About

What could I do with a master's degree in biology? What kind of financial support is available for MS biology students?

The master of science in biology is a 30-semester-hour thesis program with concentrations in cell biology, and environmental and organismic biology. The thesis is an answer to a research question that is revealed through careful planning and sustained effort under the supervision of a faculty advisor.

A thesis-based MS degree, such as our MS in biology, provides training and experience in communication, problem solving, critical thinking and integrating information derived from multiple sources. These are highly marketable skills in their own right, and they equip you with a tool set necessary for accomplishment and success in virtually any professional endeavor. A non-thesis option is also available.

Graduates of our MS in biology program may further their education at the doctoral level, or secure careers in education, research, business, state and federal agencies, and health sciences. They may become post-secondary teachers, environmental scientists, biological scientists, medical scientists, microbiologists, wildlife biologists, biochemists and biophysicists. More than 90 percent of graduates in the program find jobs in their field of training, or continue with additional professional training.

Approximately $10,000 in assistantship support covering the fall and spring semesters is competitively available to students entering the program. An additional $2,500 is available during the summer through a combination of teaching and research assistantships and departmental resources. In addition, a limited number of Graduate Scholar Awards of $4,000 per year, awarded through the Graduate School, have been available in the past for the strongest applicants.

ECU Advantage

The program is known for its rigorous, well-rounded training in biology. Students in the program have the opportunity to learn from the diverse faculty, with a variety of research interests. The faculty are nationally and internationally know for research in coastal ecology, evolutionary biology, and molecular and cellular biology. In addition, faculty in the program continue to innovate their teaching methods and refine the curriculum to provide the best training for their students.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Michael Brewer (2503 Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building; 252-328-1833; brewermi14@ecu.edu)

Program participants are trained in various disciplines in the biological sciences. Fields of study comprise the expertise of the faculty in the Department of Biology. Thesis and non-thesis options are available.

The degree requires a minimum of 30 s.h. as follows:

Thesis option requirements:

Students must complete a minimum of 30 s.h. of course work (15 s.h. must be at the 6000-7000 level), and a research-based thesis, comprehensive defense of a thesis proposal, seminar based on thesis research, thesis defense, and show competence in teaching. Up to 9 s.h. of graduate courses from other departments may be used to meet curriculum requirements upon approval by the department's director of graduate studies.

    1. Core - 8 s.h.
    • BIOL 6880 - Introduction to Research
    • BIOL 7000 - Thesis *
    • BIOL 7900 - Ecological Statistics
    2. Electives - 22 s.h.

    Choose a minimum of 22 s.h. from the following courses: 

    • BIOL 5270 - Marine Community Ecology
    • BIOL 5450 - Histology
    • BIOL 5451 - Histology Laboratory
    • BIOL 5550 - Ichthyology
    • BIOL 5551 - Ichthyology Laboratory
    • BIOL 5600 - Fisheries Techniques
    • BIOL 5601 - Fisheries Techniques Laboratory
    • BIOL 5680 - Current Topics in Coastal Biology
    • BIOL 5890 - Virology
    • BIOL 5900 - Biotechniques
    • BIOL 5901 - Biotechniques Laboratory
    • BIOL 6100 - Advances in Molecular Biology
    • BIOL 6120 - Advances in Molecular Biology
    • BIOL 6130 - Advances in Developmental Biology
    • BIOL 6220 - Evolution: Topics for Advanced Students
    • BIOL 6240 - Principles of Biochemistry I
    • BIOL 6242 - Principles of Biochemistry II
    • BIOL 6244 - Principles of Biochemistry Laboratory
    • BIOL 6300 - Neurophysiology
    • BIOL 6504 - Research Problems in Biology
    • BIOL 6514 - Research Problems in Biology
    • BIOL 6560 - Microbial Ecology
    • BIOL 6770 - Ornithology
    • BIOL 6771 - Ornithology Laboratory
    • BIOL 6850 - Advances in Ecology
    • BIOL 6860 - Advances in Ecology
    • BIOL 7010 - Estuarine Ecology
    • BIOL 7090 - Experimental Embryology
    • BIOL 7091 - Experimental Embryology Laboratory
    • BIOL 7310 - Ecological Modeling and Simulation
    • BIOL 7350 - Current Literature in Fish Ecology
    • BIOL 7360 - Fisheries Management
    • BIOL 7781 - Bioinformatics
    • BIOL 7870 - Molecular Genetics
    • BIOL 7880 - Bioinformatics
    • BIOL 7890 - Current Literature in Molecular Biology
    • BIOL 7895 - Current Literature in Cell Biology
    • BIOL 7920 - Conservation Biology
    Note:

    *A minimum of three credits of BIOL 7000 is required. BIOL 7000 may be repeated for registration status, but only 6 s. h. may count toward graduation. Additional courses may be selected as electives upon approval of the graduate program director and the candidate's advisor.

    Non-thesis option requirements:

    Students must complete a minimum of 30 s.h. of course work (17 s.h. must be at the 6000-7000 level), a final project, an oral defense of the final project, and show competence in teaching. The final project may take many forms (e. g., review paper, symposium, and internship) and requires approval of the Director of Graduate Programs. Up to 10 s.h. of graduate courses from other departments may be used to meet curriculum requirements upon approval by the department's director of graduate studies.

      1. Core - 5 s.h.
      • BIOL 6880 - Introduction to Research
      • A course (3 s.h.) in statistics (e.g. BIOL 7900, BIOS 7022, MATH 5031), statistical inference (e.g. MATH 6802), or experimental design (e.g. MATH 6005, BIOS 7501) as approved by the faculty advisor and director of graduate studies.
      2. Electives - 25 s.h.

      The non-thesis option electives will be tailored to the individual's interests, career goals, and educational background in consultation with the student's faculty advisor and the director of graduate studies. A maximum of 5 s.h. of directed research courses (BIOL 6504, BIOL 6514) and /or internship (BIOL 6992, BIOL 6993) may be applied toward meeting the electives requirement.

      • BIOL 5270 - Marine Community Ecology
      • BIOL 5450 - Histology
      • BIOL 5451 - Histology Laboratory
      • BIOL 5550 - Ichthyology
      • BIOL 5551 - Ichthyology Laboratory
      • BIOL 5600 - Fisheries Techniques
      • BIOL 5601 - Fisheries Techniques Laboratory
      • BIOL 5680 - Current Topics in Coastal Biology
      • BIOL 5870 - Molecular Biology of the Gene
      • BIOL 5890 - Virology
      • BIOL 5900 - Biotechniques
      • BIOL 5901 - Biotechniques Laboratory
      • BIOL 6030 - Topics in Cell Biology
      • BIOL 6100 - Advances in Molecular Biology
      • BIOL 6120 - Advances in Molecular Biology
      • BIOL 6130 - Advances in Developmental Biology
      • BIOL 6220 - Evolution: Topics for Advanced Students
      • BIOL 6240 - Principles of Biochemistry I
      • BIOL 6242 - Principles of Biochemistry II
      • BIOL 6244 - Principles of Biochemistry Laboratory
      • BIOL 6300 - Neurophysiology
      • BIOL 6504 - Research Problems in Biology
      • BIOL 6514 - Research Problems in Biology
      • BIOL 6560 - Microbial Ecology
      • BIOL 6770 - Ornithology
      • BIOL 6771 - Ornithology Laboratory
      • BIOL 6850 - Advances in Ecology
      • BIOL 6860 - Advances in Ecology
      • BIOL 7010 - Estuarine Ecology
      • BIOL 7090 - Experimental Embryology
      • BIOL 7091 - Experimental Embryology Laboratory
      • BIOL 7310 - Ecological Modeling and Simulation
      • BIOL 7350 - Current Literature in Fish Ecology
      • BIOL 7781 - Bioinformatics
      • BIOL 7880 - Bioinformatics
      • BIOL 7890 - Current Literature in Molecular Biology
      • BIOL 7895 - Current Literature in Cell Biology
      • BIOL 7920 - Conservation Biology
    Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

    All graduate programs at ECU require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The Biology, MS requires the following:      • Thesis option: Successful completion of the thesis (BIOL 7000) and oral defense to satisfy this requirement.      • Nonthesis option: Successful completion of a project and oral defense to satisfy this requirement.

      For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.