The Master of Science in General Biology program only allows degree-seeking students who are fully admitted to the MSGB program to take online classes. No unclassified students are allowed to enroll in online biology courses without prior permission of the graduate coordinator. Fall admission is preferred; however, Spring and Summer applicants will be considered. Admission to the MSGB program is open to students who have earned at least a "B" average in the last 60 hours in a relevant undergraduate major as part of a bachelor's degree earned at an accredited academic institution. A minimum of 15 hours in Biology from an accredited university is preferred, with at least a "B" grade and an overall GPA of at least 2.75. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and three (3) letters of recommendation from persons qualified to evaluate their undergraduate scholastic performance (or quality of administrative service), and suitability for graduate study in this program. The GRE is not required for admission purposes. All applicants are reviewed for admission into the MSGB program on an individual basis. MSGB applications are screened on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, a combination of grades, level of difficulty of the courses, prior BIO hours, overall GPA, letters of recommendation, work experience, and statement of purpose/reason for wanting to complete the degree program. Students who do not meet regular admission requirements may be considered for provisional admission at the discretion of the Mississippi State University Department of Biological Sciences graduate faculty.

Submit an Online Application. You will choose Certificate / General Biology as your program of interest and Online Education as your campus. You may pay the $60 application fee online or by contacting the Office of the Graduate School at 662.325.7400. Submit copies of all undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Official transcripts being sent electronically (eScripted) should be sent to: gradapps@grad.msstate.edu. Submit a Statement of Purpose. You will receive an email when you are officially admitted to MSU. Contact Dr. Donna Gordon, Graduate Coordinator, Department of Biological Sciences, msgb@biology.msstate.edu or 662.325.9337, who will release you for registration and will also provide continuing support to you as a graduate student throughout the program. Register for the Online@State Orientation course which will prepare you for online learning at MSU. Textbooks are available two to three weeks prior to the start of classes and can be ordered through Barnes and Noble at MSU. You will be able to access Canvas on the first day of the semester. To access your courses, enter your NetID and NetPassword and click the Classroom tab.