University of Texas at El Paso Academic Catalog

Academic Catalog

Graduate Certificate in Biological Sciences

This certificate program will provide students with graduate level training in biological sciences without the requirement for a thesis or dissertation. The graduate level courses in biological sciences increase their knowledge of biology and related fields, strengthen their skills in problem-solving, literature review, and written and oral presentations. These skills will increase their job prospects and make them more competitive for graduate degree programs.

Admission Requirements 

  • A minimum of 12 hours of upper-division undergraduate coursework in biological sciences or a closely related discipline
  • A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
  • Minimal internet TOEFL of 79 if applicable

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is optional. 

Applicants will supply the Departmental Admissions Committee with academic transcripts, resume or curriculum vitae, one letter of recommendation, General Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores, and TOEFL scores (if applicable).

The Graduate Certificate in Biological Sciences is an 18 credit hour program. Students must select a minimum of nine credits of the formal graduate lecture courses offered by the Department of Biological Sciences. The remaining nine credit hours may consist of additional biological sciences graduate level lecture courses, graduate research credits in biology, or a combination thereof. Students are encouraged to attend a Graduate Seminar in Biological Sciences or Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, although only one credit hour of Seminar (BIOL 5130) may count toward the Graduate Certificate in Biological Sciences. Only A and B grades in the biology graduate courses are considered passing grades. Biological Sciences Graduate Certificate students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Degree Plan 

Prescribed Electives
Select eighteen hours from the following:18
Independent Research
Ethical, Soc/Pol Dimensions
Independent Research
Prof Skills Devel Eco Evo
Rsrch Proposals in Eco Evo
Select Adv Topics Biol Science
Resrch Biological Science (up to 9 hours can apply)
Herpetology
Rsrch Funding & Prof Developmt
Neurobiology of Brain Diseases
Biogeography
Biosystematics
Endocrinology
Advances/Evolutionary Theory
Advances Immunological Concept
Advances in Ecological Theory
Biostatistics
Physiology of Bacterial Cell
Cancer Biology
Advances in Eco/Evo Theory
Structure/Funct Macromolecules
Molecular Pathogenesis
Intro Bio I:Basic Seq. Comp.
Intro Bio II: Gene Find/Compar
Aquatic Ecology
Resrch in Biological Sciences
Total Hours18