Masters Program in Biology
The Department of Biology welcomes applications from individuals with strong undergraduate records and a desire to pursue further training in the life sciences. Master's students earn an M.S. in one of two ways, either by writing a thesis or by taking a comprehensive examination.

REQUIREMENTS

Entrance Requirements
Entering students need not have been undergraduate Biology majors if they have completed the required coursework or have high scores on the Biology GRE subject test. The GRE general test is recommended but not required of applicants. We recommend entering students should have completed the following courses in science with at least a B average:

• 16 credits in Biology
• 8 credits in General Chemistry
• 4 credits in Organic Chemistry
• 8 credits in Physics
• 8 credits in Calculus and/or Statistics
  

Foreign students whose native language is not English must take the TOEFL exam and score at least 550 (pBT), 75 (iBT)).

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Degree Requirements

Thesis Option

• Required Courses:

V9100: Colloquium (1 credit each) 2 credits
B9901 Thesis Research 3 credits
B9902 Thesis Research 3 credits

• Elective Courses:

Graduate courses in an approved area of specialization 12 credits
Additional elective courses 10 credits

• Total Credits for Thesis Option 30

The thesis option also requires submission and defense of an original, independent and publishable research project. The details of the project and thesis are to be arranged with a mentor and research committee.

Comprehensive ExamOption

• Required Courses:

V9100: Colloquium (1 credit each) 2

• Elective Courses*:

Graduate courses in an approved area of specialization 12 credits
Additional elective courses 20 credits

(*May include up to 6 credits of Tutorial or Advanced Study: V9200-V9205)

• Total Credits for Thesis Option 34

The comprehensive exam option requires an exam with both written and oral components. The exam is organized through consultation with the Graduate Studies Committee.

APPLICATION
The M.S. is awarded by City College. Applications may be obtained from the Biology Department or the Office of Admissions at the College, and they are to be returned to the Department of Admissions, not to the Biology Department. The completed application will include the application form, transcripts from undergraduate and/or graduate institutions, two letters of recommendation, and an application fee of $125. A TOEFL report with a minimum score of 550 must also be submitted if you are a foreign student and English is not your native language.

COURSES
A broad range of courses are offered in the areas of cell and molecular biology; neuroscience and physiology; and ecology, evolution, behavior and systematics. Please check the Fall and Spring course offerings for availability and the catalog (available from the Biology office) for details.

RESEARCH
The Department of Biology has many research laboratories that accept Master's students. A Research Center for Minority Institutions Award from the National Institutes of Health continues to help us to improve our excellent research capabilities in areas related to Cellular and Molecular Biology, as well as Neuroscience. Up-to-date equipment and computer facilities are available in these and other areas for student and faculty research. New faculty hirings in the areas of ecology/evolution and neuroscience have made those areas attractive to new graduate students. The CUNY Medical School, which is based on the City College campus, also provides research opportunities for some of our students. In addition, the Department of Biology at City College has a close collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History for studies in Evolutionary Biology and Systematics. Details on the research programs can be found in our Faculty Bios.