Accelerated Master’s Degree Option

Why choose an accelerated option?

It shortens the time to earn your master’s degree. Earn graduate credit as you complete your bachelor’s degree.

How it works

Apply for the accelerated option in your junior year.

If you meet the admission requirements for the accelerated option (detailed below), up to 12 credit hours will count toward your bachelor's and master's degree.

You’ll graduate with both degrees a year sooner, while saving time and money.

Scheduling requirements

Before you enroll in a course for both undergraduate and graduate credit, you must receive approval from:

  • The cell and molecular biology graduate program director
  • The department head of your undergraduate program (major)
  • The dean of the Graduate College

You can do this by using a mixed credit form (.pdf).

You must gain admission into the cell and molecular biology graduate program and receive all approvals before the end of the Change of Schedule period for the course(s).

Contact the cell and molecular biology graduate program director for further guidelines and information.

Master of Science, Cell and Molecular Biology

Scott D. Zimmerman, Director of Graduate Studies
Kampeter Health Sciences Hall, Room 353
Phone 417-836-6123

BMS Department phone: 417-836-5603
ScottZimmerman@MissouriState.edu

Program description

The graduate program in Cell and Molecular Biology is designed for students preparing for entry into doctorate or health professional programs, or for expanding career opportunities in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, health science research, bioinformatics, and genomics sectors. The program offers students with biological or biochemical preparation to increase knowledge in the molecular biosciences and provides initial or additional experiences using the biotechnologies emerging from the rapidly-growing disciplines in cell and molecular biology. The development of laboratory research skills occurs in a laboratory-focused curriculum that has a health and human emphasis.

Program objectives

  1. To educate students at the graduate level in modern concepts and methodologies of cell and molecular biology.
  2. To build upon the student’s foundation of knowledge in cell and molecular biology through enhanced exposure to course, laboratory, and research opportunities.
  3. To enhance the student’s ability to carry out independent research in cell and molecular biology.

Entrance requirements

Admission to the program requires a strong science and mathematics background identical to that required of a student completing the undergraduate program in cell and molecular biology. In addition, admission to the program requires evidence that the applicant will be able to successfully complete a rigorous graduate program in the sciences at a high level of performance. Entrance into the program requires completion of the following.

  1. Two semesters of organic chemistry
  2. Two semesters of physics
  3. A course in calculus
  4. A bachelor's degree from a Missouri State University recognized accredited college or university and a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, overall, or for the last 60 hours
  5. Applicants must have:
    1. an official transcript including all undergraduate work
    2. three letters of recommendation
    3. GRE scores
    4. a statement of research interest

Applicants will be evaluated for admission based upon their submitted materials. By the end of the first semester, candidates must be accepted into a research laboratory by a member of the Graduate Faculty who becomes the student's advisor.

Accelerated Master's Degree option

Majors in cell and molecular biology may be accepted into the Master of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology program after admission requirements for the accelerated master’s option are met. Once accepted for early admission, up to 12 credit hours of approved 600 and 700-level coursework may be counted toward both the Bachelor of Science and the Master of Science degree programs. Other required 600-level courses in the master’s program that are taken by the undergraduate student, but not included in the accelerated option, may be waived on the master’s degree program by the student’s graduate advisor if the required courses were taken less than four years previously and the student earned at least a grade of B or better in those courses. Additional graduate coursework to replace waived courses may be needed to meet the 32 hours degree requirement. Accelerated option students must enroll in BMS 730 each semester.

The accelerated option allows cell and molecular biology majors who are interested in biomedical research to complete the requirements for the Master of Science degree in two semesters and a summer rather than the typical four semesters and a summer. Contact the program director in the Department of Biomedical Sciences for information and guidelines.

Before enrolling in each course to be counted as both undergraduate and graduate credit, an undergraduate student must be accepted into the accelerated program and complete a mixed credit form. Acceptance into the program and all approvals must be completed prior to the end of the Change of Schedule Period for the course(s). See the Graduate College for further information.

Admission Requirements for the Accelerated Master’s Option

  1. Junior standing and an overall GPA of 3.40 or better
  2. Completion of BMS 110, BMS 231, BMS 321; CHM 160, CHM 170, CHM 175, CHM 310 with a GPA of 3.40 or better
  3. Undergraduate laboratory research experience is strongly recommended before applying
  4. Applicants must submit:
    1. an official transcript including all undergraduate work
    2. three letters of recommendation, one written by the future graduate advisor formally accepting the student into their research laboratory.
    3. GRE scores
    4. a statement of research interest
  5. Acceptance of the applicant by the graduate faculty in cell and molecular biology under the accelerated master’s option

Degree requirements

The program requires completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours and includes the following.

Required core courses and research (24 hrs)

Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
BMS 622 Molecular Cell Biology 4 hrs
BMS 701 Research in the Biomedical Sciences 4 hrs
BMS 730 Current Literature Topics 4 hrs
BMS 798. Research 3 hrs
     
  Choose one of the following research options:  
BMS 798.
AND
BMS 799

Research
AND
Thesis
3 hrs
AND
6 hrs
  OR  
BMS 797
AND
Additional Courses
Non-Thesis Project
AND
Additional Advisor Approved Hours (may include 1 additional hours of BMS 798)
 
2 hrs
AND
7 hrs
Track:  (8-9 hrs)
Course Code Course Title Credit Hours
  Choose one track below:  
  Cell and Molecular Biology Track  
BMS 625 Molecular Biology 3 hrs
Techniques Course
Choose one from:
BMS 658 Recombinant DNA Technology
OR
BMS 629 Molecular Genetics
OR
BMS 640 Biotechnology

 

 2 or 3 hrs
Electives

Choose from:

BMS 688 Histology

BMS 635 Signal Transduction

BMS 631 Cell Biology of Cancer

 

 2-4 hrs
     
  Anatomy and Physiology Track  
 

Choose 8 hours from BMS 645, BMS 661, BMS 665, BMS 667, BMS 669, BMS 670, BMS 673,

BMS 682, BMS 688, BMS 707, BMS 717, BMS 726, BMS 727, BMS 728, BMS 742, BMS 752,

BMS 785, or other, approved, anatomy- or physiology-related course

  
     

 

  1. Statistics. The candidate must enroll in an approved graduate-level statistics course if a course in statistics is not a part of their previous academic record.
  2. Research. All candidates (thesis and non-thesis options) must satisfactorily complete a research requirement of at least 3 hours by enrolling in BMS 798. Thesis option candidates may apply an additional 3 hours of BMS 798 and a maximum of 6 hours of BMS 799 toward the 700-level requirement for the degree. Non-thesis option candidates may not apply more than 4 hours of BMS 798 and may not apply BMS 799 toward the degree.
  3. 700-level courses. At least 16 hours of course work must be 700 level or above.
  4. Comprehensive Examination. The candidate must pass a written exam taken in the third semester of graduate study and an oral examination administered by the departmental cell and molecular biology graduate faculty.
  5. Students must earn at least a C grade in all courses. Any grade of less than C will result in the dismissal of the student from the program.