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Program Details

Graduate Program: Biochemistry (MS) - Accelerated Master's Program

General Information

Request Information
Program/Degree
Biochemistry (MS) - Accelerated Master's Program  
Program Description

The Chemistry and Biochemistry program offers the opportunity for students to participate in an accelerated curriculum that leads to both the Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in either Chemistry or Biochemistry. This curriculum follows the normal B.S. degree for three years, but adds typically two (but up to four) graduate level courses during the fourth year that are also applied to the subsequent M.S. program. The fifth year then includes the remaining graduate courses to bring the total to five, research credits and the Master’s Thesis. Students will generally apply to the Graduate College during the third year for official admission to the M.S. program immediately following completion of B.S. requirements. Admission to this program must precede enrollment in graduate courses.

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

Chemistry and Biochemistry

A limited number of students are accepted to purse Master of Science degrees in Biochemistry. Typically, no financial support is provided for pursuit of these degrees. Please contact the Graduate Coordinator if you plan to apply for these programs.

The MS degree is a research degree requiring a written thesis. All students must pass a final oral examination.

 

 
College

College of Science

 
Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Lori Boyd
520-621-4348
Graduate Program Coordinator
Lori Boyd
520-621-4348
Director of Graduate Studies
M. Leandro Heien
520-621-6293
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Tammy Tran
520-621-0119
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Students must have completed a minimum of 75 undergraduate credit hours at the time of application; a minimum of 90 undergraduate credit hours will be required at the time of entry into the program. Typically, this unit requirement means that students will be in their third year at the time of application. Exceptions can be made for fourth year students, depending on progress to the degree.

 

Students are generally expected to complete the undergraduate degree within four years. The undergraduate degree requirements must be completed before the student is eligible to have the M.S. degree awarded. Therefore, students shall have completed or nearly completed the general education requirements before application.

 

Students must be a continuing UA student progressing toward a Bachelor’s degree. At least 12 earned undergraduate credits must have been completed at the University of Arizona’s main campus in the major listed above. Units still graded Incomplete, units graded Pass/Fail or units taken as audit will not count toward the requirement of the 12 undergraduate units.

 

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (NO EXCEPTIONS). If the GPA falls below 3.5 at the time 90 units are completed, the student will not be admitted into the program. Courses taken for audit may not be included in the total number of units counted for eligibility or admission.

 

Students must have a minimum of one semester of research experience and have demonstrated research productivity.

 

Students must have a thesis advisor who is a primary CBC faculty member.

 

 
Standardized Tests

n/a

 
Funding Opportunities

After completion of all Bachelors’ requirements, students will be granted graduate status, be charged at the graduate rate, and be eligible for graduate assistantships. The student won’t be eligible to graduate nor will they be eligible for assistantships until all Bachelors’ requirements are completed. While an undergraduate, students are required to keep their graduate coursework cumulative GPA at 3.0, or higher if required by the graduate degree offering unit, to be admitted to the Master’s program.

 

Should a student have completed 12 graduate credits, but not yet completed the undergraduate degree, they will be considered graduate for financial aid and tuition purposes and coded as ‘graduate’ in UAccess. They will no longer be eligible for undergraduate scholarships, nor will they be eligible for graduate assistantships.

 
Admissions Deadlines

April 15

 
International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

12 

Core Coursework Requirements

Graded coursework constitutes 15 units of the Master of Science degree. A plan of study must be approved by the GPC. Suggested core courses of study for the respective areas are:

  • Analytical: Choose three courses from CHEM 522, 523, 525, 526b, 527 or 529
  • Biochemistry: BIOC 565, 568 and one other course by approval
  • Inorganic: CHEM 510, 514 and one other course by approval
  • Organic: CHEM 550, 541 and 545
  • Physical: CHEM 580, 581 and 582

 

Up to 15 units of the Master of Science degree may be in thesis research, group meeting, seminar, etc.

 
Elective Coursework

n/a

 
Additional Requirements

The Master of Science degree requires 30 units (minimum) of graduate work in 500-level courses or above, up to 15 of which may be in thesis research. At least one-half of the required units must be in courses offering regular letter grades. Up to 12 units of graduate credit earned as an undergraduate and not applied toward the baccalaureate degree can be applied for credit toward a master's degree. Required courses for the M.S. degree include Proteins and Enzymes 565 and two other courses from the list below. The student, with approval from the thesis committee, chooses the remaining graduate courses required for the degree.

Mimumum Criteria

  • Be in their third year at time of application (at least 75 units completed by the end of the 5th semester). Exceptions may be made for 4th year students if they are enrolled in at least one graduate level course.
  • Be a continuing UA students working on a Bachelor's degree.
  • Minimum 3.500 GPA.
  • Minimum one semester of research experience with demonstrated research productivity.
  • A thesis advisor who is a primary CBC faulty member.
 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Additional Information

This is an Accelerated Master's Program (AMP).

The Graduate College offers exceptional undergraduate students in selected majors the opportunity to earn both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in as few as 5 years. The Accelerated Master's Program is for the top undergraduates in participating majors who plan to continue in a graduate program in the same, or closely related, UA discipline.

Programs will select from among a qualified pool, based on the following criteria. Individual programs may have more stringent or additional requirements:

  • Completion of a minimum of 75 undergraduate credit hours will be required at the time of application; a minimum of 90 undergraduate credit hours will be required at the time of entry into the AMP. If the student's GPA falls below 3.30 at the time s/he has completed 90 units, the student will not be admitted into the program. Courses taken for audit may not be included in the total number of units counted for eligibility or admission.
  • Completion of at least 12 earned units of undergraduate course work in the major at the UA.
  • Units still graded Incomplete, units graded Pass/Fail or units taken as audit will not count toward the requirement of the 12 undergraduate units in the major.
  • Completion or near completion of general education requirements.
  • Submission of a graduate application and payment of a graduate application fee.
  • Demonstration of the maturity necessary for success in an accelerated, highly competitive program.
  • Expectation to complete the undergraduate degree within four years. The undergraduate degree requirements must be completed before the student is eligible to have the Master's degree awarded.
  • Interested students should verify departmental requirements as they may have additional or more stringent requirements than the Graduate College minimum requirements.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/BIOCMSBIOCMSAMP
Last revised 29 Apr 2021
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