Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences

Master of Science (M.S.) in Biomedical Sciences

The master’s program is a 2 year program comprised of 36 semester credit hours of graduate work.

Core Curriculum

The core curriculum is designed to give all students a unified and coordinated foundation that serves as the basis for further study in individual disciplines within the biomedical sciences.

Students may not drop a core course for academic reasons. Core curriculum coursework includes:
GSBE 5301 - Core I: Biochemistry
GSBE 5302 - Core II: Cell Biology
GSBE 5303 - Core III: Genes and Function
GSBE 5201 - Core IV: Laboratory Methods in Biomedical Sciences I
GSBE 5640 - Core V: Introduction to Biomedical Research (laboratory rotations)
GSBE 7000 - Research in Biomedical Studies
Students who receive a grade of C or below in a core course are required to repeat the course and pay the associated fees.
Students who receive a grade of C or below in core courses already retaken are subject to academic probation.
Students who receive a grade of C or below in two or more core courses are subject to academic probation.
Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA or better per semester in order to maintain the FGSBS scholarship.

Master’s Degree Curriculum

The FGSBS recognizes that advanced scientific knowledge is the foundation for both basic and translational research; therefore, full-time research is preceded by a curriculum that introduces scientific facts and provides opportunities for the development of critical thinking, synthesis of information, development of factual knowledge, and the ability to read and comprehend original literature.

Curriculum Design and Courses

Core curriculum courses (Core I-VI) must be passed with a final grade of B or better. Obtaining a C as a final grade will require the student to retake the course. Expected graduation date will be delayed by this.

First Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Second Year

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Final Written Research Report

While master students are not required to present a research thesis, students are expected to submit a final research report as part of the requirements for GSBE 7000 - Research in Biomedical Studies prior graduation.

The master’s final written research report represents independent student work, conducted under the supervision of a FGSBS faculty mentor, and is expected to be written clearly and concisely. Students must earn a grade of B or better on the research report to qualify for graduation. A copy of the research report must be uploaded to Canvas as indicated by the syllabus.

Laboratory Research

Laboratory research is conducted during the second year of the master’s program. Laboratory work is incorporated into GSBE 5640 - Core V: Introduction to Biomedical Research (laboratory rotations) and GSBE 7000 - Research in Biomedical Studies .

The goal of these courses and the laboratory research is to formally introduce students to research and to determine if the student has an interest in a particular research area. Laboratory works is performed under the supervision of a FGSBS faculty member.

The FGSBS faculty member becomes a mentor and is required to perform a written evaluation of the student’s performance at the end of the semester. The signed evaluation form is included in the student’s program file and it is considered into the grading process for each class.