Graduate Program FAQs

• Q: How much biology background do I need to apply to the M.S. Biology or the Ph.D. Biosciences program?
• A:  A college degree in biology "or equivalent", which would be a 4-year college or university B.S. or B.A. degree in one of the life sciences such as microbiology, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, or environmental science.  International applicants may require a professional transcript evaluation to determine whether their degree is equivalent to a 4-year U.S. college degree.
  
  Students applying to the concentration in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology may substitute a college degree in any of the natural sciences, mathematics, engineering, or computer science.
  
• Q:  What if I don't have a degree in the Life Sciences?
• A:  Students with a prior bachelor's degree in an unrelated field or who have a limited biology background are advised to complete upper-division undergraduate courses (numbered 300-499) in Genetics, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, as well as any necessary prerequisites for these courses.
• Q: Can I register for graduate courses at Mason before being admitted to the program?
• A: Yes, if you have earned a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. Check for details about  Mason’s Non-degree Studies program on the Admissions website. Up to 12 credits of graduate level Non-degree coursework may transfer into a graduate program if it meets requirements outlined in the university catalog.  Students in Non-degree Studies should obtain permission to take a specific class from the course instructor.  Note that any "C" grades earned in Non-degree status will decrease the student's chances of admission to a graduate program, and are not eligible for transfer.
• Q: When are the application deadlines for the graduate programs?
• A: M.S. Biology has a November 1 deadline for fall admission, and a March 15 deadline for spring admission. Ph.D. Biosciences only has fall admission, with deadline of February 1 for domestic  applicants, and January 1 for applicants with international credentials. All application materials -- including official test scores, transcripts, etc. -- are to be received by the College of Science Graduate Admissions Office by the deadlines. International applicants should apply  at least one month ahead of the deadlines to allow for document processing.  We encourage you to  apply online as early as possible, and send additional documents to the admissions office to  complete your application file.
  
  When planning your application, please note the schedules for the GRE General and GRE Biology  subject tests.  Registration for the test is required several weeks before the test date.  Official test scores are reported to the Admissions office approximately two weeks after the  test date.   Visit www.gre.org for information.
  
  
• Q. Should I specify a concentration on my application?
• A: Yes. In order to progress at a normal rate through the graduate program, it is essential that students begin their graduate work in a specific concentration, and with a specific faculty advisor.  These are important factors in the admissions process and the Graduate Committee does consider whether the applicant has thought seriously about their decision.  It is strongly recommended that applicants specify their choice of concentration in their application. The applicant's statement of purpose should address why that particular concentration was chosen, and how the student expects this concentration to contribute to his or her career goals.
  
  Applicants to the M.S. Biology program may specify a first and a second choice concentration, or may decide to tailor courses to focus on a specialized area in the "General Biology" concentration. Students may decide to change concentrations at a later date, providing that they first receive the approval of their faculty advisor and the Program Director.
  
• Q. What happens if my application is not complete by end of the admission cycle?
• A: Students whose application files become complete after the deadlines but before the end of that academic semester may be considered for admission if space is available and time allows.  Students whose application file becomes complete too late for the term will be considered for admission in the following semester.  No additional application or fee is required.
• Q:  Will I be able to finish the Accelerated Master's (Combined BS/MS) Biology program in 5 years?
  
• A: It is theoretically possible for a student in the combined BS/MS program to receive both degrees in 5 years.  However, most students require more time than this. The BS/MS program allows students to "share" up to 6 credits of 500-600 level BIOL courses between both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. However, the exact time to graduation is not guaranteed.
  
  Students in the accelerated program must still complete all requirements for both degrees, including the M.S. Thesis or Project.  This typically requires 1-2 years of graduate study and research after completion of the undergraduate degree, and longer times may be required by students who attend part-time.
  
• Q: Should I specify a faculty research advisor in my application?
• A: Students applying to the M.S. and Ph.D. Programs are required to find a faculty advisor.  The student's statement of purpose should express an interest in one or more faculty as advisors. In some cases, applicants who do not select an advisor may be assigned an advisor if their statement of purpose is sufficiently specific to guide this choice, and if that faculty member agrees to serve.  However, applicants with no obvious match to an appropriate advisor will be rejected.
  
• Q: How can I find a faculty research advisor in the graduate programs?
• A: Use The "Faculty and Staff" and "Affiliated Research Centers" links to pages that contain brief summaries of faculty research interests in the MMB and ESP departments, as well as summaries of research centers and affiliated institutions.
  
  After students identify a faculty member with similar areas of research interest, they should contact that person directly by telephone or e-mail to discuss potential research topics, and whether the faculty member is willing to take them in their laboratory.  Students who experience difficulty finding an area of research interest may start by taking a few classes through the Non-degree Studies program.  This often helps students to develop more specific interests and have more contact with the faculty.
  

    Q: Where can I find information about appointing a graduate
     committee?

• A: Students ready to begin the Master's thesis or project,  or the Doctoral dissertation are required to form a committee of at least three members of the graduate faculty.  More information about the process and University requirements can be found under "Resources For Students"  link on the left side.
  

     Q:  What is the difference between a Master's project and a thesis?  

• A:  The same quality of work is expected of students regardless of their chosen option (i.e. the M.S. thesis option or the M.S. project option).  The word "quality" is used to emphasize that both options require a particular level of accomplishment rather than any specific amount of time.  Both options require forming a graduate faculty committee.  In general, the M.S. thesis is most appropriate for students planning or considering a research career.  The M.S. project is most appropriate for students who have additional scheduling commitments, such as a full-time job, which may preclude performing a complete series of laboratory experiments.
  
  A thesis usually poses and answers a significant research question roughly equivalent to a single publication in a professional scientific journal. The student performs a series of experiments while supervised by their faculty advisor, writes a formal thesis based on these results, and presents a public defense (verbal presentation) of this work.  Both the defense and the final draft of the thesis must be approved by all members of the student's graduate thesis committee. A final copy of the thesis is posted in the University library.
  
  A project usually involves a significant research assignment, roughly equivalent to half of a publication in a professional scientific journal.  The student performs all of the experiments or library research involved, and prepares a written report of the results which must then be approved by the faculty research advisor.  In addition, students who select the project option are required to take additional units of coursework, as well as successfully complete oral and written comprehensive exams administered by their graduate committee.