Board of Regents Approves New Graduate Degree Program at LSU Shreveport

The State of Louisiana Board of Regents approved the establishment of the Master of Science in Biological Sciences at LSU Shreveport during their meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012.  The new graduate degree is a broad-based degree in biological science with concentrations to accommodate student interest and career choices.

The degree will have four concentrations: environmental biology, cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology and computational biology. The program will focus on regional needs including natural environmental hazards and environmental issues associated with alternative fuel sources. Graduates from the program will help solve the need for masters-trained science teachers in the local school system, technical research staff at regional healthcare and bioscience related industries, and advanced degree workers at environmental consulting firms.

"We are extremely pleased that we can offer this degree to the people we serve. We already know it will be of great interest to students just completing their undergraduate degree, to regional high school science teachers looking for a science graduate degree, and to people currently working in healthcare, energy, environmental, and water resource fields.  Because of its four concentrations, it answers many, many needs," said Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Paul Sisson.

"The faculty are very excited about having the opportunity to offer graduate training in a basic science in the Ark-La-Tex, and we look forward to serving the students in the area," said Associate Dean for the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Dalton Gossett.

All of the new courses will be taught by existing faculty members and will take advantage of the specialized research labs and facilities that the school has developed.