Master of Science in Life Sciences Program

The M.S. Program in Biochemistry at Virginia Tech provides graduate training options to students who are exploring careers related to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and students who have yet to commit to a Ph.D. program.

Students may either integrate graduate-level biochemical and molecular training with existing strengths within the Department of Biochemistry in areas such as microbiology, vector-borne infectious diseases, plant, and nutritional biochemistry, drug discovery, and computational and systems biology, or the graduate experience can be tailored to student career goals with diverse options of experiential learning in research, teaching, and industrial biochemistry.

These tracks prepare students for a wide diversity of career options including employment by the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, employment as a research technician in government or academia, a teaching career, science communication, entry into Ph.D. programs, or professional programs in the medical sciences.

Benefits of the program

• Receive your Master of Science in Life Sciences in 2 years
• Free tuition for the duration of the 2-year degree
• A $31,404 annual stipend

Curriculum

The Master of Science in Life Sciences (MSLFS) merges the efforts of the departments of Biochemistry, Entomology, Food Science and Technology, and Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, and Weed Science. Students in basic and applied disciplines in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences share common experiences that prepare them for careers in which interdisciplinary interactions become increasingly valued. At the same time, discipline-specific education and research experience, which characterizes the MSLFS program in each department, prepares students for unique positions and career development. For graduation, students must complete a minimum of 20 graded credit hours and 30 total credit hours.

Every MSLFS student enters the program with the expectation that he/she will complete a thesis describing the results of an original research project, however, if circumstances dictate that completing a thesis is not feasible, the student may be allowed to graduate without submission of a formal thesis and will result in a non-thesis master’s degree designation. This option is only available with the agreement of the Major Professor and Advisory Committee.

Suggested tracks and elective courses

Requirements

• Advanced coursework
• Seminar presentations
• One semester of serving as a graduate teaching assistant
• Annual committee meetings
• Written thesis and oral thesis defense to be awarded a degree

How to apply

To apply to our Master of Science in Life Sciences Graduate Program, you need to submit an application electronically. Instructions and forms for applying online are available here. Applications should be completed and submitted by January 15, 2022, for Fall semester admission.

Students who are most successful in our program have earned a B.S. degree in an area of the life sciences. If you have questions concerning specific requirements, please contact our Graduate Program Chair, Justin Lemkul (jalemkul@vt.edu). A complete application includes the following:

1. Online application for admission.
2. Three letters of recommendation. Names and e-mail addresses of the individuals providing letters should be included with the online application to facilitate electronic submission and review of the letters.
3. Official transcripts from all institutions previously and presently attended. To expedite review, official transcripts should be sent directly to:
   
   Department of Biochemistry
   111 Engel Hall
   Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061

Although interviews are not required for admission, we welcome and will help to coordinate visits from interested applicants.

GRE SCORES ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO APPLY.