On Oct. 26, the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences announced a new 4+1 B.S./M.S. program for undergraduate students in the departments of developmental and cell biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, molecular biology and biochemistry, neurobiology and behavior, and systems biology.
This new program allows students to graduate in 5 years with both a master’s and bachelor’s degree. They just add one year of graduate study after finishing their bachelor’s. Students would start graduate coursework in the final quarter of their senior year and carry on research with their faculty sponsor. Students would end their final year with research, a capstone paper and an oral presentation. This program aims to prepare students for careers, future graduate study and research, according to an email from the School of Biological Sciences Dean Frank LeFerla to Dunlop School faculty and students.
“I think it could be helpful for students here who are lacking in their resumes and just want a little something extra, and it’s only a year,” Izzy Sigel, a fourth-year biology major, told New University in an interview.
To be eligible for this program, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and at least three quarters of continued undergraduate research with a faculty member who will sponsor their application. There must also be plans for that research to continue past graduation. Applications for this program are due Dec. 1 of the student’s final graduating year, according to the email from LaFerla.
The application materials require three letters of recommendation, one of which is from the sponsoring faculty research member, a statement of purpose essay and unofficial transcripts for all institutions the student has attended, according to the 4+1 B.S./M.S. program website.
To complete the program, students must finish at least 16 units of graduate-level coursework, at least 12 units of independent research and at least eight units of elective coursework from graduate seminars and journal clubs with a grade of B or better, or satisfactory (S).
In the spring quarter of their final year, students will present a capstone paper and a 25-minute oral presentation to a faculty committee. Students would create this committee with at least three faculty members from their home department, according to the 4+1 B.S./M.S. program website.
The NSF Milestone scholarship can help pay for financial costs and tuition, especially for master’s students. This scholarship is meant for “high-performing, motivated students who demonstrate significant financial need and are driven to become future leaders within industries of biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and other STEM fields,” according to 4+1 B.S./M.S. program website. If students have any questions about the scholarship, they can reach out to co-program director Dr. Suzanne Bohlson at bohlsons@uci.edu.
For interested students, information sessions will be announced soon to help answer any questions. In the meantime, if students have any questions, they should contact the Graduate Studies and Support office at biosci-grad@uci.edu or their respective department representative. Students can also consult the graduate handbook for biological sciences majors to start looking for graduate advisors for the program.
Stephanie Hwang is a News Intern for the fall 2026 quarter. She can be reached at shwang12@uci.edu.
Edited by Konstantin Diatlov and Geneses Navarro.
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