Frequently Asked Questions about the MA in Biology Program

The Master of Arts in Biology program is housed in the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences. The program used to be housed in the School of Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS), but it transitioned to Arts & Sciences at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year. 

If you were a student in the Master of Arts in Biology program in or prior to Fall 2024, you will be able to continue taking classes and complete all degree requirements by May 2027. 

In a part-time program, domestic students can enroll in fewer than 9 credit hours per semester. Students enrolled in fewer than 9 credit hours are considered part-time. Part-time students will not be charged a Health & Wellness Fee and will not be eligible for WashU Health Insurance or U-Pass.  

Domestic students can choose to enroll in 9 or more credits in a semester in order to be considered full-time and gain full-time student eligibilities. Any student enrolled full time must have health insurance (either through WashU or another approved source) and must pay the Health & Wellness fee. For more information, please see the full-time student status question below. 

International students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester with no more than 3 credit hours being taken through an online format.  

Applications are currently closed to the Master of Arts in Biology program while the program is being redesigned. Please revisit this website for additional updates. 

The Biology department is currently working on expanding course options and areas of focus for the program, which will allow students to explore additional topics in Biology, possibly including neuroscience, ecology, and integrative biology. 

The PBPM program and Master of Arts in Biology program are separate programs. For more information on the PBPM program, please visit the Post-Baccalaureate/Premedical Program website. 

Please contact departmental graduate program coordinator, Professor Phil Osdoby (osdoby@wustl.edu) in the Biology department, with questions. 

International students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credits per semester. You can take select in-person Arts & Sciences Biology (L41) or PBPM (L86) courses at the 500/5000-level or above. Please note that international students are only eligible to enroll in a maximum of one online course per semester due to visa restrictions.

As a full-time graduate student, you will have to pay the Health & Wellness Fee. You will also be eligible for WashU Health Insurance and U-Pass. For more information on the Health & Wellness fee and WashU Health Insurance, please see the Office of Graduate Studies' Financial Aid FAQ. For more information on U-Pass, please see Parking & Transportation’s Metro U-Pass webpage. 

To be considered a full-time graduate student, you must enroll in 9 or more credit hours per semester. Full-time graduate students are charged a Health & Wellness Fee and are eligible for WashU Health Insurance and U-Pass. Full-time domestic students with an eligible health insurance plan may submit a waiver to opt out of WashU Health and Dental insurance. Please review the Health Insurance Waiver Process for more information. Full-time students cannot opt out of the Health & Wellness Fee. 

For more information on the Health & Wellness fee and WashU Health Insurance, please see the Office of Graduate Studies' Financial Aid FAQ. For more information on U-Pass, please see Parking & Transportation’s Metro U-Pass webpage.

Full-time WashU employees are eligible for tuition assistance. Employees regularly working during the day can enroll in evening courses (those starting at 4 p.m. or later), and employees regularly working in the evening/night can enroll in day courses. Please see HR’s Employee Tuition Assistance page for more information. 

To register for courses, please visit the A&S Course Listings page. To register for a course, use WebSTAC by logging in at the top right of the A&S Course Listings page with your WUSTL Key. If you have been admitted to the program and do not already have a WUSTL key, you will be receiving an email from the Office of the University Registrar regarding information on your WUSTL Key set-up. If you do not receive it, please check your Spam folder.

Select Arts & Sciences Biology (L41) and Biological & Physical Sciences for PBPM (L86) courses at the 500/5000-level or above can count toward the Master of Arts in Biology degree. Biology courses offered through CAPS (U29) do not count toward this degree. Please consult the departmental graduate program coordinator on specific course selection and registration questions.