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Master of Science
MSCotermOverview
For graduate-level students, the department offers resources and experience learning from and working with world-renowned faculty involved in research on ecology, neurobiology, population biology, plant and animal physiology, biochemistry, immunology, cell and developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology.
The MS degree program offers study to individuals seeking biologically-oriented coursework and undergraduate science majors wishing to increase or update their science background or obtain advanced research experience.
Requirements
Program Requirements
Requirements Overview
The MS program consists of Department of Biology and/or Hopkins Marine Station course work, approved out-of-department electives, and foundational breadth courses totaling at least 45 units at or above the 100-level distributed as follows:
At least 23 of the 45 units must be courses designated primarily for graduate students.
These 45 units can be chosen among offerings in the Department of Biology (BIO) opens in a new tab, the list of approved out-of-department electives (outlined below), research, teaching, and/or foundational breadth courses.
A maximum of 18 units may be a combination of Biology research, directed reading, and/or teaching
Other Stanford coursework relevant to a student’s professional development may be no more than nine units. Using the General Petition form opens in a new tab, students must petition for courses that fall into this category. opens in a new tab
Each candidate designs a coherent program of study in consultation with their department advisor. Although no specific courses are required, program proposals must adhere to department parameters.
In addition to the unit requirements outlined above, students must adhere to the following:
A program proposal, signed by the student’s advisor.
Students may take only six units CR/NC. (This is separate from Satisfactory/No Credit. There is no limit to Satisfactory/No Credit)
Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Students must receive a B- or better grade in all courses taken for the degree.
Students not meeting these minimum requirements are subject to departmental academic review and/or dismissal.
Course Options
BIO Courses
BIO 198
Directed Reading in Biology
BIO 198X
Out-of-Department Directed Reading
BIO 290
Teaching Practicum in Biology
BIO 300
Graduate Research
BIO 300X
Out-of-Department Graduate Research
OCEANS 198H
Directed Instruction or Reading
OCEANS 290H
Teaching Practicum in Biology
OCEANS 300
Research
Approved Out of Department Electives
Out of Department Electives Overview
MS Students: A few courses under the 100‐level are on this list because they are not allowable for graduate students per university policy. You must take courses designated primarily for graduate students. If the course you are interested in has an offering at the 100‐ and 200‐ levels, be sure to enroll in the 200‐level section.
Biochemistry
BIOC 241
Biological Macromolecules
BIOC 241 (same as BIOE241, BIOPHYS 241, SBIO 241)
Bioengineering
BIOE 101
Systems Biology
BIOE 103
Systems Physiology and Design
BIOE 214
Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology
BIOE 217
Translational Bioinformatics
BIOE 220
Introduction to Imaging and Image-based Human Anatomy
BIOE 231
Protein Engineering
BIOE 241
Biological Macromolecules
BIOE 279
Computational Biology: Structure and Organization of Biomolecules and Cells
BIOE 450
Advances in Biotechnology
BIOE 214 (same as BIOMEDIN/GENE 214, CS 274)
BIOE 217 (same as BIOMEDIN 217, GENE 217, CS 275)
BIOE 220 (same as RAD 220)
BIOE 241 (same as BIOC 241, BIOPHYS 241, SBIO 241)
BIOE 279 (same as BIOPHYS 279, BIOMEDIN 279, CME 279, and CS 279)
BIOE 450 (same as CHEMENG 450) may only count toward the Biology requirements once.
Biomedical Informatics
BMDS 210
Modeling Biomedical Systems
BMDS 214
Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology
BMDS 217
Translational Bioinformatics
BMDS 173A
Foundations of Computational Human Genomics
BIOMEDIN 273B
Deep Learning in Genomics and Biomedicine
BMDS 245
Computational Biology: Structure and Organization of Biomolecules and Cells
BIOMEDIN 210 (same as CS 270)
BIOMEDIN 214 (same as BIOE/GENE 214, CS 274)
BIOMEDIN 217 (same as BIOE 217, CS 275, GENE 217)
BIOMEDIN 273A (same as CS 273A, DBIO 273A)
BIOMEDIN 273B (same as BIODS 237, CS 273B, GENE 236)
BIOMEDIN 279 (same as BIOPHYS 279, BIOE279, CME 279, CS 279)
Biophysics
BIOPHYS 241
Biological Macromolecules
BIOPHYS 279
Computational Biology: Structure and Organization of Biomolecules and Cells
BIOPHYS 241 (same as BIOC 241, BIOE 241, SBIO 241)
BIOPHYS 279 (same as BIOE 279, BIOMEDIN 279, CME 279, and CS 279)
Biomedical Data Science
BMDS 273
Deep Learning in Genomics and Biomedicine
BIODS 237 (same as BIOMEDIN 273B, CS 273B, GENE 236)
Chemical Engineering
CHEMENG 450
Advances in Biotechnology
CHEMENG 450 (same as BIOE 450) may only count toward the Biology requirements once.
Chemistry
CHEM 181 (may not count if CHEM 141/143 were also taken)
Computer Science
CS 109
Introduction to Probability for Computer Scientists
CS 270
Modeling Biomedical Systems
CS 173A
Foundations of Computational Human Genomics
CS 237B
Principles of Robot Autonomy II
CS 274
Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology
CS 275A
Symbolic Musical Information
CS 279
Computational Biology: Structure and Organization of Biomolecules and Cells
CS 270 (same as BIOMEDIN 210)
CS 273A (same as BIOMEDIN 273A, DBIO 273A)
CS 273B (same as BIODS 237, BIOMEDIN 273B, GENE 236)
CS 274 (same as BIOE/BIOMEDIN/GENE 214)
CS 275 (same as BIOE 217, BIOMEDIN 217, GENE 217)
CS 279 (same as BIOPHYS 279, BIOE 279, BIOMEDIN 279, and CME 279)
Earth Systems
EARTHSYS 114
Global Change and Emerging Infectious Disease
EARTHSYS 132
Evolution of Earth Systems
EARTHSYS 141
Remote Sensing of the Oceans
EARTHSYS 142
Remote Sensing of Land
EARTHSYS 144
Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science (GIS)
EARTHSYS 146B
Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics: the Ocean Circulation
EARTHSYS 151
Biological Oceanography
EARTHSYS 152
Marine Chemistry
EARTHSYS 155
Science of Soils
EARTHSYS 158
Geomicrobiology
EARTHSYS 240
Data Science for Geoscience
EARTHSYS 114 (same as HUMBIO 114)
EARTHSYS 132 (same as ESS 132, GEOLSCI 132)
EARTHSYS 141 (same as ESS 141, GEOPHYS 141)
EARTHSYS 142 (same as ESS 162)
EARTHSYS 144 (same as ESS 164)
EARTHSYS 146B (same as CEE 162I)
EARTHSYS 151 (same as ESS 151) TAKE WITH 152
EARTHSYS 152 (same as ESS 152) TAKE WITH 151
EARTHSYS 155 (same as ESS 155)
EARTHSYS 158 (same as ESS 158)
EARTHSYS 240 (same as ENERGY 240, ESS 239, GEOLSCI 240)
Energy
ENERGY 240
Data Science for Geoscience
ENERGY 240 (same as EARTHSYS 240, ESS 239, GEOLSCI 240)
Earth System Science
ESS 141
Remote Sensing of the Oceans
ESS 151
Biological Oceanography
ESS 152
Marine Chemistry
ESS 155
Science of Soils
ESS 158
Geomicrobiology
ESS 162
Remote Sensing of Land
ESS 164
Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science (GIS)
ESS 239
Data Science for Geoscience
ESS 132 (same as EARTHSYS 132, GEOLSCI 132)
ESS 141 (same as EARTHSYS 141, GEOPHYS 141)
ESS 151 (same as EARTHSYS 151) TAKE WITH 152
ESS 152 (same as EARTHSYS 152) TAKE WITH 151
ESS 155 (same as EARTHSYS 155)
ESS 158 (same as EARTHSYS 158)
ESS 162 (same as EARTHSYS 142)
ESS 164 (same as EARTHSYS 144)
ESS 239 (same as EARTHSYS 240, ENERGY 240, GEOLSCI 240)
Genetics
GENE 202
Molecular, Cellular, and Genetic Medicine
GENE 211
Genomics
GENE 214
Representations and Algorithms for Computational Molecular Biology
GENE 217
Translational Bioinformatics
GENE 212
Introduction to Biomedical Informatics Research Methodology
GENE 235
C. Elegans Genetics
GENE 236
Deep Learning in Genomics and Biomedicine
GENE 214 (same as BIOE/BIOMEDIN 214, CS 274)
GENE 217 (same as BIOE 217, BIOMEDIN 217, CS 275)
GENE 236 (same as BIODS 237, BIOMEDIN 273B, CS 273B)
Courses
PATH 151
Human Anatomy (Online)
PATH 151B
Regional Anatomy (Online): Cardiopulmonary System
PATH 151A
Regional Anatomy (Online): Musculoskeletal System
PATH 151C
Regional Anatomy (Online): Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Systems
PATH 151D
Regional Anatomy (Online): Nervous, Endocrine, and Sensory Systems