Graduate Programs in Biology
Programs
The Department of Biology offers programs leading to:
- Master of Science in Biology
- Master of Science in Marine Biology
- Ph.D. in Marine Science
- Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
See Program Curricula below for more information.
Program Curricula
Biology Master of Science and Marine Biology Master of Science
Either program may be undertaken as a research or library thesis course of study. Students interested in a research career or continued graduate education may elect a program culminating in a research thesis. Educators and others interested in broadening their backgrounds in biology, but not in laboratory or field research, should elect a program of study culminating in a library thesis.
The masters program consists of a combination of coursework and research. Courses (see catalog link below) consist of graduate seminar courses in topics such as Marine Biotechnology, Marine Benthic Ecology, Biological Oceanography, and Animal Behavior. Student research often results in posters at professional conferences or student-authored publications. Graduates from our Masters programs have gone on to pursue academic careers or to take jobs in government and private industry.
Biology Graduate Catalog (PDF)
Marine Science Ph.D.
This degree is offered by the UMass Intercampus Graduate School of Marine Science.
The program is fundamentally grounded in a broad, integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the study of marine sciences and technology. Students are required to complete "core" courses selected from the natural and social sciences to equip them for interdisciplinary studies and research before focusing upon an area of concentration.
The program prepares students for employment opportunities in the private and governmental sectors and academia. Emphasis is placed on the education of researchers and scholars who will contribute not only to basic research but also to the application of that research in a coherent approach to resource management and economic development issues.
Please visit the IGS website for more information:
www.umassmarine.net
and
IGS Catalog (PDF)
Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Ph.D.
The program's purpose is to offer a nationally recognized PhD that is at the intersection of biology and engineering; that will be readily accessible to individuals with a wide range of science/engineering undergraduate degrees; that will address contemporary biomedical/health research problems; and that will contribute significantly to meeting the workforce needs of allied biomedical industries.
BMEBT Catalog (PDF)
Area Amenities
UMass Dartmouth's proximity to a variety of coastal habitats provides a special emphasis in both faculty research and course offerings on the estuaries and near-shore environments of the Buzzards Bay region of the Massachusetts coast.
The University is within a one-hour drive of the major libraries, museums, and academic and research institutions of the Boston, Providence, and Woods Hole areas. The Department houses teaching and research laboratories that are equipped for a wide variety of molecular, organismal, and ecological research. A fifty-foot oceanographic research vessel, R/V Lucky Lady, is available for coastal marine research. The Department also maintains museum collections of fishes and invertebrates of the southeastern Massachusetts region. Graduate students enjoy the proximity to rural and urban environments and the recreational opportunities of living near the coast.
Research
The first step is to choose a research area and faculty member who will be your advisor. Review the information below about the research areas of faculty members who are interested in taking on students, check the faculty web pages, and contact individual faculty members with whom you would like to work.
UMass Dartmouth Biology faculty research encompasses a range of topics from molecular and cellular biology to marine and terrestrial ecology. Research in molecular and biotechnology-related areas is increasing dramatically at UMass Dartmouth; a concentration of Biology faculty work on molecular, genetic, and cellular aspects of development in a variety of contexts. UMass Dartmouth continues its tradition of emphasis on marine and coastal biology; Biology faculty work in marine biology, emphasizing a diversity of ecological and evolutionary approaches, and including fishes and marine mammals as well as the estuaries and near-shore environments of the Buzzards Bay region of the Massachusetts south coast. Additional Biology faculty complement this emphasis with work in ecology and evolutionary biology more broadly. Finally, several of the faculty bridge these concentrations, setting the stage for exciting dynamics in the Biology Department.
Recent graduate student projects have been in fields like:
- molecular ecology
- plankton ecology
- harmful algal blooms
- environmental microbiology
- animal behavior
- marine mammal biology
- marine bioinvasions
- biofouling
- parasites of marine fishes
- fish biology
Some projects have involved collaborative research with:
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- UMass Cranberry Experiment Station
- Mystic and New England Aquariums
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available through Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships with individual faculty.
Teaching Assistantships (TAs) are awarded each academic year on a competitive basis to students in the MS Biology/Marine Biology program. Students who wish to be considered must indicate so on their application. Research Assistantships (RAs) are often available for funded projects in faculty members' laboratories.
Please contact individual faculty members for availability of RAs.
Apply Now
UMass Dartmouth has implemented online applications. Visit the Office of Graduate Studies & Admission for more details.
