Admission Requirements

Full Admission and Non-Degree Admission. Admission requirements differ for each area of emphasis. Application does not guarantee admission to a graduate program. Admissions are selective and decision to admit or not admit an applicant is by division committee based on holistic evaluation of all required and other application materials as they relate to potential for successful completion of requirements of the graduate program. An applicant who is denied admission will be informed as to the reason for denial and under what circumstances reapplication is advisable. It is strongly advised that an applicant consult with the division graduate coordinator concerning his/her qualifications for admission prior to initiating the formal application process. 

Biological Sciences Emphasis

Full Admission. This emphasis provides specialized training for science teachers. Full admission status to the Master in Science in Natural Sciences degree program with a Biological Sciences may be granted to an applicant who:

1. Holds a baccalaureate degree from an institution fully accredited by one of the recognized accrediting agencies.

2. Has completed, as a minimum, coursework equivalent to general biology, general botany, and general zoology along with a minimum of one course from each of the following subdiscipline areas: taxonomy/ecology, cytology/microbiology/genetics, anatomy/developmental biology/physiology.

3. Has earned a minimum acceptable overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 with a 3.00 GPA minimum on all major and other relevant coursework completed during the applicant's last 64 hours of undergraduate hours.

4. Holds or qualifies to hold a Class A teaching certificate, or its equivalent based on a baccalaureate degree in biology. An applicant lacking a teaching certificate must sign a waiver stating that he/she realizes that the M.S.N.S. does not constitute certification.

A student must verify satisfaction of requirements 1-4 for full admission as described above through submission of appropriate documentation by completion of the first 9 semester hours of graduate level work. A student who fails to do this will be moved to non-degree status for the next term of enrollment and prevented from enrolling in additional coursework applicable to the degree program. Requirements must be satisfied during the term of enrollment or the student will be dropped from the program. Furthermore, the student must complete the following tasks prior to completion of the first 9 hours of major subject coursework:

1. Establish a graduate advisory committee.

2. File a tentative program of study approved by the advisory committee, the Division Chair, and the Dean of Arts of Sciences.

Non-Degree Admission. An applicant who is unable to satisfy requirements for full admission may be admitted on a non-degree, watch-care status to improve undergraduate credential and to meet full admission requirements. No more than 9 graduate level semester hours earned while enrolled under non-degree status may be applied to the emphasis in Biological Sciences. Only credits earned with a grade of B or better may be applied to the emphasis in Biological Sciences. 

Physical Sciences Emphasis

Full Admission. Full admission status to the Master of Science in Natural Science degree program with a Physical Sciences Emphasis may be granted to an applicant with a satisfactory score on a nationally recognized, standardizes test of verbal skills and meets the following requirements:

1. Holds a baccalaureate degree from an institution fully accredited by one of the recognized accrediting agencies.

2. Has completed as a minimum, coursework equivalent to two semesters of general chemistry, two semesters of organic chemistry, one semester of quantitative analysis, and one semester of physical chemistry.

3. Has earned a minimum acceptable overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 with a 3.00 GPA minimum on all major and other relevant coursework completed during the applicant's last 64 undergraduate hours.

4. Has submitted a score on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) which is supportive of the applicant's potential to successfully complete the graduate program.

5. Holds or qualifies to hold a Class A teaching certificate, or its equivalent based on a baccalaureate degree in chemistry (for the option A applicants only). An option A applicant who does not yet qualify for an A certificate may be admitted, but with the stipulation that the requirements of the State of Mississippi for an A certificate in physical sciences must be met before the degree will be awarded. This requirement is not subject to waiver. 

A student must verify satisfaction of all requirements for full admission described above (except #5) through submission of appropriate documentation to the Graduate Studies office by completion of the first 9 semester hours of graduate level work. A student who fails to do this will be moved to non-degree status for the next term of enrollment and prevented from enrolling in additional coursework applicable to the degree program. Requirements must be satisfied during the term of enrollment or the student will be dropped from the program. Furthermore, the student must complete the following tasks prior to the completion of the first 9 hours of major coursework:

1. Establish a graduate advisory committee.

2. File a program of study approved by the advisory committee, the Division Chair, and the Dean of Arts and Sciences. 

3. Be accepted by a major advisor for research direction (for the option B research applicants only). An applicant seeking research focus should consult with appropriate faculty who have compatible interests prior to application. There can be no guarantee that the research option will be available unless it has been negotiated between the student and a graduate faculty member willing to serve as the research director. The faculty member must provide a written statement of acceptance for research direction to the student to the student and the division Chair. Acceptance of a student for research direction by a given faculty member is made only when the student is considered to have the potential to successfully complete an independent research program and with the knowledge that the faculty member and division have sufficient and appropriate resources available to support the needs of the student. Because of the time and resource constraints, more applications for research direction are received than can be accepted. Thus, research option positions are very selective and competitive. 

Non-Degree Admission. An applicant who is unable to satisfy requirements for full admission may be admitted on a non-degree, watch-care status to improve undergraduate credentials and to meet full admission requirements. No more than 9 graduate level semester hours earned while enrolled under non-degree status may be applied to the emphasis in Physical Sciences. Only credits earned with a grade B or better may be applied to the emphasis in Physical Sciences.