Graduate students

Master of Science - Biology

Highlights

Biology is one of the most basic fields of science with direct application to humans. Our continued existence on the planet Earth will depend on how we resolve biological problems. Biology ranges in scale from biochemical processes inside individual cells to complex multicellular organisms to populations of organisms to ecosystems to the entire planet. Courses are offered in Macomb, the Quad Cities and the Alice L. Kibbe Research Station.

Features & Benefits
  • Excellent research opportunities
  • Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA) provides fellowship among students and faculty
  • Small classes, high teacher:student ratio
  • Multiple hands-on learning opportunities
Career Opportunities

A Master of Science in Biology allows our graduates to pursue careers in health care, biotechnology, conservation, government agencies, education, and a wide range of other fields. The career opportunities available to our graduates are as varied as Biology itself. Potential careers include biotechnology industry, medicine, government conservation agencies, private conservation organizations, science education, museum curation and zoos and aquaria.

Assistantship Opportunities

The Department of Biological Sciences awards up to 20 teaching assistantships and two graduate assistantships through an application and competitive interview process. All students with at least a 3.0 GPA, seeking, or completing a MS in Biology degree, are eligible to apply. All assistantships provide a tuition waiver and stipend.

Visit the School of Graduate Studies for detailed information about Graduate Assistantships.

Faculty Expertise

The WIU Department of Biological Sciences has faculty members with advanced degrees in Plant Sciences, Microbiology, Zoology and Science Education. Faculty have specializations in fungi, virus, bacteria, forest and prairie ecology and taxonomy, algae, mammalogy, parasitology, ornithology (birds), invertebrates (insects, snails), molecular biology, animal anatomy and physiology, biogeography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).