

Web site: www.bio.umass.edu/biology/

The Biology Department is currently channeling its graduate education offerings through the four interdisciplinary graduate programs in the life sciences: Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience and Behavior, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and Plant Biology. Prospective students are therefore encouraged to apply to the relevant program(s), and applications to the Biology Graduate Program will normally be forwarded to the appropriate Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for processing.

In unusual cases, none of the four interdisciplinary life science graduate programs may provide the appropriate course of study for a given student. In such cases, the Department of Biology offers the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The following major fields are represented in the department: Animal Behavior, Biochemical Biology, Botany, Cytology (including fine structure), Developmental Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Invertebrate Biology, Physiology, Population Biology, Paleontology, and Vertebrate Biology.

Applicants for admission to the advanced degree programs must have a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent, at least 10 credit hours in biology and rank in the upper part of their class in college. A recommended undergraduate curriculum would include courses in comparative anatomy, ecology, development, genetics, physiology, mathematics (through elementary calculus and/or statistics), physics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. Applicants should submit Graduate Record Examination scores to the Graduate School.

Applicants who already have a Master's degree or its equivalent may be accepted for entry into the Ph.D. program.

All students should contact potential advisers early in the application process; acceptance of a student is contingent upon acceptance by an adviser in the area of interest.

Requests for further information about the graduate program should be directed to the Chair, Department of Biology.