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Curriculum and Schedule

Program Delivery

This program is 100 percent available through online instruction with courses offered each semester: January – April, May – August and August – December. Most of our students have other responsibilities, which dictates how many courses they take each semester. Many enroll in one class, others enroll in two classes, and some do a combination of one or two classes per semester. Typically, students are limited to only two courses each fall and spring semesters. Students may register for more than two courses after they have demonstrated that they can manage the workload. Anticipated course load for each three-hour course is approximately nine hours per week, which includes  approximately three hours at lecture, approximately three hours assigned reading and approximately three hours study/assignments.

The Program Curriculum

The curriculum consists of 10 required courses. Seven of the ten required courses are biology-content courses. The other three courses cover how to design an experiment and statistically analyze data (BIOL 8400), how to write publications and grant proposals (BIOL 4890), and how to conduct research (BIOL 8480), respectively. We do recommend that you complete a few biology-content courses before enrolling in BIOL 8400, and that you complete BIOL 8400 before enrolling in BIOL 8480.

      • BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry: This online course is designed for teachers and those who want to understand the methods and approaches to biological inquiry. It provides a broad background into the scientific methods utilized in the biological sciences and the application of inquiry-based teaching methods in the classroom. Note: BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry will be more difficult if it is the first course taken in the online M.S. program.  This course requires students to develop lesson plans, which will be easier after they have taken 1-2 content courses.
      • BIOL 8410 Understanding Ecology and Ecosystems: This online course is designed for teachers and for those who want to understand ecological interactions and systems. It provides a broad background in ecology that includes populations, habitats, communities, trophic interactions and ecosystems. It provides a foundation for understanding interactions between organisms and their environments.
      • BIOL 8420 Understanding Cellular Processes: This online course is designed for teachers and for those who want to increase their knowledge about cell biology. Students will study how and where intracellular and extracellular molecules control cellular functions such as gene expression, secretion, motility, signaling, cell-cycle control and differentiation.
      • BIOL 8430 Understanding Genetics and Evolutionary Biology: This online course is for teachers who want to increase their content knowledge in the areas of genetics and evolution. The course will focus on Mendelian genetics, molecular genetics, gene expression and regulation, population genetics, forces of evolutionary change, and the role of evolutionary change in the origin of new species and the diversity of life.
      • BIOL 8440 Understanding the Human Body: This online course is designed for teachers and for those who want to increase their content knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of the 11 organ systems in humans. Studies will include food processing and nutrient allocation, circulation and respiration, excretion, communication via hormones and nervous transmission, reproduction, behavior, locomotion, and support.
      • BIOL 8450 Understanding Animal Biology: This online course is designed for teachers and for those who want to increase their content knowledge about the taxonomy, morphology, adaptations and evolution of vertebrates and invertebrates.
      • BIOL 8460 Understanding Plant Biology: This online course is designed for teachers who want to increase their content knowledge about plants and includes the study of plants from bryophytes to angiosperms, including growth, photosynthesis, nutrition, reproduction, ecology and evolution.
      • BIOL 8470 Understanding Microbiology: This online course is designed for teachers and for those who want to increase their knowledge about microorganisms. Topics include prokaryotic cell structure and function, microbial growth and growth control, food microbiology, bacterial genetics, immunology, virology, microbial diseases and epidemiology. Laboratory concepts will be emphasized.
      • BIOL 8480 Understanding Scientific Research: Research problems for teachers in selected areas of biological sciences to provide an introduction to research planning and techniques. Teachers will undertake either an instructor approved, individual project or participate in a group creative inquiry project involving their classroom during the academic year. Both are assisted by and under the supervision of the instructor.  Instructor note: BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry is strongly recommended before enrolling in BIOL 8480, since BIOL 8400 covers experimental design and data analyses. 
      • BIOL 8490 Understanding Scientific Communication: This online graduate course will help teachers develop their ability to write grant proposals, scientific manuscripts, and conference presentations on biological topics, and to communicate about biological issues with public audiences.

Course Schedule:

Typically, students are limited to only two courses each fall and spring semesters. Students may register for more than two courses after they have demonstrated that they can manage the workload. BIOL 8480 Understanding Scientific Research may be taken any semester; however, BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry is recommended before enrolling in BIOL 8480, since BIOL 8400 covers experimental design and data analyses. Similarly, BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry will be more difficult if it is the first course taken in the online M.S. program. This course requires students to develop lesson plans, which will be easier after they have taken 1-2 content courses. BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry is recommended before enrolling in BIOL 8480. Our program is usually completed in six semesters (two years); however, a master’s student has six years to complete this degree.

Fall semester

      • BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry
      • BIOL 8420 Understanding Cellular Processes
      • BIOL 8440 Understanding the Human Body 
      • BIOL 8460 Understanding Plant Biology
      • BIOL 8480 Understanding Scientific Research

Spring semester

      • BIOL 8430 Understanding Genetics and Evolutionary Biology
      • BIOL 8450 Understanding Vertebrate Biology 
      • BIOL 8470 Understanding Microbiology
      • BIOL 8480 Understanding Scientific Research
      • BIOL 8490 Understanding Scientific Communication

Summer Semester

      • BIOL 8400 Understanding Biological Inquiry 
      • BIOL 8410 Understanding Ecology and the Environment
      • BIOL 8490 Understanding Scientific Communication 
      • BIOL 8480 Understanding Scientific Research