Biology - Master of Science

The Master of Science degree can be obtained through either a thesis option or a non-thesis option. Both options require 30 credits of course work. The non-thesis option can be completed as an accelerated (one-year) program concentrating in biotechnology or through an individual degree plan in consultation with the student's Master of Science committee.

For research toward the Master of Science degree, students can choose among the Department's three areas of emphasis:

1. Behavioral, Ecological and Evolutionary Biology

   The Behavioral, Ecological and Evolutionary Biology program is appropriate for graduate students who wish to specialize in areas of biology that study the various processes that encompass the behavior, ecology, and evolution of living and extinct taxa.

2. Cell and Organismal Biology

   The Cell and Organismal Biology program is appropriate for all Graduate students who wish to emphasize those areas of biology that integrate function and structure in cells, tissues, and organisms. This emphasis focuses in faculty areas of expertise in cell and molecular biology, neurobiology, developmental biology, and physiology.

3. Microbiology

   The Microbiology curriculum is appropriate for graduate students who wish to specialize in areas of biology that study the various processes that occur in microbes (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists) such as their physiology, ecology, development or evolution.

Mission

The College of Arts and Sciences provides the foundational education for every NMSU student and a wide array of degrees preparing students to be knowledgeable and responsible citizens of our world. We promote life-long discovery and improvement of society through cutting edge research and creative activity and by fulfilling our land grant mission through outreach and engagement with the larger community.

Values

• Central to the College of Arts and Sciences land-grant mission are our core values as described in the following value statements.
• Accessibility: We value being accessible to the diverse people of New Mexico and beyond. We value education that is inclusive, available, and affordable. We are the gateway to learning for all students, which provide us both an opportunity and responsibility to impact their learning experience in a positive way.
• Learning and Knowledge: We value learning and knowledge for their own sake, and creating broadly educated members of society who can think critically and improve their communities. We strive to model a love of learning and to instill a desire for a lifetime of learning. We value providing advanced education and scholarship through strong graduate and undergraduate programs.
• Rigor & Excellence: We believe the best education is rigorous, challenging, and demands perseverance. We believe that the best creative and scholarly work demands the same efforts. Those who excel in these endeavors should be recognized, cultivated, rewarded, and celebrated.
• Continuity & Stability: We believe continuity and stability are critical for excellence in our programs and activities. Tenured, tenure track, and college faculty who are committed to NMSU and its students are essential for continuity and stability.
• Purpose & Place: We value fitting into our unique purpose and place. We value serving the citizens of New Mexico, achieving a sustainable existence in the environment we occupy and integrating ourselves into the community and region of the border Southwest.
• Transparency: We value and strive for transparency in the activities of the people and organizations in our college. We believe this produces an environment of cooperation and open dialog that best enables us to fulfill our mission to the university.