Master of Science in Biology - Professional Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology Emphasis Area (STEM)

at MSM Group - University of Missouri-St. Louis USA

The Department of Biology offers three ways of achieving the Master of Science degree. The first is a 30 credit hour non-thesis option suitable for those who may already have extensive research experience, for educators who seek to upgrade their academic skills but do not require research experience, or for those who need to broaden their biological background. The second is a 32 credit hour Professional Science track that includes a strong business component for students who are interested in learning more about the business aspects of companies. This track may not be appropriate for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD or working primarily as laboratory scientists. The third is a 30 credit hour traditional apprenticeship in research leading to a written thesis. All students admitted to the graduate program are considered to be in the non-thesis program unless they have been accepted into an individual faculty lab. Starting with a common core, both the thesis and non-thesis option may be developed into a final degree program in either of two broad areas in biology:

• Cell and Molecular Biology or
• Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics.

Non-thesis students may also elect to take courses in both areas. Only the non-thesis option is available in the Professional Science emphasis.

High school Spanish teachers provide beginning, intermediate and advanced courses that cover speaking, listening and writing in Spanish. They also provide education in the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and may also teach Spanish literature.

The BS in Secondary Education, with an emphasis in Modern Foreign Language – Spanish, prepares students to teach in K-12 settings. This program requires the selection and completion of required coursework in Spanish and includes field and practicum experiences in high school settings, culminating in Missouri teacher certification.

The BS in Secondary Education is designed to provide specialized knowledge, skills and training in a flexible format.  You’ll learn from highly qualified educators and researchers who hold terminal degrees from some of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions. 

The BS in Secondary Education, with an emphasis in Chemistry, prepares students to teach in secondary school settings, grades 9-12. This program requires the selection and completion of required coursework in chemistry and includes field and practicum experiences in high school settings, culminating in Missouri teacher certification.

This program coordinates with the Department of Chemistry where you’ll be exposed to research and teaching laboratories and a wide variety of modern research instrumentation. Much of the discipline-specific coursework parallels the BA or BS degree in Chemistry; however, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires specific coursework for teacher certification.

The Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with an Emphasis in Fiscal Mathematics provides a sufficient background in mathematics, statistics and computer science, to produce graduates who can work in areas requiring applied mathematical techniques and tools. This degree is structured to allow additional optional courses that enable the student to focus on a variety of further areas of interest. 

The M.S. in Computer Science has three different options to choose from, offering a wide range of career opportunities. All graduates will have a broad computing background and will be exposed to a wide range of technologies. They will also be prepared for team work, independent research, and technical reporting and presentations.

The BSBA, Finance Emphasis degree is a 120-credit hour program that requires at least 48-credit hours in business courses, with a minimum of 18-credit hours in Finance courses. The core business classes include financial and managerial accounting, legal environment of business, information systems concepts, business analytics and statistics, supply chain management, financial management, management and organizational behavior, marketing and strategic management. Once you've completed the required courses, you can customize your degree with business electives or even select a minor.

Graduates of the BSBA, Finance Emphasis will be prepared to enter the workforce and succeed locally and globally across various industries. The finance curriculum prepares you for careers in corporate financial management and the financial services industry.

The BS in Accounting is a 120-credit-hour program that requires 30-credit hours of core business courses, 18-credit hours of Accounting courses, 60-credit hours of non-business courses, and 12-credit hours of approved electives.

The core business courses include financial and managerial accounting, legal environment of business, information systems concepts, business analytics and statistics, financial management, management and organizational behavior and more. The required Accounting courses include financial reporting, accounting information systems, income tax and auditing.

The Master of Accounting (MAcc) degree program is intended for students preparing to enter the accounting profession as well as for those seeking to advance their existing accounting careers. It is designed to accommodate both undergraduate accounting majors and students with other undergraduate backgrounds. The MAcc degree will satisfy the minimum education requirements to be eligible to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination in Missouri.

The flexibility of this program enables busy adults to earn their graduate degree while balancing work, family and academic responsibilities. With many of our students working full time, all graduate classes are available in the evening.

UMSL MAcc graduates annually pass the four CPA exam parts at rates far above national averages and at rates competitive with the best programs in the state.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates will:

• Have technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression (Performance)
• Understand the common elements and organizational patters of music and their interaction (Musicianship Skills and Analysis)
• Have a rudimentary capacity to create original or derivative music (Composition/Improvisation)
• Have basic knowledge of music history and repertories through the present time (History and Repertory)
• Be Able to work on musical problems by combining their capabilities in performance, aural, verbal and visual analysis; composition/improvisation; history and repertory (Synthesis)
• Develop requisite knowledge, skills, and disposition needed to engage in scholarly dialogue through research and analysis

The BS in Data Science and Analysis is an interdisciplinary program that is designed for students who want to develop statistical and data science skills. While data science is at the core of this program, students will also select a specialization from one of the following emphasis areas: biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, social science or supply chain analytics.

Students will learn the latest techniques including Python, R, Big Data and Data Mining. This degree will require between 36- and 51-credit hours to complete, depending on the emphasis area selected.