Program description
The Master of Arts in biology is a non-thesis master’s program that has a larger and broader course component, but a lesser research component, than the Master of Science in biology. The Master of Arts in biology is designed for pre-professional students or those who wish to teach at the secondary or community college level.
Admission terms and application deadlines
Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Oakland University Graduate School by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.
- February 15 (early), April 15 (regular) and July 15 (late) for fall semester
- October 1 (early) and November 15 (regular) for winter semester
- March 1 (regular) for summer semester
- International applicants: March 1 for fall semester, September 1 for winter semester, and January 1 for summer semester.
Applications for fall semester that are received after the program due date, but before university deadlines, may be reviewed, subject to space availability.
Application requirements
To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all Graduate Application Requirements and additional department requirements by the published application deadlines:
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- Additional department application requirements
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 Applicants should have earned a bachelor’s degree in biology or related subject (e.g., biomedical sciences, health sciences, biochemistry, molecular biology, botany or zoology) from a regionally accredited institution or proof of a U.S. equivalent degree for internationally educated applicants.
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- Applicants with an earned bachelor’s degree in another discipline must have completed 5 lecture courses in biology, 2 lecture courses in college-level mathematics, 1 lecture course in physics and 3 lecture courses in chemistry. Applicants with undergraduate prerequisite course deficiencies in these areas must complete the preparatory course work before being admitted to the program.
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- Applicants should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
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- An essay (goal statement) describing their interest in the program, and career goals.
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Applicants with an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 with the appropriate academic background and evidence of the capacity for graduate study may be considered for admission with limited standing. Applicants who qualify for this admission status must complete a specified number of graduate credits, with a GPA of 3.0 or above within the first year of their program, to be advanced to full admission.
Admission review and assessment
Admission to graduate school at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Oakland University Graduate School, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.
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Transfer credits
Official transcripts must be on file in Oakland University Graduate School. The credits earned must be from a regionally accredited institution and must carry a grade of 3.0 (B) or better. Courses graded Pass/Fail or Credit/Non-Credit are not transferable. Credit must be earned within six years of the time the degree will be conferred and may not have been used toward another degree. Only courses labeled “graduate” (numbered 5000 and above) may be transferred. The total number of credits transferred may not exceed 9, and no more than 1 credit will be awarded per week of instruction (i.e., a 4-credit course must meet a minimum of 14 hours per week for four weeks - a minimum total of 56 class hours or 47 clock hours of instruction).