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The Biology Department has two master’s degree programs, one in Biology and one in Molecular Biology/Biotechnology.  The two programs differ in their curricula, and in the focus of the training provided.  Students in the MS Biology program choose courses relevant to one of two areas of concentration: environmental and organismic biology (eg. botany, zoology, fisheries), or cell biology.  Graduates of the MS Biology program may pursue doctoral level programs in biology and the health sciences, or applied work (eg. laboratory technician, teaching, environmental work) in these areas. 

The MS Molecular Biology and Biotechnology program also trains students for entry into doctoral level programs in biology and the health sciences, but the coursework is more heavily grounded in practical laboratory coursework emphasizing skills relevant to the biotechnology industry.  These courses include those that focus on genetic engineering, protein biochemistry, cell culture technology, transgenic technology and bioinformatics/genomics.   

1) Complete of a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate course credit. A maximum of 6 hours of graduate credits may be transferred from another accredited college or university program, and a maximum of 9 hours of graduate credits earned as a non-degree student at ECU may be applied to the 30 hour minimum. At least 15 credits must be derived from coursework at the 6000 or 7000 level.
2) Plan and conduct research on a suitable topic involving the collection of original data under the direction of a faculty mentor.
3) Submit and successfully defend a written account of the research as a thesis to the mentor and other members of the student’s graduate advisory committee.
4) Provide a formal presentation of the findings of the thesis research to the to the Department faculty.
5) Demonstrate competence in teaching either in the capacity of a Graduate Teaching Assistant or by providing evidence of equivalent teaching experience prior to entry into the program.

Requirements for admission for either program include a baccalaureate degree in Biology or a related field from an accredited college or university within the country, or the equivalent from a foreign university. Those applying for admission to the MS in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology must have had coursework or appropriate training in genetics, microbiology, and basic molecular technology. We also require a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale), and desire a 3.0 or better GPA in the major.

The following materials are required for a complete application.
 1) an application form [this can be filled out on-line, or submitted as a hard copy
 2) an official transcript from each college or university previously attended
 3) official GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing)  of the General Test
 4) statement of  purpose
 5) three letters of recommendation from individuals in a professionally relevant field who can assess your promise as a graduate student.

Submit hard copies of any of these materials to: The Graduate School, 131 Ragsdale, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC  27858-4353. 

Forms for the Statement of Purpose, and Letter of Recommendation, can be downloaded from the ECU Graduate School website at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/gradschool/applicationinfo.cfm .

The decision to admit is based on the collective assessment of all of these materials.  We desire GRE Scores above the 50th percentile. Current percentile rankings of GRE scores for the general test can be downloaded from the Educational Testing Service website:   http://www.ets.org

The Statement of Purpose describes the nature of your interests in biology, why you wish to pursue graduate studies at ECU, and those accomplishments and experiences you feel qualify you for consideration as potential student.  This is an important part of the application package because it contains information that may not necessarily be well represented by the other application materials, provides information about you as an individual, and allows us to determine if your professional interests can be served by our curriculum and our faculty. Your are accordingly encouraged to visit our web site at http://www.ecu.edu/biology/faculty.cfm to identify those faculty’ whose research best matches your interests in Biology, and to include this information in your statement of purpose.

Domestic Students. 
        Fall Semester:  June 15
        Spring Semester:  October 15
        First Summer Session:  March 31
        Second Summer Session:  May 15

International Students
        Fall Semester:  May 15
        Spring Semester:  September 15

A complete application must be received by the Graduate School on or before the specified date in order to meet a particular deadline.  However, in order maximize your chance of receiving a graduate assistantship, a complete application should be submitted by April 15.  Assistantships are normally awarded in the Fall for the academic year; thus, there is no guarantee that assistantships will be available to students entering the program in the Spring or Summer terms.

Graduate Assistantships.   Students receiving a Graduate Teaching Assistantship teach 2 or 3 labs during a semester, depending upon the course.  Duties include assisting in lab preparation, instruction, and administering and grading lab problem sets, quizzes, practicals, or other assignments.  Teaching assistants are normally assigned to labs supplementing introductory and sophomore level (1000 and 2000) lecture courses. A Graduate Teaching Assistantship is currently funded at $10,000 for the academic year, and is intended to help defray the costs of living and of attending the University.

A Graduate Research Assistantship may be provided if the student’s graduate mentor has received external funding through a grant or contract.  The nature of the research and the student’s duties and responsibilities are determined by the mentor.  Research Assistantship awards are variable in amount, but are typically competitive with that of a Teaching Assistantship during the regular academic year.

Scholarships.  The Biology Department offers a number of small scholarships intended to supplement research costs, travel expenditures, and to reward outstanding scholarship.  To find out more information about scholarships or to apply go to http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/biology/scholarships.cfm

Tuition Remissions.   A limited number of tuition remissions are available that pay the difference between the In-State and  Out-of-State tuition rates.  These out-of-state remissions are awarded in the Fall term on a competitive basis.  Additional tuition remissions occasionally become available at the beginning of the Spring semester. In order to be competitive for consideration of an out-of-state tuition remission, a complete application should be submitted by March 15.