MA in Biochemistry and Cell Biology

Program Learning Outcomes for MA in Biochemistry and Cell Biology Students graduating from this program will: Develop a knowledge of past and current research accomplishments and techniques in biochemistry and cell biology. Demonstrate technical proficiency in some biochemistry and cell biology research methods. Demonstrate problem solving and critical thinking skills. Demonstrate contributions to publishable research. Demonstrate the effective written communication skills required for a thesis describing independent research. Demonstrate the effective oral and visual communication skills necessary for articulating scientific findings and significance to diverse audiences. Understand pedagogical methods appropriate for teaching undergraduate students in biology. Understand scientific ethics and the responsible conduct of research. Qualified Rice University undergraduates can apply to enroll in the Biochemistry and Cell Biology BA-MA-PhD program track in the spring of their sophomore year. Some course requirements for graduate studies are completed at the same time as the upper-level undergraduate degree requirements. Laboratory research performed in undergraduate and graduate research courses is presented as the MA thesis in the summer following graduation and can serve as the initial phase of the PhD thesis work. As a result, the graduate careers of these students will be accelerated by an anticipated 1-2 years, and such students may be able to obtain their PhD degrees approximately 3 years after obtaining their BA-MA degree. If circumstances require, students may stop at the BA or MA level if they meet all the requirements for the respective degrees.