Life Sciences An-Najah National University

Overview

The thesis option is designed for individuals planning careers as ‎experimental biologists, including those who may wish to pursue a Ph.D. ‎This option is available on a competitive basis. Students choosing the ‎thesis option must complete 36 credit hours with grade point average of ‎not less than 2.5 (75%). Students must also prepare a written thesis ‎based on research carried out by the student and under the supervision ‎of at least one supervisor.

The non-thesis option is intended as a degree to meet the needs of ‎teachers, science administrators, policy makers in the biology, and ‎others. Students who elect the non-thesis option must complete at least a ‎total 36 credit hours with grade point average of not less than 2.5 (75%). ‎In addition, the students must pass the written M.S. comprehensive ‎examination in biostatistics, biochemistry,   microbiology, molecular ‎genetics, animal physiology, ecology, research methodology, and cell ‎biology.

Teaching and Learning

The following methods of teaching and learning are applied in the ‎Life Sciences program of the An-Najah National University:‎

• Lectures: all of the lectures are presented by at least Ph.D. ‎professionals in their specialization fields. Most of the lectures are ‎presented by powerpoint software.

• Preparing for teaching:  In order to evaluate understanding of ‎the studied subject and ability to teach the subject, each student is ‎asked to make a presentation in the field of the course before the ‎teaching doctor and his colleagues.‎

• Moodel  software: some of the courses of the master of biology are also presented in the moodel software of the ‎university.

• Assigning homework (e.g., low stakes responses to the readings ‎turned in on notecards or electronically).

• Giving quizzes covering major points in the reading that could ‎be turned in before class.

Career Opportunities

Although there are common career opportunities for all ‎graduates with master of biology, the career opportunities ‎also depend on the thesis of the master and associated learned ‎skills. In addition, career opportunities are also influenced by ‎the undergraduate specialization, which will be developed by ‎attending master of biology program. Examples of the career ‎opportunities of master of biology:

• Teaching: Many persons that attended the program of ‎master of biology are now teaching in schools. In addition, ‎graduate can also teach in universities. The higher level of ‎education of graduates of master of biology makes them ‎candidates to become supervisors of school educations.

• Laboratory technician: the background of graduates of ‎master of biology makes them able to perform wide varieties ‎of laboratory works.  For example, graduate can work as ‎laboratory technician and prepare for laboratory sessions in the ‎university laboratories.

• Research assistants: The graduate can work in research ‎centers in universities or other centers. This is especially true for ‎students that attend the thesis type of the master.

• Food factories: graduates can also work in food factories as ‎laboratory technicians.

• Pharmaceutical industry: graduates are  capable of working as ‎either laboratory technicians or marketing personnel.