Master's Degree in Biology

There are many reasons for which students may want to get a master's degree in biology. For one thing, biology is a science that we have to deal with in our daily lives. Our knowledge and proficiency in biology is becoming more important due to the technological advances in society. This is because biology encompasses different aspects of science such as the environment, medicine, and even the global and local economy. (1)

There are people who feel that their bachelor's degree in biology is not enough for them to achieve their career goals. (2) Thus, getting a master's degree biology may be an option that those students are considering. You might want to get a master's degree biology too in order to further your education and to have more career options. Before choosing to enroll in a master's degree program in biology, though, you must first know what kind of degree will be most beneficial to you, be it a research-based or nonresearch-based master's degree.

A master's degree in biology may be research-based, course-based, or a mixture of two. (3) Schools offering graduate studies in biology will offer a student the choice of getting either a Research or Nonresearch master's degree in biology. The research option is designed for students who would like to pursue careers in science that are research-oriented while the non-research option is for those who are not interested in pursuing research-oriented careers. (4)

Getting into a biology master's degree program will normally require you to take the Graduate Record Exams (GRE). Getting high scores in your GREs, having previous experience in research, and having above average grades as an undergraduate will all increase your chances of getting into a master's degree program. (5) Your admissions essay as well as letters of recommendation will also be taken into consideration before you get accepted into a master's degree program.

Having a master's degree in biology will open up doors for you to become involved in a wide variety of fields such as health care, research, wildlife conservation, and education. A master's degree in biology will also be valuable if you want to build a career in biotechnology, forensic science, and genetic engineering. (6)

(1) http://www.snc.edu/biology/
(2) http://www.biology.pdx.edu/graduate/Thinking%20of%20Applying%20to%20Graduate%20School%20in%20Biology.pdf
(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_degree
(4) http://www.gcsu.edu/graduate/gradpages/biology.html
(5) http://www.biology.pdx.edu/graduate/Thinking%20of%20Applying%20to%20Graduate%20School%20in%20Biology.pdf
(6) http://www.snc.edu/biology/