Admission
Prospective students are expected to have a strong undergraduate background in the sciences and a desire to perform research. Students will be considered for admission generally during their junior year or early in their senior year. They must have already been admitted to the Biology Major, be advised by Biology Dept. faculty, have finished at least three of the six required core Biology courses for this program (see below), and have commenced taking undergraduate research courses (see below). Students must be on track to finish three semesters of undergraduate research courses (Honors or Independent Study) by either the semester in which they would have completed the B.S. degree, or by the subsequent summer term. A 3.0 minimum GPA in Biology courses and a 3.0 overall GPA is required.
To apply to the program, students should email the BS/MS Advisor and have their research advisor write an email of support to the BS/MS Advisor (Prof. Jay Edelman -- jedelman@ccny.cuny.edu , as of Oct. 2025). They should also email the BS/MS Advisor their updated Biology Major advising form.
Curriculum
A total of 142 credits are required for the BS/MS in Biology. The requirements include a total of 64 biology course credits (see below). All non-Biology requirements for the Biology B.S. degree (e.g. Pathways, chemistry, math, physics) are also required for the BS/MS in Biology. Students are expected to maintain at least a 3.0 overall GPA in both Biology courses and overall.
1) Required Biology Core Courses (24 cr)
The following six courses are required:
BIO 10100 Biological Foundations I (4 cr)
BIO 10200 Biological Foundations II (4 cr)
BIO 20600 Introduction to Genetics (4 cr)
BIO 20700 Organismic Biology (4 cr)
BIO 22800 Ecology and Evolution (4 cr)
BIO 22900 Cell and Molecular Biology (4 cr)
2) Required research courses (21 cr)
Undergraduate-level research (9 credits) -- Honors: Biology 30100/30200/30300 (9 total credits) or Independent Study: Biology 31000 (1-3 credits per semester).
If a student takes the Honors Research sequence, they are required to submit an Honors thesis to fulfill college Honors requirements.
Graduate-level research (12 credits) -- Biology B9901 (3), B9902 (3), V9204 (2 x 3 credits).
3) BIO V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (2 x 1cr)
4) Biology non-research electives (17 cr)
A minimum of 16 of these 17 credits must be 400-level or graduate-level, non-research courses (cannot include Colloquium).
A maximum of 8 of these 17 credits may consist of 400-level courses.
A minimum of 8 of these 17 credits must be from graduate-level, non-research courses with a C- or V- designation (cannot include Colloquium). (Note: courses with a B-designation can also be used to meet this requirement with BS/MS Advisor permission)
Course Planning Tips For Perspective BS/MS Students
As 16/17 non-research, elective credits must be 400-level or grad courses, students can most efficiently complete the major by minimizing the number of Biology 300-level electives they take. Note that non-Biology Dept. electives that count towards the Biology Major (e.g. Biochemistry, Bioethics, Biophysics) can count toward this requirement. To fulfill the graduate-level, non-research course requirement, students can take courses at other CUNY campuses, including the CUNY Graduate Center, either by ePermit, or by enrolling in a CCNY co-listing of a course held elsewhere.
Sample Curricula of fifth year of the BS/MS program
These are suggestions! There are many possibilities depending on what is offered. These curricula assume a student has completed all Biology BS required courses, nine credits of undergraduate-level research, eight credits of 400-level Bio electives, and at least one additional Bio elective credit, by the end of their fourth year. Many students will complete these requirements somewhat later. A minimum of 142 total credits (undergraduate + graduate) is required for the combined degree.
Students with an interest in cell and/or molecular biology:
Fall Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9901 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology V0005 -- Genetics (4 cr.)
Other elective (3 cr.) [can be science or non-science]
Spring Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9902 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology V1401 – Cell Biology (4 cr.)
Other elective (3 cr.) [can be science or non-science]
Students with an interest in ecology and/or evolution:
Fall Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9901 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology B9730 – Population Genomic Demographic Inference (3 cr.)
Other elective (3 cr.) [can be science or non-science]
Spring Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9902 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology V0503 -- Evolution (3 cr.)
Biology V9012 – Seminar in Zoology (3 cr.)
Students with an interest in neuroscience:
Fall Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9901 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology V2301 -- Neuroscience I (4 cr.)
Other elective (3 cr.) [can be science or non-science]
Spring Semester
Biology V9204 -- Advanced Study (3 cr.)
Biology B9902 -- Thesis Research (3 cr.)
Biology V9100 -- Master's Colloquium (1 cr.)
Biology V2302 -- Neuroscience II (4 cr.)
Other elective (3 cr.) [can be science or non-science]
Advising
Students will be advised by both the B.S./M.S. Advisor (Prof. Jay Edelman -- jedelman@ccny.cuny.edu , as of September 2025) and the M.S. Graduate Advisor (Prof. Mark Pezzano – m%70ezza%6eo@ccny.cun %79.edu" rel="nofollow"> mpezzano@ccny.cuny.edu , as of September 2025).
Upon admission to the program, students will meet with the B.S./M.S. Advisor and design a course plan. To register each semester, students must first meet with the B.S./M.S. Advisor.
Master's thesis
Students are required to write a Master's thesis and defend it before a panel of three faculty members. The research mentor will help the student to find two additional faculty members for the thesis committee. The three faculty members must be full-time CCNY faculty. Additional outside committee members may be invited by the mentor when appropriate. A thesis proposal must be approved by this committee one semester before graduation and accompanying documentation must be submitted to the M.S. Graduate Advisor’s office in preparation of graduation. After the Thesis defense examination and revision of the thesis, a final draft of the M.S. thesis must be submitted.
Students taking Master's level research courses are required to submit a progress report at the end of each semester to the departmental M.S. Advisor (except for the semester in which they are submitting their Master's thesis). This report should be countersigned by the faculty member supervising the project and becomes part of the student’s permanent departmental file. A grade will not be submitted until the report is filed.
Last Updated: 10/19/2025 11:32