Offered in: Chicago

The Accelerated Degree Pathway in Biology allows qualified Roosevelt undergraduate students to obtain early provisional admission to the Master of Science in Biology degree program. Students may apply up to ten credit hours of cross-listed coursework to both the undergraduate major and to the master’s degree during their senior year. They then officially enter the master’s program as degree-seeking students and complete the remaining graduate credit hours.

Admission

Current undergraduate students with a declared major in BA or BS Biology, at least 72 total credit hours completed, an overall GPA of 2.75 or above, and at least one semester of study at Roosevelt are eligible to enter the Accelerated Degree Pathway. Students will consult with their department advisor to determine eligibility. Qualified students will have the Accelerated Degree Pathway attribute added to their undergraduate program, enabling them to enroll in select courses at the graduate level during their senior year. They then apply for the MS Biology degree program according to the guidelines for admission. 

Standards

The graduate admissions staff and department faculty members will evaluate each applicant's individual record of academic achievement and experience before issuing an admissions decision for the MS Biology program. All dual-credit courses must be passed with a B- or higher grade in order to apply to both undergraduate Biology major and the MS Biology degree. Any admitted student who subsequently falls below an overall 2.75 GPA prior to undergraduate degree completion will not be allowed to continue into the MS Biology program.

Applicants through the Accelerated Degree Pathway must complete all requirements for their undergraduate major, including the prerequisites for the MS Biology program, prior to full admission as degree-seeking graduate students. None of the prerequisite courses may be used toward fulfillment of the requirements for the master's degree.

Eligible courses are listed below. Substitutions of other 400-level courses may be made at the discretion of the graduate program director. 

Students must complete all courses with grades of B- or above. Upon completion of all undergraduate degree requirements, the graduate coursework will be applied to the MS Biology degree requirements. If a student earns final grades below B- in any 400-level course, enters a graduate program outside Roosevelt University, or does not continue into the MS program within six years, the associated credit hours will be considered undergraduate-only and will not be transferable.

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.

¹

Or course towards an optional Minor.

²

300 level BIOL course with laboratory or field experience and above BIOL 301 CELLULAR &MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.

³

Experiential Learning class must be 200/300 level. Satisfies CORE Experiential Learning requirement. EXL courses can satisfy major requirements/electives or CORE requirement.