MS
MS
Biological Sciences,
The School of Biological Sciences provides interdisciplinary training and professional development opportunities for students interested in a career in the life sciences.
Description
Research interests of our faculty range from analyzing molecular and cellular processes to studying the ecological & evolutionary determinants of biological form and function. Faculty conduct research on a diversity of biological systems, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals, representing all major groups of living organisms.
The program is highly flexible allowing you to tailor your curriculum to meet your individual interests and goals. Following receipt of their degrees, students are competitive for a wide range of positions. Former students now hold positions at academic institutions, in government, and in private industry.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a member of the Big Ten Conference, and our students benefit from research collaborations and exchange agreements among member institutions as well as on-campus research collaborations with Cedar Point Biological Station, Center for Biotechnology, Center for Plant Science Innovation, Ecosystem Analysis Laboratory, Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, Nebraska State Museum, Nebraska Center for Virology and Nebraska Innovation Campus.
Specializations
Applying for Admission
Standard requirements for all graduate programs
- Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee.
- Transcripts (unofficial): Uploaded as part of application form.
If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.
After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.
- If applicant’s native language is not English, verification of English proficiency
is required.
When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.
- If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information.
- Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.
Additional requirements specific to this program
- Minimum English proficiency: Paper TOEFL 565, Internet TOEFL 85, IELTS 6.5
- Three recommendation letters
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Personal Statement: Your statement of purpose should be no longer than 2 pages. It should include a description of your previous research experiences (if any), how those experiences have shaped your current interests, and the types of research you would like to conduct during graduate school.
- Faculty: Identify up to four faculty who share your research interests and with whom you would like to work.
- More Biological Sciences Graduate Program Requirements
Admission Application Deadlines
December 1 for Fall. This is for an August start; program accepts new students once a year.
Department
Graduate Chair
Support Staff
Campus Address
Program Faculty
Peter Angeletti (bio)
DNA Replication and Maintenance of Particular Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs)
Audrey Atkin (bio)
Regulation of Gene Expression, RNA Biology, Cell Communication
Alan Christensen (bio)
DNA Damage and Repair, Plant Mitochondrial Genomes, Repeats of Unusual Size, Recombination
Brian Couch (bio)
Assessment in Undergraduate STEM Courses
Clay Cressler (bio)
Disease Ecology and Evolution
John DeLong (bio)
Body Size Evolution, Predator-Prey Ecology, Eco-evolutionary Dynamics, Ecological and Evolutionary Energetics, Human Population Ecology
Scott Gardner (bio)
Parasite Mammal Biodiversity
Eileen Hebets (bio)
Evolution and Diversification of Animal Communication Systems, Evolution and Function of Animal Communication, Sensory Systems and Mating Systems
Michael Herman (bio)
Genetics, Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics, Nematode-Bacterial Interactions
Ian Keesey (bio)
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior Neuroethology, Comparative Neuroscience Sensory Systems, Animal Communication Chemical Ecology, Pheromone Biology
Qingsheng Li (bio)
HIV, Transmission, Vaccine and Prevention
Kate Lyons (bio)
Species and Community Level Responses to Climate Change, Extinction and Extinction Risk, Macroecological Patterns Across Space and Time, Macroevolution of Body Size in Mammals, Biases in the Mammalian Fossil Record
Colin Meiklejohn (bio)
Genetic Basis of Speciation, Regulatory Evolution and Co-Evolution between Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes
Kristi Montooth (bio)
Evolution of Genes, Genomes and Physiology
Emily Moore (bio)
Evolutionary, Behavioral, and Reproductive Genomics
Etsuko Moriyama (bio)
Bioinformatics, Molecular Evolution, Molecular Population Genetics
Hideaki Moriyama (bio)
Electrophysiology and Structural Biology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Bioinformatics
Wayne Riekhof (bio)
Lipid Metabolism, Transport, and Storage, Algal and Fungal Biology, Metabolic Regulation and Biochemical Genetics
Sabrina E. Russo (bio)
Biodiversity, Plant Ecology & Ecophysiology, Plant-Microbe Interactions, Seed Dispersal
Nicole Sexton (bio)
Evolution, Codon Usage, Host-virus Interactions of Arthropod-borne Viruses, Genetic Robustness of RNA Viruses
Daizaburo Shizuka (bio)
Evolutionary and Behavioral Ecology, Social Networks, Ornithology
Brigitte Tenhumberg (bio)
Population Ecology, Behavior and Life History Theory, Mathematical Modeling, Plant and Insect Ecology, Life History Evolution, Population Management and Demography
Rebecca Varney (bio)
Eukaryotic Extremophiles in both Freshwater and Marine Systems, Evolutionary Biology, Genomics & Physiology
Eric Weaver (bio)
Virology, Microbiology, Immunology
Karrie A. Weber (bio)
Microbiology of Soil, Sediment and Water Biogeochemical Cycling, Geomicrobiology of Modern and Paleo-Environments, Physiology of Novel Microorganisms and Metabolisms Using Culture Dependent and Independent Techniques
David A. Woodman (bio)
Human Anatomy, Physiology
Chi Zhang (bio)
Computational Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, Gene Protein Interaction Network, Omics Data Integration
Luwen Zhang (bio)
Structure-Function Relationships of Metallomolecules Involved in Redox Sensing, Metal Homeostasis and Detoxification, Metalloproteins Involved in Biotic and Abiotic Stress Sensing or Detoxification
UNL Graduate Chairs and staff please complete the program update form to provide edits. Updates to graduate program pages are made on an annual basis in conjunction with the Graduate Application for Admission.