COURSE CURRICULUM

The Master of Science in Biology at Northwest Missouri State University offers students the opportunity to specialize in either Biomedical/Molecular Biology or Environmental/Organismal Biology. For the Biomedical/Molecular concentration, students take courses such as Human Physiology, Human or Comparative Anatomy, Molecular Biology, Immunology, and Readings in Molecular Biology, providing in-depth knowledge of cellular and molecular systems. The Environmental/Organismal Biology track includes courses in Vertebrate Histology, Plant Physiology, Human or Comparative Anatomy, Herpetology, Ecology, and GIS principles, along with environmental chemistry labs, emphasizing organismal biology, ecology, and environmental systems. Students select one of three program completion options: Option 1, the Thesis, involves a maximum of 11 credit hours of research and thesis work, requiring completion and defense of an original research project. Option 2, the Scholarly Paper, requires 26–28 hours of graduate coursework and includes a project culminating in a formal presentation. Option 3, the Non-Thesis Professional Development Experience, combines coursework with two Professional Capstone courses, allowing students to complete an approved internship or experiential learning project contributing up to four credit hours toward the 30-credit minimum. All options require a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level coursework, with at least 15 hours at the 600-level or above, and a maximum of 16 approved hours may be taken outside the School of Natural Sciences. Elective courses allow students to tailor their learning to their specific interests within their chosen concentration, while the Graduate Seminar in Biology ensures engagement with current research and professional development. Graduates of this program gain expertise in experimental design, data interpretation, and discipline-specific applications, preparing them for careers in research, industry, or further professional and doctoral studies in the biological sciences.