Biological Sciences

Coordinator: Doug Currie

Professors: Maher, Walker, Weber; Associate Professors: Champlin, Currie, Theodose; Assistant Professors: Lasley-Rasher, Miller; Lecturers: Larsen, Simons; Adjunct Professors: Brown, Evers, Levine, Liaw, McMahan, Paruk, Reagan, Ryzhov, Staples, Stenhouse, Wilson; Professor Emerita: Moore

The M.S. program in Biology at USM is designed to meet diverse student interests and to provide additional preparation for careers in biology. The program is aimed at three groups: 1) students who wish to continue the scholarly pursuit of biology and possibly continue with a Ph.D. or M.D.; 2) students desiring laboratory or field experience to make them more competitive for employment; and 3) students who teach, or wish to teach, at the secondary, community college, or technical college levels.

To meet these needs, the M.S. program in biology offers a breadth of coursework, and a thesis requirement with an individualized approach. Coursework and research opportunities span the subdisciplines of cell and molecular biology, developmental biology, evolutionary genetics, physiology (animal, plant, and microbial), ecology (animal, plant, and microbial), and environmental science.

The master’s thesis, tailored to individual interests and falling within the research discipline of a faculty mentor, is intended to provide experience in scientific investigation. Students are exposed to the current state of knowledge within the subdiscipline, and they learn skills necessary for creative scientific inquiry. These skills include exploration and evaluation of the scientific literature, experimental design, implementation of original laboratory or field-based research, statistical analysis of data, and the writing of a publishable scientific paper.