Academics
Graduate Programs
Graduate Programs
Biology, M.A.
About the Program
The master of arts in biology prepares students for advanced research, professional employment, or study at the Ph.D. level.
About the Biology Department
261 Science Building
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-5203
Fax: (716) 878-4028
www.buffalostate.edu/biology/
Contact Faculty and Staff in the Biology Department
Admission Requirements
1. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum
cumulative GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale).
2. Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test.
3. Three letters of recommendation evaluating the applicant’s academic qualifications.
4. An official transcript of the student’s undergraduate program, giving evidence of satisfactory completion of 48 credit hours of college science and mathematics courses, including a minimum of 18 credit hours in biology. It is strongly recommended that this coursework also include one year of college physics, one year of organic chemistry, one semester of statistics, and one semester of calculus. The absence of any of these courses may be regarded as a deficiency and students may be required to complete these recommended courses before graduation.
5. A written statement of the applicant’s academic background, future plans, and
area of research interest.
Applicants interested in completing a thesis must identify a faculty sponsor and
request a letter of support from him or her to accompany the admissions application.
In addition, all applicants should review the Admission to a Graduate Program
section in this catalog.
Graduation Requirements:
1. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale). The candidate may take no more
than 36 credit hours to achieve this average.
2. A minimum of 30 credit hours. Courses in which a candidate earns a grade below C do not bear credit toward the degree but are calculated in the cumulative average.
3. Two semesters of Research Seminar (BIO 617).
Program Requirements
Biology Courses * 22-28 credits
Research 2 credits
BIO 617 Research Seminar (1)
Thesis or Comprehensive Exam 0-6 credits
BIO 695 Master’s Thesis (6)
or
Comprehensive Exam (0)
Total Required Credit Hours 30 credits
*Selected under advisement
