Accelerated Master's Program (4+1)
Earn the undergraduate and master's degrees in 5 years instead of 6.
Accelerated Master's Program
The Department of Biology offers students with excellent academic records the opportunity to apply for admission to an accelerated five-year B.A./M.S. degree program (4+1). This program requires that students apply in the fall or spring of their junior year. Admitted students then take graduate-level BISC courses in their junior and/or senior year, working toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees in an expedited, five-year program. The Graduate School labels this program: GradSHARK Launch PAAD (Program for Accelerated Advanced Degrees)
Why a Master’s degree?
A master’s degree makes you more competitive in the job market, helps you more easily land promotions into management and leadership, and earn a higher salary. It dramatically reinforces the benefits of being a life-long learner with improved core skills of research, analysis, and communication, allowing you to more easily tackle complex projects in all areas of your life.
Earnings and Unemployment Rates by Educational Attainment, 2023
| Type of Degree | Median Weekly Earnings ($) | Unemployment rate (%) |
| Doctoral | 2,109 | 1.6 |
| Professional | 2,206 | 1.2 |
| Master's | 1,737 | 2.0 |
| Bachelor's | 1,493 | 2.2 |
| Associate's | 1,058 | 2.7 |
| some college | 992 | 3.3 |
| High School diploma | 899 | 3.9 |
| Less than high school | 708 | 5.6 |
Source: Department of Labor Statistics
For many, earning a master’s degree is a decision about the return on investment for the time and money to earn a graduate degree. With our accelerated program, we shave a year off tuition and time from the typical path towards the master’s degree….making it a great return on investment!
In addition, participation in the 4+1 Accelerated Master's program may allow a student the opportunity to extend, complete, and publish biology research begun as an undergraduate. The program may also be appropriate for students who are working professionals, in need of advanced coursework for professional advancement. Students who graduate with a Master’s in Biology from the University of Mississippi go on to work in Healthcare, Education and STEM-related fields.
Application Process
Requirements
- Biology major
- 3.0 GPA
- 90 completed credit hours as an undergraduate before enrolling in the Take 5 program
Students must be accepted into the GradSHARK Launch PAAD program in Biological Science, including completion of the requisite Course Enrollment Form. The form must be received by the Graduate School prior to the start of the first term in which graduate-level courses will be taken. The form requires approval from your Undergraduate Advisor and the Graduate Program Coordinator for Biology. Accepted students should notify the Graduate School (via the Graduate Program Coordinator) and the Course Instructor to ensure that they are assigned graduate-level work in the 500- or 600-level courses to earn graduate-level credit.
During each subsequent term, students must submit a new enrollment form for this program if they wish to take courses that can count towards a graduate degree.
Graduate-Level Courses Offered
- 504 Biometry (4 credits)
- 510 Theoretical Ecology (3 credits)
- 520 Medical Microbiology (3 credits)
- 522 Microbial Ecology (3 credits)
- 528 Conservation Physiology (4 credits)
- 533 Advanced Neuroscience (3 credits)
- 538 Hormones & Behavior (3 credits)
- 540 Chemical Ecology (3 credits)
- 541 Cell Biology of Neurodegenerative Diseases (3 credits)
- 542 Microbial Diversity (4 credits)
- 543 Functional Neuroanatomy (3 credits)
- 547 Advanced Histology (4 credits)
- 579 Introductory Molecular Genetics (3 credits)
- 579 Symbiosis: from Parasitism to Mutualism (3 credits)
- 614 Advanced General Microbiology (4 credits)
- 615 Ichthyology (4 credits)
- 658 Systems Biology: Theory & Practice (3 credits)
- 662 Multivariate Analysis of Ecological Data
- 675 Advanced Microbial Physiology (3 credits)
Contacts and links
Academic Advisor: Ann Margaret Compton acompton@olemiss.edu or Kordarius Montez Parker kmparker@olemiss.edu
Undergraduate Program Director: Dr. Carol Britson, cbritson@olemiss.edu
Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Jason Hoeksema, hoeksema@olemiss.edu
GradSHARK Launch PAAD Enrollment Form
Application to the Graduate School M.S. Biological Science Program