The Biology Education area of emphasis focuses on improving undergraduate education in the biological sciences, and is geared toward students who seek a career in higher education/academia. An MS and PhD degree program option is available to students interested in this area. Improving life science higher education in the 21st century has been a major focus, driven by organizations such as the PULSE community (http://www.pulse-community.org/), and Discipline Based Education Research from the National Academies of Sciences (http://sites.nationalacademies.org/dbasse/bose/dbasse_072106). Research in this area focuses on how different approaches like practicing skills (e.g., modeling, communication) affect students’ conceptual understanding, and in promoting diversity in science by understanding the experiences of first-generation biology students to inform better approaches to instruction. Students engaged in this area of research will be well prepared to enter into academic positions with an emphasis on teaching in the biological sciences. This program is distinct from our Biology Teaching MS degree, which focuses on advanced credentialing of secondary science teachers.
