Department of Natural Sciences
Chairperson: Mark Corson
Graduate Faculty: Peter Adam, Michael Bellamy, Himadri Chakraborty, Gregg Dieringer, Kurt A. Haberyan, Heidi Hensen, Michael Hull, Rafiq Islam, Aaron Johnson, Ahmed Malkawi, Mohammed Meziani, John Pope, Shelley Riley, David Richardson, Renee Rohs, Karen L. Schaffer, John Shaw, Kathleen Spears, Gretchen Thornsberry, Jeffry Thornsberry, Richard Toomey
Associate Graduate Faculty: Rená Smith
Department Telephone: (660) 562-1388
The Department of Natural Sciences offers two Masters degrees, a Master of Science in Biology and a Master of Education in Teaching: Science.
Graduate students pursuing the Master of Science in Biology are able to specialize in fields such as cellular/molecular biology, organismal biology, ecology, and environmental science. Although there are common courses for all graduate students within this program, each individual student selects his or her field of specialty and specific coursework, in consultation with the Biology graduate advisor and their primary scholarly mentor. The Biology graduate program is designed to strengthen the student’s content knowledge, problem solving skills and research capability. Students who complete the degree will have an increased specialization in a biological discipline and an enhanced ability to do research. Students will be able to demonstrate their ability to interpret data and communicate such data in both a written and oral manner. Students will be prepared to work in the discipline of biology and will have sufficient background to be successful in future professional or doctoral studies.
In cooperation with the College of Education and Human Services, the Department offers a Master of Education in Teaching: Science. This area of concentration is provided for teachers who have certification to teach science at the middle or senior high school level. The purpose of the program is to help science teachers to develop and strengthen their science content knowledge, develop skills and techniques to promote scientific inquiry in the classroom, investigate current trends and issues in education, particularly science education, and construct a curriculum and assessment that is aligned with the national science standards.