An emphasis in ecology and environmental biology, with expanding opportunities for study in other sub-disciplines.

Location:

Shippensburg, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Biology

Program Overview

Program Description:

The biology master’s program at Shippensburg University has an emphasis in ecology and environmental biology, with expanding opportunities for study in other sub-disciplines. Successful students are poised to seek new fields of endeavor, advance in their current professions, or prepare themselves for continuing academic training or educational opportunities through thesis or non-thesis degree options.

Master of Science in Biology degree requires 31 semester hour credits. Two courses are required: BIO 515 How to Research, Write & Publish a Scientific Paper and BIO 593 Biometry. The remaining courses are chosen with advisement. At least 21 credits must be earned in biology courses (including courses offered by the Marine Science Consortium at Wallops Island). The remainder may be selected, with advisement, from courses in chemistry, physics, math, education, computer science, or geography/earth science. Up to 9 transfer credit hours may count towards this total. A maximum of 12 credits must be earned in 400 level courses.

The Department of Biology maintains: an animal care facility, a greenhouse, herbarium, and environmental growth chambers; a vertebrate museum with diverse holdings affiliated with The Pennsylvania State Museum; a biotechnology lab with state-of-the-art equipment and other labs with research grade instruments; a scanning electron microscope for class work and independent research; a computer and video imaging laboratory; laboratory areas for those who are engaged in independent research; a stream, restored wetland, and two-acre pond for research and classroom use.

As a charter member of the Marine Science Consortium, Shippensburg University, in cooperation with other member institutions, offers a variety of marine science studies and research opportunities at Wallops Island, Virginia, during the summer. The consortium maintains a fleet of small boats that is outfitted specifically for marine studies in the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, Chincoteague Bay, and the tributaries to these waters. The campus is ideally located for ecological field studies. Located in the scenic Cumberland Valley, we are only a short drive away from State Forest lands, the Appalachian Trail and a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Within two and one-half hours from campus, you can visit federal, state and regional headquarters of agencies related to ecological and biological studies.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Shippensburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, AACSB International, ABET Inc., Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC), American Chemical Society, Council on Social Work Education, Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, International Association of Counseling Services, Council for Exceptional Children and by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Financial Aid:

No

Requirements:

To be eligible for admission to the M.S. program, you must: Have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; present an official transcript showing at least a 2.75 cumulative grade point average for your undergraduate studies; have completed at least 33 semester hour credits of undergraduate biology or biology related courses (e.g. forestry, horticulture, environmental studies), and have taken at least four chemistry courses with labs, including both inorganic and organic chemistry or biochemistry. In addition, it is recommended that applicants have completed math through Calculus I and two lab courses in physics.

International Requirements:

The recommended score for the TOEFL is 68 for the internet-based test or 500 for the paper-based test. (Shippensburg University's test code for the TOEFL is 2657). The recommended score for IELTS is 6.0. International applicants from a country where English is the native/official language may be exempted from the TOEFL or IELTS requirement, however the GRE or GMAT is required.