MS in Biological Sciences
The MS degree is aimed at students with an undergraduate education in Biology or a
related discipline who want to develop their research skills as well as their knowledge
base. The MS degree provides excellent preparation for students who want to work as
biological technicians in the field or lab, teach biology at the high school or community
college level, or are interested in refining their research interests before progressing
to a PhD. Graduates of our MS program work as research technicians for local, state
and federal agencies (e.g., the North Slope Borough, Yukon River Intertribal Watershed
Council, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Geological
Survey); for environmental consulting and nonprofit organizations (e.g., The Audubon
Society, The Nature Conservancy, Alaska Sea Life Center, Ducks Unlimited, Defenders
of Wildlife), in private industry (e.g., Zymogenetics), and as teachers in high schools
and educational outreach programs (e.g., the Alaska Coastal Institute).
The MS degree combines coursework with independent research. Students work with a
small graduate advisory committee to develop a research program and generate a course
plan that supports their research interests. An MS thesis is expected to include at
least one manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
The MS degree can be completed in about two years, although students with field-based
research who start in the fall may take longer.
