Master of Arts Degree Program

The Department of Biological Sciences at Kent State University has a Masters of Arts degree program with a non-thesis option for students interested in biosciences.

Minimum qualifications for entrance into the program include:

• An overall undergraduate GPA of at least 2.75
• The equivalent of an undergraduate major or minor in biological sciences or related field OR a teaching certificate
• Appropriate background in biology, chemistry and mathematics.

Although minor exceptions to these qualifications will be considered, applicants must be cognizant that they will be taking graduate courses in biology.  Courses required to meet minimum requirements may be taken during the first year of a student's program.
Students entering the program should consult with the M.A. Non-thesis Program Coordinator (who will serve as their advisor) to structure a course of study applicable to their professional needs, academic training, and interests and complete a program of study form.  All graduate students, including those in the MA program, are subject to the rules and regulations specified in the graduate catalog.  Students in the program should be familiar with academic rules and university organization/policies (http://www.kent.edu/rags/GraduateStudies/Graduate-Catalog.cfm, hard copies are also available).
Graduation requirements include an overall GPA of 3.0 for all graduate work completed and at least 32 semester hours of course work which include completion of at least 23 hours in Biological Sciences. A total of 4 credit hours can be earned through workshops.  The department frequently offers special topics classes in specialized areas of interest which can count towards the degree when part of the approved program of study.

Students interested in Cell/Molecular/Biomedical/Biotechnology related areas are encouraged to select courses from among the following:
BSCI 50158 Molecular Biology
BSCI 50143 and 60144 Eukaryotic Cell Biology and readings
BSCI 50174 Immunology
BSCI 50142 Bioenergetics
BSCI 50433 and 50434 Mammalian Physiology I and II
BSCI 50432 Endocrinology

Students interested in Ecology are encouraged to select courses from among the following.
BSCI 50372 Populations, Communities and Ecosystems
BSCI 50163 Organic Evolution
BSCI 60371 Evolutionary Ecology
BSCI 50364 Limnology
BSCI 50368 Wetland Ecology and Management
BSCI 50556 Vertebrate Zoology
BSCI 50374 Conservation Biology
BSCI 50363 Microbial Ecology

K-12 Teachers holding or pursuing a teaching certificate who are working on the Biology MA must take at least 18 hours of biological sciences courses and are encouraged to select courses from among the following.
      BSCI 50163 Organic Evolution
BSCI 60080 Experimental Methods in Biology
BSCI 50196 Individual Investigation

For all students, a maximum of 12 semester hours of credit may be accepted by transfer from accredited institutions offering the master’s degree, but the grades will not be calculated into the GPA.  The credits will be accepted provided
(1) graduate credit was received from that institution;
(2) the work was of “A” or “B” quality;
(3) the work fits into the program;
(4) credit is less than six years old at the time the degree is conferred at Kent;
(5) an official transcript with an accompanying explanatory letter is filed in the department;
(6) the student’s adviser, department graduate committee and the dean approve.

The MA degree program is considered a terminal degree in the biological sciences and, thus, is not recommended for those who plan to pursue a Ph.D. in the biological sciences. 
In addition to the application for admission, certain material should be provided directly to the department. Three letters of reference should be mailed directly to the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Studies Office along with a statement describing your career goals and why you would like to enroll in this program.