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Biochemistry & Biotechnology Master of Science

This M.S. degree in biochemistry & biotechnology is offered in cooperation with the Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. This degree program encompasses both the basic principles and the technological applications of biochemistry and biotechnology, and provides students with the training they need to become a part of the broad life sciences industry. Most courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must submit a completed application form and transcripts of all previous coursework to the Graduate School.  International applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores reflecting proficiency in English, as detailed by UMSL Global. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or a related field from an accredited institution of higher learning.  A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is required for regular admission.  All admitted students must have completed undergraduate courses in genetics, cell biology, organic chemistry, and biochemistry as necessary prerequisites for our program

Applying to the MS BCBT Program

BCBT MS FAQ

For specific questions about the program, please direct your questions to: bcbtinfo@umsl.edu

More information can be found on the UMSL graduate school website, or request information.

Degree Options

The M.S. degree in Biochemistry & Biotechnology can be earned with a thesis or without a thesis. The thesis option requires full-time enrollment, whereas the non-thesis option does not. All students admitted to the program are considered to be in the non-thesis option unless a faculty member of the program has accepted them as a thesis student.  Students specifically interested in the Professional Science Masters program, which combines scientific coursework with a business framework, can learn more about the program requirements here.

Degree Requirements

Both the thesis and non-thesis options require a total of 30 graduate credit hours.  At least half of the courses must be at the 5000-level or above. A maximum of 5 credit hours of Graduate Research (Biol or Chem 6905) may be applied toward the 30 credit hour total for the non-thesis options. 

Required Courses (15 credit hours)

Chem 5722 Advanced Graduate Biochemistry (3 credit hours)

Chem 5774 Bioinformatics (3 credit hours) or Biol 5436 Applied Bioinformatics (3 credit hours)

Biol 6615 Advanced Biotechnology Laboratory II (4 credit hours)

Biol 6602 Advanced Molecular Biology (3 credit hours) or Biol 6608 Advanced Synthetic Biology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6889 Graduate Seminar (2 credit hours)

 

Elective Courses (15 credit hours)

Chem 4733 Biochemistry Laboratory (2 credit hours)

Chem 4764 Interdisciplinary Topics in Biochemistry (3 credit hours)

Chem 5694 Special Topics in Organic Chemistry (3 credits hours), when relevant

Chem 5772 Advanced Physical Biochemistry (3 credit hours)

Chem 5794 Special Topics in Biochemistry (1-3 credit hours)

Chem 6787 Problem Seminar in Biochemistry (1 credit hour)

Chem 6905 Graduate Research (1-5 credit hours)**

Biol 4842 Immunobiology (3 credit hours)

Biol 5069 Topics in Cellular and Molecular Biology (1 credit hour)

Biol 6442 Advanced Developmental Biology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6550 Advanced Bacterial Pathogenesis (3 credit hours)

Biol 6602 Advanced Molecular Biology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6608 Advanced Synthetic Biology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6622 Advanced Cellular Basis of Disease (3 credit hours)

Biol 6632 Advanced Nucleic Acid Structure and Function (3 credit hours)

Biol 6642 Advanced Plant Biology and Biotechnology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6652 Advanced Virology (3 credit hours)

Biol 6699 Graduate Internship in Biotechnology (1-4 credit hours)

Biol 6889 Graduate Seminar (2 credit hours), when relevant

Biol 6905 Graduate Research (1-5 credit hours)**

Biol 6920 Topics in Biology (2-5 credit hours), when relevant

** Maximum of 5 credit hours total between Chem 6905 and Biol 6905 Graduate Research courses

Opportunities for electives in Math and Computer science are also available for BCBT MS students.  For students with interest in these paths, please consult with Dr. Lon Chubiz for further advising and degree planning.

For more information on the degree program, visit the UMSL Bulletin.

Information for newly admitted students

MS handbook

Graduate Internship