College of Science and Mathematics to introduce new master’s program in 2020

Augusta University’s College of Science and Mathematics will begin offering a two-year, 36 credit-hour thesis-based master’s degree in biomolecular science beginning in the fall of 2020.

Dr. Amy Abdulovic-Cui, an associate professor of biological sciences, and Dr. Stephanie Myers, a professor of chemistry, are co-directors for the interdisciplinary program between the Department of Chemistry and Physics and the Department of Biological Sciences.

The departments will work cooperatively in all aspects of the design and implementation of the program, which will offer concentrations in both medicinal chemistry and molecular biology. The students will continue to hone their critical and independent thinking through research, as the program will provide education and training for careers in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biomedical, and chemical industries or for entry into doctoral research or professional degree programs.

The university will offer a tuition waiver and an $18,000 stipend when students work as teaching assistants.

Abdulovic-Cui and Myers said part of the mandate of consolidation a few years ago was to produce more programs, specifically graduate programs, to further AU’s mission to become a comprehensive research university.

“Within a year after consolidation, we started asking ourselves, what would be an appropriate master’s program for our departments? What’s something that we have the expertise that would be valuable to students and valuable to the university, and this is what we came up with,” Myers said.

Abdulovic-Cui and Myers said what’s unique about the program is it’s thesis based, which “we believe in that being a critical component of the science degree.”

“Many other master’s programs are not thesis based, they’re just classroom material,” Abdulovic-Cui said. “Having that research experience is very marketable and valuable. You learn to really think for yourself, and that will help our students no matter where they go.”

Find more information about the new master’s degree.