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To fulfill the written thesis requirement, students may conduct laboratory, field work, or bibliographic research. Students selecting the experimentally-based research thesis option must complete a minimum of 24 credits of course work and 6 credits of research with a graduate faculty member of the department. Students choosing the bibliographic-based research thesis option are required to take 27 credits of course work and 3 credits of independent study with a graduate faculty member of the department.

For both experimentally-based and bibliographic-based research thesis options, the thesis will be defended publicly followed by a question-and-answer session with the thesis committee. The thesis committee must be approved by the Graduate Program Director and consist of the primary advisor and at least one other reader who is a member of the graduate faculty.

Masters of Science Program Objectives:

* To provide students with an introduction to advanced study and understanding in diverse fields in biology while allowing flexibility to tailor a specific curriculum consistent with individual student's career goals. The anticipated outcome will be a student capable of scholarly appreciation and understanding of multiple fields in biology.
* To develop critical-thinking and problem based learning skills. The anticipated outcome will be a student with the ability to develop new ideas, to conduct independent laboratory and/or library based research, to design, and to assess, interpret and understand data and its meaning.
* To develop ability to communicate scientific ideas in both written and oral formats. The anticipated outcome will be a student who can organize and present his or her scientific ideas in both written and oral formats.

Courses include:

* Cell Biology: Methods and Applications
* Molecular Biology of EukaryotesLink
* Resource Sustainability
* Scales of Biodiversity
* Evolution
* Biological Invasions
* Topics in Molecular Genetics
* Developmental Plant Physiology
* Intro to Environmental Biophysics
* Ecophysiology
* Cell Biology of Disease
* Critical Thinking for the Life Sciences
* Special Topics: Modulators and Plasticity
* Special Topics: Collective Intelligence
* Special Topics: Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle

No International applications are accepted for spring unless applicant resides in U.S.Applicants for either the M.S. or Ph.D. degree should have taken undergraduate courses in the biological sciences, or another pertinent area of science, equivalent to a major. Full-year courses in both General and Organic Chemistry, as well as Physics, are required. College mathematics through Calculus is preferred.In addition to the application form, three letters of recommendation, undergraduate and graduate transcripts, and Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General test scores are required for admission. GRE scores of 50 percentile or better on each of the general examinations are required. The subject test in Biology is recommended. All applicants whose primary language is not English are required to submit their scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). English Language Requirements TOEFL paper-based test score : 590 TOEFL iBT® test: 96

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

  • ✔️ Flexible study schedule
  • ✔️ Experienced teachers
  • ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

If you are pursuing a master's degree or professional, terminal degree, Rutgers can help you find fellowships and scholarships to support your advanced study.

Accreditation

The Rutgers name is recognized everywhere, and a Rutgers degree makes a great first impression. Weve built our academic reputation on solid accomplishments:

* Rutgers is a memberso are Harvard, Yale, and Berkeleyof the prestigious Association of American Universities, the 61 leading research universities in North America.
* More than 175 Rutgers research centers support pioneering work in stem cells, climate change, DNA analysis, and more.
* Rutgers international reputation draws top students from more than 130 countries and all 50 states.

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