Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Biology has 11 permanent faculty who are actively involved in a wide range of disciplines, including ecology and evolutionary biology, molecular and cell biology, physiology, functional morphology, and organismal biology. Three additional faculty from other departments on campus have expertise in biology and are adjunct members of the graduate program.
The Master of Science degree in Biology is a thesis research program. Students complete coursework that allows them to master the concepts and techniques of their chosen discipline.
They also conduct original research under the direction of a member of the faculty, and write up their findings as a Master's Thesis. Typically, students take two to three years to complete their graduate degree requirements.
Students that graduate with a MS in Biology from Sonoma State University will:
- demonstrate a strong knowledge base in their sub-discipline of biology
- display critical thinking
- demonstrate a mastery of research approaches
- have effective written and oral communication skills
Graduates of this program find themselves with an enhanced understanding of biology and first-hand experience in the practice of science. Many of our students go on to doctoral programs, others use their degree to pursue careers in teaching, research, environmental consulting, resource management, industry, and various health professions.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Biology visit:
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Personalized and experiential learning, expert and accessible faculty, and deep industry connections are among the reasons that our alumni mention when asked why their degree represents the right return on investment for them and their families.
We are committed to supporting your life-long career path by challenging you in ways that will strengthen your ability to lead ethically and effectively in today's business environment.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Business visit:
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Our Counseling program emphasizes the role of human relationships to heal and empower. We seek to educate a community of ethical, self-aware, and socially-engaged counselors who possess the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to competently promote the health and development of diverse individuals, couples, families, and communities.
Our 60-unit graduate program offers two professional specializations:
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling (with eventual licensure as a Marriage and Family Therapist and/or as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor)
- School Counseling with a Pupil Personnel Services Credential.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Counseling visit:
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Students in the MS in CHRM program learn to identify, document, evaluate, and preserve cultural heritage and cultural resources, as mandated by policy and legislation, and guided by scientific and ethical standards. The program aims to produce graduates who excel in the methods and techniques appropriate for filling positions in CHRM, and who have the theoretical, legislative, analytical, and practical skills necessary for the identification, assessment, and evaluation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, along with its interpretation and preservation for a diverse array of engaged communities. Students who successfully complete the program will be qualified to hold management and supervisory positions within all sectors of the heritage and cultural resources management (CRM) industries. Graduates meet the qualifications for professional certification in the United States, but are also well grounded in international heritage legislation and practice.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Cultural Heritage & Resources Management visit:
Cultural Heritage & Resources Management Website
For more information about how to apply visit:
The MA in Early Childhood Education program is fully online and designed to meet the needs of professionals who work with young children in elementary schools, preschools, and community-based programs that serve children from birth to eight years old. The program allows students to deepen their knowledge of early childhood curriculum and prepare for leadership roles in the field of early childhood education.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education visit:
Early Childhood Education Website
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In our MA program, students critically examine educational theories, research, and practices through a variety of empirical, theoretical, and cultural lenses to develop an informed educational vision and innovative pedagogy in a variety of educational settings.
Candidates have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and colleagues to examine and influence current educational practice through research, project development, and advocacy.
Three Areas of Concentration:
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
Reading and Language
Special Education
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The MA in Educational Leadership is designed for school administrators, teachers, and education professionals who aspire to a leadership role in PK-12 education. Required classes for the MA includes 24 units of coursework from the Administrative Services Credential Program.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Education visit the:
Educational Leadership Website
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The Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Sonoma State University is a graduate program focused on interconnection between electrical engineering hardware and computer science software. The 32-unit curriculum blends relevant academic coursework with practical engineering experience, thereby addressing the evolving demands upon engineering in our progressively technology-driven world. The program is recognized as a Professional Science Master's program by the Council of Graduate Schools.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering visit:
Electrical & Computer Engineering Website
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Welcome to the Master of Arts in English at Sonoma State University. We offer options of completing your degree with an emphasis in literary criticism, creative writing, and rhetoric/English education.
As a whole, we seek to foster scholars and writers who are engaged in dialogue across their discipline-specific course of study. We encourage MA students to explore their interests across our curriculum. Together with their colleagues and faculty mentors, the MA cohort participates fully in the life of the English Department.
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The Master of Arts in History is designed to provide students with a program of advanced intensive courses leading to specializations in such areas as American, Latin American, European, African, Asian, and local history.
Apart from the culminating requirement of either a master’s thesis (and oral defense) or examinations in two fields (written), the master’s program contains sufficient flexibility to meet the varying personal, professional and academic needs of students. The Graduate Coordinator and supervisors of thesis or field committees provide assistance and direction toward achieving academic objectives.
The MA in History is a 30-unit program. Requirements include at least 15 units of required 500-level coursework. Students must also take 15 units of elective, upper-division work (at the 300, 400, or 500-levels).
Graduate seminars and upper-division classes are generally small, offering individualized attention, guidance, and interaction between faculty and students. Graduate students are expected to recognize various methodologies and perspectives of historical inquiry and interpretation, and to master the techniques of historical writing and research.
Opportunities for independent study, research with faculty, and internships are available.
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For over 40 years the Department of Nursing has been educating nurses. To date we have educated more than 4,000 nurse practitioners, nurse educators, and nurse leaders to serve our region, state, country, and world.
We are proud of our reputation for preparing excellent, well-qualified professionals. Our students are educated to practice in a variety of settings including community health agencies, advanced practice settings, and acute care settings.
Our core values include:
- Providing a foundation for lifelong learning
- Practicing nursing with a broad cultural perspective
- Developing professional leadership and active citizenship
- Fostering flexibility and resilience for a career in nursing within a dynamic world
- Contributing to the health and well-being of a community within a perspective of the world at large
The SSU Department of Nursing offers both a Master of Science in Nursing with Family Nurse Practitioner emphasis and a Post-Master's FNP Certificate and is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
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Note: The master's degree in Public Administration program is not accepting students for the 2025-2026 Academic Year.
Offered primarily as an evening program, the master's degree in Public Administration provides a rigorous 40-unit curriculum that emphasizes the background and skills required to effectively analyze, formulate, and implement public policy in local, state, and national government, and to achieve similar programmatic goals in nonprofit agencies.
The program recognizes a need for a strong combination of theoretical and practical learning. Students choose from two concentrations: 1) Public Management; or 2) Nonprofit Agency Management.
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Note: The master's degree in Spanish program is not accepting students for the 2025-2026 Academic Year.
This program is for those individuals interested in earning a Master of Arts in Spanish within a span of three summers.
An attractive feature of the program is the fact that all of the graduate courses will be taken during three summer sessions; the academic year course load will be relatively light. Thus, students will be able to finish the courses within a 26-month time span while maintaining full-time employment.
Students from out of the area also may take elective courses during the academic year at other institutions, with the approval of the graduate advisor. Program faculty will include both SSU Spanish faculty and visiting faculty from other institutions teaching in their area of specialization.
For more information about earning a graduate degree in Spanish visit:
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