Mississippi State University - Master of Science in General Biology - Teachers in Biology - Overview
Master of Science in General Biology for Distance Learning Students
The Department of Biological Sciences at Mississippi State University now offers a Master of Science in General Biology for distance learning students. This program is designed for K-12 teachers and for those who combine biology with education such as ecology, microbiology, evolutionary biology, and biotechnology.
All courses in the 33-hour, two-year program are taught online, with the exception of the final 8-10 day capstone course, which is planned to be held on the campus of Mississippi State University.
A student may enroll in selected courses or complete the entire program for a Master of Science degree in General Biology. An MS degree in General Biology can be earned in only 2 years. An MS degree in General Biology requires 33 semester hours. The TIB program consists of 11 three-credit-hour courses.
All courses are offered on the semester system. The Fall semester is from early August to the end of November. The Spring semester is from early January to the end of April, and the Summer semester is from early May to the end of July. Courses are only offered at specified times. For example, a new student beginning the program may only begin in the fall semester by taking one or both courses offered.
The courses offered in the Teachers in Biology Distance Program are fully accredited through Mississippi State University by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Costs for the Master of Science Program
Tuition is assessed on a per credit hour basis at the prevailing rates as determined by the Institution of Higher Learning, the governing board of the University. In addition, all courses with the exception of research hour courses are assessed a $25.00 per course distance fee. Tuition rates and distance fees are subject to change from semester to semester.
In addition to regular tuition, the student is responsible for transportation and lodging costs for the Summer Capstone course. There will also be a separate fee to cover host-charges for this course including local transportation, lab/field assistants, research materials, supplies, etc.
Textbooks are not included in the tuition rates. A student must order textbooks each semester for each course in which he or she is enrolled. Some courses may require additional materials, such as lab manuals. All textbooks are available for online purchase via the Mississippi State University's Barnes & Noble bookstore.
Other Important Information for the Master of Science Program
For successful completion of the program, it is recommended that students have Internet access via DSL or equivalent broadband connectivity option. Traditional dial-up Internet services do not provide adequate support to the many technologies used within the program.
For more information about the Master of Science in General Biology - Teachers in Biology program, please visit www.distance.msstate.edu/bio.
It is highly recommended that all prospective students view the Online Student Orientation prior to admission to any distance education program at Mississippi State University: http://aoce.msstate.edu/SRC/index.html.