Overview

Ideal for students choosing to gain experience in scientific research with professional goals, such as graduate education; working for a federal or state agency or non-governmental organization; securing employment in industry; or teaching in secondary and higher education, Master of Science in Biology offers a general track as well as a specialization in conservation and biodiversity. Alongside 15 full-time expert faculty with a passion for their students, you will also collaborate with the Sanford School of Medicine, the USD Missouri River Institute, the USD Sustainability Program, South Dakota State University and other institutions nationally and internationally.

During the Biology degree at University of South Dakota, you will research, explore and experience the study of life from the molecule to the landscape. Because biology is such a wide field, you are able to tailor your degree to align with your personal interests in many areas such as aquatic and terrestrial ecology, conservation biology, sustainability, ecotoxicology, plant and animal physiology, molecular biology, neuroscience, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics and evolution.

Explore the Vast Nature of the Adjacent Missouri River

Get involved with hands-on research in your own backyard or across the world. Whether you are interested in the ongoing research in backwater restoration, the impact of invasive tree species on floodplain bird nesting or turtle ecology, the Missouri River Institute and USD's unique location to the Missouri River offers vast opportunities for research.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Graduate Seminar in Biology

Topics in Biology

Microbiology
Biochemistry

Thesis Research in Biology

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-08-26 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-01 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-01-13 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-01 00:00:00 , International

More details

two weeks before the start of the semester

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

110

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TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

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Credits

30 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Vermillion, United States

Disciplines

Biology View 866 other Masters in Biology in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.7

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

110

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Application
Official Proof of English Proficiency
Official Transcripts - One official transcript (in English or with translation) verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree or equivalent degree from an institution with regional accreditation and previous graduate credit and degrees must accompany an application.
Official Admission Test Scores
Letters of Recommendation
Statement of Purpose
You will need to submit a resume with your application.
Passport

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

12768 USD / year

≈ 12768 USD / year
Out-of-State

12768 USD / year

≈ 12768 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

7118 USD / year

≈ 7118 USD / year

Living costs

Vermillion

United States

1024 - 1781 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Financing

Interested in financing your studies? Find a student loan that works for you.

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Free visa & career support through our Path2Success program

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Biology.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Explore the Vast Nature of the Adjacent Missouri River

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Vermillion

Financing

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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