Build your future with the academic experiences offered through the CMU Department of Biology graduate programs:
  • Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)
  • Master of Science in Biology: Conservation (M.S.)
  • Ph.D. in Earth and Ecosystem Science
  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cellular & Molecular Biology

You'll have opportunities to apply your knowledge and skills to meaningful research projects, work in world-class facilities and closely interact with distinguished professors.

To be eligible for regular admission to the graduate program in biology, you should have:

  • An undergraduate degree with a major in the biological sciences
  • Overall GPA of 3.0
  • Biology GPA of 3.0
  • Preference will be given to applicants with GRE scores (verbal, quantitative, analytical) in the 50th percentile or higher.

A successful applicant will have a background in the following areas: botany, microbiology, zoology, cell biology, genetics, ecology, and plant or animal physiology. In addition, chemistry is required while mathematics (e.g., calculus) and physics are highly recommended.

Applicants who do not meet the above requirements may be granted conditional admission by the department graduate committee.

Applicants must contact a potential advisor prior to applying to the biology graduate program. Admission to the program is contingent upon advisor acceptance. Click here to browse the list of biology faculty and their research interests.

The Department of Biology offers both the Plan A (thesis) and the Plan B (non-thesis) Master of Science degrees.

Plan A

Plan A requires completion of six credit hours in BIO 798 (Thesis), one credit hour in BIO 730 (Seminar), 23 hours of graduate course work approved by your advisor and advisory committee, and an oral defense of the thesis. Plan A is recommended if you wish to prepare for a research-oriented career or for doctoral study.

Plan B

Plan B requires the completion of 36 credit hours of graduate-level course work approved by your advisor and advisory committee and a written and/or oral comprehensive examination over the course work. Students must submit an approved Plan B paper demonstrating either research, independent study, or internship.

The concentration in Conservation Biology is designed to prepare you career opportunities with state and federal agencies and conservation organizations. You will gain valuable experience in current conservation techniques as well as population and community ecology.

The Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology (BCMB) Ph.D. and M.S. graduate programs at Central Michigan University provide research-based multidisciplinary training in diverse aspects of biological, biochemical, and biomedical sciences.

That investigate patterns and processes that regulate environmental variations across a range of temporal and spatial scales in this research-intensive degree program. Through core courses and individual research projects, you will study the dynamics of aquatic and terrestrial systems (modern and ancient, pristine and polluted) in diverse geographic regions, with a particular focus on the interrelations between multiple factors that govern Earth and ecosystem processes.

Admission to the biology graduate program does not guarantee financial support. All applicants are encouraged to apply for a Teaching Assistantship, which are awarded on a competitive basis. Please discuss the possibility of a Research Assistantship with your advisor when applying to the biology graduate program.