The degree program is available to qualified individuals possessing a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

A biology undergraduate major is preferred. However, other majors containing sufficient biology, chemistry and math may be acceptable.

The Department of Biology offers master’s degrees with programs of study tailored to the needs and interests of a diverse student population. Students may enroll on a full or part-time basis. The Department of Biology offers both thesis and non-thesis options.

The thesis option is generally chosen by students with career goals which include a research emphasis. Students choosing this option take course work and carry out an intensive independent research project under the supervision of a member of the Graduate Faculty, culminating in a written thesis based upon the research project.

The non-thesis option is usually chosen by those who wish to advance their knowledge of biology but are not sure of a specific career goal or do not anticipate a research emphasis in their future.

Students who wish to pursue an accelerated non-thesis Master’s Degree in Biology (BA-BS/MS) will be allowed to apply up to nine (9) hours of coursework taken for graduate credit while enrolled as an undergraduate. An additional twenty-four (24) hours of graduate coursework will constitute the minimum number of credit hours for obtaining the non-thesis master’s in the accelerated program.

Program admission requirements and application requirements can be viewed on the Department of Biology web site at www.louisville.edu/a-s/biology. Questions can be addressed to or further information obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Joseph M. Steffen, at (502) 852-7209 or joe.steffen@louisville.edu.

Requirements for the M.S. degree in Biology and for the Accelerated BA-BS/MS in Biology

One course to be selected from each of two (thesis option) or three (non-thesis option) of the following four categories of General Background courses:

NOTE: A minimum of 12 (thesis option) or 17 (non-thesis option) semester hours, exclusive of thesis credit, must be in courses at the 600 level. Students intending to seek a Ph.D. degree later are advised to take as many of their courses as possible at the 600 level or above.