Find an Online Master's in Biology: The Complete Guide

If you are fascinated by living organisms, then getting an online master’s in biology is a great way to indulge your curiosity while preparing for a range of exciting possible careers in organic sciences, medicine, zoology, biotechnology, teaching life sciences, conservation, and more. If you love science and want to expand your career options, look at these online master’s programs in biology to see which matches your interests, career goals, previous experience, and timeframe.

Biology means the “science of life.” People who study biology have a deep knowledge of many types of life and ecosystems, from massive forests to tiny microbes. With a biology degree, you can create medicines, find ways to save endangered species, and establish methods for healthier lifestyles. In many cases, they are also educators for future biologists.

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ARTICLE NAVIGATION:

• What Can I Do With a Master’s in Biology Online?
• How to Choose the Best Master’s Degree in Biology Online Program
• Who Should Get a Master’s in Biology Online?
• Admission, Accreditation, and Costs for an Online Master’s in Biology
• Careers and Salaries for Graduates of a Master’s in Biology Online

Getting your biology master’s online can lead to careers in many fields or prepare you for graduate study in various scientific or medical subjects. Core classes and electives can vary by the school and program you choose. Coursework may include:

• Bioinformatics
• Immunology
• Human physiology
• Ecology
• Genetics
• Conservation
• Pharmacology
• Endocrinology

Teaching science is another great choice for online master’s in biology education graduates. Still, if you want to teach in high schools, you must get a license through your state, which may have additional requirements. For example, here is what Texas and Massachusetts require to teach in public schools. Not all biology master’s programs will have the curriculum to prepare you for teacher certification, so check with the programs you are considering if public school teaching is your goal. You can also consider teaching at a community college with your master’s degree.

Biology is an especially useful major for anyone interested in a healthcare profession. Graduates with online biology master’s degrees often pursue careers such as physicians, pharmacists, nurses, lab techs, or researchers. Other careers exist in natural resources management, science writing, and public policy analysis.

Careers that you can pursue with just a biology master’s online include:

• Forensic scientist
• Molecular biologist
• Biomedical engineer
• Epidemiologist
• Marine biologist
• Pharmaceutical sales representative
• Forester
• Soil conservationist
• Zoologist

Here are some careers that might require extra licensing, certification, exams, or training to pursue after you get your online master’s in biology:

• Physician assistant
• Medical doctor
• High school science teacher
• Nurse
• Medical scientist
• Clinical lab technician

Career Goals

Biologic science can span many industries and job specialties. If you want the broadest possible career options, getting a more general degree like a Master of Science in Biology is a good choice. Many biology programs also allow you to concentrate on a specific area, giving you more detailed instruction in that area. Other programs are entirely designed to follow a specialty.

Some of the degree topics you might see in these programs include:

• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Conservation Biology
• Health Sciences and Biomedical Laboratory Science
• Molecular Biology
• Environmental Policy

Your exact degree title is less important than the coursework you take to prepare you for a specific career. For instance, if you are considering working in epidemiologic research, you will need specialized courses in epidemiology but also substantial experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods.

To follow a career in bioinformatics, you will need a firm grounding in biological science but also high-level math and computer science courses. For those who want to teach, getting an online master’s in biology education would be a great choice. As you choose which program is right for you, consider reaching out to faculty in the program to ensure it will help you prepare for the types of jobs and industries you want to work within.

In-Person Requirements

Online master’s programs in biology are typically 100% online, meaning that you have no required trips to campus. Because biology requires lots of lab work, you might think that you would be required to go to a lab, but courses now have online simulations for lab classes or send at-home kits for lab experiments. If you already work in a laboratory setting, you may be able to do some of your labs at your current job site, but this is not a requirement. The completely online format of programs means that you can work full-time and study around your current work and family schedule, making it possible for many people to upgrade their education while continuing their everyday lives.

Time Commitment

Depending on your program and schedule, your online master’s in biology could take as little as one year to complete. But most programs are designed to be completed in two to four years, with part-time study an option that suits most working adult schedules. In addition, many online programs have short class lengths, with each course lasting six to eight weeks, allowing you to schedule your study around life or work requirements. Granted, taking a master’s degree will require commitment, hard work, and time studying, but the convenience of online programs makes it more possible for you to fit the requirements within your current life.

Thesis vs. Non-Thesis

Some programs require you to pass exams to graduate, while others have a thesis option. The non-thesis option is most likely to require a comprehensive exam. If you don’t love to write, you may be more comfortable with a program that allows you just to take an oral or written exam.

Most people who pursue the online master’s of biology had a science major for their undergrad degree. Common bachelor’s degrees include biology, botany, engineering, computer science, chemistry, statistics, environmental science, animal behavior, biomedical science, health science, and other related fields. Most master’s degree programs expect you to have a strong foundation in science courses. However, some programs may admit students with a different undergraduate degree as long as they take some initial classes to catch up in science knowledge.

People at all stages of their lives and careers choose to get a master’s degree in biology online. You may already be a biology teacher but want to deepen your knowledge of the latest scientific advances with an online master’s in biology. Or you could be working in a lab but wish to advance your career to higher levels of research with your degree. You simply may want to change careers to work in science. Some students go right from bachelor’s science degrees to getting their master’s. Whatever path you are on, an online biology master’s degree is a great way to increase your earnings, knowledge, and range of career choices.

Admission Requirements

The requirements to be admitted to a master’s degree in biology online can vary, but here are the most common ones you will need to fulfill:

• Official transcripts
• Application form
• Undergraduate GPA of 2.5-3.0, depending on the program
• Reference letters
• Statement of purpose
• Resume
• Prerequisite coursework in specific subjects

Many programs no longer require the GRE, which is a great time-saver if you can skip this test. International students will need to provide proof of proficiency in English.

Institutional and Programmatic Accreditation

All of the schools we list hold institutional accreditation. That means that an outside accrediting body has looked at the school as a whole and found that it meets requirements for academic quality and rigor, faculty excellence, fair policies, and good governance. Institutional accreditors are approved through the U.S. Department of Education. The accreditor for the school you choose may be a regional or national agency that the DOE approves.

Some subjects also have programmatic accrediting agencies. In biology, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) accredits undergraduate programs in these subjects, but master’s degree programs do not receive this type of approval. However, if the school you are looking at also has an undergraduate degree program, it may be accredited by the ASBMB. Some programs that prepare you as an educator may have specific accreditation related to teaching, but that is not universal. In general, you don’t need to worry if your online master’s of biology program doesn’t have programmatic accreditation since there isn’t an agency specific to biology at the graduate level.

Average Costs

The average in-state total cost for the programs on our list is $22,766. The most affordable program has a total cost of $12,280, while the most expensive is 53,820. Because programs are online, you save on commuting or travel expenses, but you may need to purchase books or supplies.

There is tremendous growth in some careers for biology graduates, especially in epidemiology, bioengineering, and microbiology. Forensic technicians have high growth, and those with a master’s degree could likely command much higher salaries. On the other hand, zoology is projected to have a negligible increase in job openings.

 

Position	Median Salary	Projected Job Growth
Natural Sciences Managers	$137,900	6% (about average)
Bioengineers & Biomedical Engineers	$97,410	10% (faster than average)
Postsecondary Teachers	$79,640	12% (much faster than average)
Microbiologists	$79,260	9% (faster than average)
Epidemiologists	$78,830	26% (much faster than average)
Zoologists & Wildlife Biologists	$64,650	1% (little or no change)
Forensic Science Technicians	$61,930	11% (much faster than average)

 

The demand for people with scientific skills is growing in many areas, so teaching in community or career colleges is growing faster than average. Jobs for biologists exist in every state and region, and there are excellent job openings working for the federal government.

The convenience of online master’s programs in biology—with many specialty courses that can increase your options for exciting careers—make this a great time to pursue your degree. Whether you have years of work experience or are just graduating with your bachelor’s degree, an online biology master’s degree makes getting a higher level of education easy to fit into your life.