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.

Molecular Imaging Facility at UAF
Sheri Coker and Brandon Kowalski analyze images from an MRI in the Molecular Imaging Facility at UAF. Photo credit: JR Ancheta