Master of Science in Biology (M.S.) —
Requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate study, including a 3- to 6-hour thesis. An oral defense of the thesis is required.
- View graduate course descriptions
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) —
Requires Biology concentration with 9 hours of any 500-600 level biology courses, except BIOL699.
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Master of Arts in Education (M.A. Ed.) —
Requires Biology concentration with 18 hours as follows: Eighteen semester hours from any 500-600 level biology course, except BIOL 699. At least 6 hours must be taken from courses numbered 600 or above. (Methods needs 6 hours in SCI 612 and SCI 695).
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Master of Arts in Education (M.A. Ed.), 2 year college teaching —
Requires Biology concentration with 24 hours of any 500-600 level biology course, except BIOL 699.
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Research with affiliated agencies
Highlands Biological Station Provides graduate students and senior scientists from throughout the United States with research and specialty course opportunities on Southern Appalachian biota. Research funds and logistical support are available for qualified graduate students. The station is located 50 minutes from campus.
International Biosphere Reserves, National Parks, National Forests Graduate students may become involved in research projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, both of which are International Biosphere Reserves. Research opportunities also are available in the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park and in Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests.
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory This research unit of the International Biological Reserve has been established and well known for its watershed research for over half a century. It is one of a few long term ecological research stations in the country. Cooperative research projects are encouraged by the permanent research staff as well as other universities working at the station.
Biochemistry Program The Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry jointly offer a special program in biochemistry designed to prepare graduate students for study toward doctoral degrees.
Cooperative Ph.D. with Bowman Gray School of Medicine A cooperative graduate program between Western Carolina University and the Department of Biochemistry at Bowman Gray School of Medicine offers students a five-year plan leading to the Master of Science degree and the doctorate.
Financial support
Teaching, research, and service assistantships are available for graduate students. In addition to assistantships, a limited number of Chancellor's Fellowships and Graduate School Study Grants are available. Some out-of-state students who are offered assistantships may receive waivers of all or part of the out-of-state portion of their tuition. See Financial Aid for more information.
Application
Catalogs and applications for admission, fellowships, or assistantships are available from: gradsch@wcu.edu
The Graduate School
H. F. Robinson Bldg, Room 440
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28723
828.227.7398
When you apply, you will need to have sent directly to the Graduate School:
- one official copy of your transcript,
- three letters of reference, and
- your scores on the Graduate Record Examination
If English is not your primary language, schedule and take the Test of English as a Foreign Language and have this score reported to the Graduate School.
Graduate students are encouraged to apply early. Decisions on admissions and assistantships are usually made in early spring for the following term.
Departmental contact:
Dr. Sabine Rundle
Department of Biology
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28723
Phone: 828.227.3783
rundle@email.wcu.edu