Overview
The MA in Biology program is intended for biology and biochemistry and molecular biology, and environmental science/environmental and conservation biology majors who develop sharply focused research interests. Students should have most, if not all, their course work behind them so that they can focus on research. It is expected that students will complete their research and write a thesis within the 5th year. Research foci for the MA include cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and various topics in ecology and evolution.
During their junior year, students contact a faculty member whose research interests mesh with their own (descriptions of Clark and UMass Medical Center faculty are available on the web). With the consent of the faculty member, the student then applies to the program by completing their Application: Part 1 no later than April 1 of the junior year. If the student is accepted and enrolls in the program, they must complete the Application: Part 2 of the BA/MA application by Oct. 15 of their senior year. Please note: application deadlines differ for students who are graduating off cycle (either a semester early or late) or with advanced standing; such students should contact Academic Advising for alternative deadlines. To ensure that the student can focus on research in the senior year, students should normally have completed the chemistry, mathematics, and physics requirements of the Biology or BCMB major by the end of the junior year. The program is open only to Clark Biology or BCMB majors.
Program of Study
All courses required for the BA must be completed by the end of the senior year. At any stage of their BA degree, two 200-level courses that are in addition to those required by the major must be completed, these will often be fulfilled by directed research credits during the junior or senior year. All students entering the Accelerated BA/Masters Degree Program must pursue research and take at least two graduate-level courses during their senior year (the research may be conducted outside of the biology department, as long as a member of the biology department acts as the supervising faculty member). During the fifth year the student is enrolled in eight graduate-level courses, typically fulfilled by directed research, directed reading, and the graduate seminar. These courses must be completed with at least a B- grade.
Departmental eligibility requirements
The MA is intended for biology, biochemistry and molecular biology and environmental science/environmental and conservation biology majors only. Students must complete the chemistry, mathematics and physics requirements for the biology major by the end of the junior year. Student who complete majors related to biology may be considered for the MA program in biology if they will have completed all the course requirements for the biology major, and two 200-level courses in addition to those required by the major by the time they receive their bachelors degree.
Program Advisor (Signature Required on Application: Part 1)
Professor David Hibbett
Lasry Center for Bioscience, Room 232
508-793-7332
dhibbett@clarku.edu
Student Profiles
Advice for prospective students
Students should have an area of research and an advisor chosen by the middle of their junior year. Students are advised to review the research interests of the faculty and to contact those professors whose research is of interest.