Molecular Biosciences Fact Sheet (M.S. and PhD)
Description/Overview
The Molecular Biosciences degree programs encompasses the areas of biotechnology, cell biology, computational biology, immunology, food safety, neurobiology, regulation of gene expression, signal transduction and cellular metabolism, and structural biology.
The program emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, state-of-the-art technologies and innovation that allow students the opportunities to engage in research in genomic, proteomic, cellular, and organ-based systems for the purpose of translating this knowledge into applications benefitting society in fields ranging from agriculture to medicine, from forensics to environmental sciences, from food sciences to renewable energy.
Admission Requirements
General
To be admitted to the program you must have a minimum of a Bachelor of Science in a basic or applied science, although preference may be given to Master of Science level applicants, especially for Ph.D. In addition, the following requirements should be met.
- Graduate School Application and Fee
- Official transcripts from each college or university as attended
- A minimum 3.00 GPA on any previous graduate courses completed at either Arkansas State University or another accredited university
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale
Program Specific
- A completed online application for admission to the A-State Graduate School (or to the Office
of International Programs for international students) - One copy of official transcripts of all previous undergraduate and graduate course work attempted, to be sent directly from the institution(s) previously attended
- Three letters of recommendation
- A personal statement (maximum of two pages) describing the student’s academic and research goals
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the Verbal, Analytical and Quantitative tests. Minimum combined Verbal and Quantitative scores must be 1000 (old scoring system), tests using the new scoring system, minimum of 150 on both the verbal & quantitative required.
The MBS program committee will review the application materials and make recommendations for admission.
Research Facilities
Graduate study in Molecular Biosciences is facilitated by well-equipped individual faculty research laboratories, field stations, and teaching laboratories.
In addition, the state-of-the-art research facilities including a green house, growth chambers, cell culture facility, advanced imaging suites and a well maintained animal facility present at the Arkansas Biosciences Institute in the A-State campus are readily available to the graduate students. Since faculty participate in the Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program engage in advanced research as well as entrepreneurial initiatives including spin-off companies, joint ventures, and other business relationships to facilitate technology transfer, graduate students mentored by them are exposed to entrepreneurship.
Financial Assistance
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate students have the opportunity to apply for competitive graduate assistantships. These assistantships provide students the opportunity to acquire essential experience in research, teaching and career development while pursuing their degrees. Assistantships are awarded by the MBS program. To qualify for the assistantships, students must be enrolled in minimum required hours (6 hours in Fall and Spring semesters, and 3 hours in Summer terms for M.S. and 9 hours in Fall and Spring semesters, and 6 hours in Summer terms for Ph.D.)
Tuition Fellowships
Tuition waivers are available for eligible Ph.D. students. With a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher, residents of any U.S. state or territory qualify for in-state rate of tuition. International Students pay a reduced tuition rate that is twice the in-state amount plus a fixed international student fee.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that can be completed annually by prospective and current college students (undergraduate and graduate) to determine eligibility for financial aid. The priority deadline for completing the FAFSA is February 15. The form can be completed and submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For additional sources of financial aid, contact the office of Financial Aid & Scholarships by email at finaid@astate.edu, by phone at 870-972-2310, or at http://www.astate.edu/finaid/
Deadline
Applications are accepted till February 15th for fall admissions and till July15th for spring admissions.
For More Information on the Molecular Biosciences Graduate Program, go to http://www.astate.edu/college/sciences-and-mathematics/doctoral-programs/molecular-biosciences/
