Degree Offered
MS
Program Description
The goal of the Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biomedical Science (CMBS-MS) program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is to provide education and training using state-of-the-art resources that emphasize medically relevant scientific research and education. The program is designed as a two-year curriculum for full-time students but may be completed within five years by part-time, working students.
The CMBS-MS program combines traditional areas of biomedical study — including cancer biology, human genetics, stem cell biology, molecular and cell biology, pathology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and physiology— into a unique interdisciplinary graduate training program. It is specifically designed to develop scientists for the postgenomic era, and CMBS-MS students will gain knowledge, research skills, and familiarity with state-of-the- art biomedical tools and methodologies to solve important and timely questions in biomedical science. Students may select a thesis or nonthesis track.
Students become fluent in the study and implementation of biomedical research and will be well-prepared for further graduate training or the pursuit of other postgraduate professional school opportunities. Graduates of this program frequently continue their studies in PhD programs, medical school, dental school, or other professional programs, or they accept positions as laboratory managers or skilled researchers in laboratories in academia, government, and industry, including biotechnology firms and pharmaceutical companies. This program also is an excellent opportunity for industry employees and professional degree holders (MD, RN, PharmD, DDS) looking to advance their careers in research.
Program Admission
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree with training in an appropriate major field. The program is particularly interested in applicants with strong undergraduate training in the biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and general physics, as well as research experience in the biomedical sciences. The Admissions Committee evaluates the entire application package. Applicants are encouraged to have strong letters of recommendation, Graduate Record Examinations scores above the 50th percentile, and a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or above.
Additionally, all international students must meet the Graduate School’s minimum requirements for scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. International applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by Jan. 15; all others should apply before June 1. Admission to the program is highly competitive, and acceptances are made as qualified candidates are identified.
Degree Requirements
In the first semester, students participate in an innovative core course, Mechanisms in Biomedical Sciences: From Genes to Disease (GPLS 601), or an online version of this course, Cellular and Molecular Basis of Translational Research (GPLS 600). These courses are supplemented with material in one of the following: Current Topics in Vascular/Stem Cell Biology (GPLS 690), Molecular Neuroscience /Biophysics (GPLS 691), or Current Topics in Genetics/Genomics (GPLS 692).
Students in the program also must complete a course in bioethics and one in biostatistics. Subsequent coursework and laboratory rotations are tailored to meet each student’s research interests and career goals from the rich opportunities available. Students can pursue a thesis or nonthesis track.
Students pursuing an MS degree in the CMBS program must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better in a total of 30 credit hours. Of the 30 credits, approximately 20 to 25 will be directly from coursework (see below). A minimum of 3, and a maximum of 6, credits are generated from laboratory research rotations (graded as pass/fail) lasting approximately six to eight weeks each. Journal clubs and seminars are not to exceed 4 credits. For students pursuing the thesis MS, one of the rotation labs usually becomes the thesis lab. Completion of the CMBS- MS requires two years (four semesters) for the nonthesis MS and may take up to three years for a thesis MS. Selection of courses, rotations, and thesis labs should be in consultation with the program director.
For students seeking a thesis MS, a faculty mentor is selected in consultation with the program director. The mentor, who must be a member of the graduate faculty, is responsible for supervising the research, writing of the thesis, and creating a thesis defense committee. The thesis defense consists of a public presentation of the thesis work followed by a closed oral examination by the thesis defense committee, which determines whether the student has presented an acceptable thesis.
To facilitate success in the program, GPILS offers an optional bridge course in the summer preceding matriculation for students who may be concerned about their academic preparation or transitioning to graduate school.
Laboratory Rotations
Graduate faculty in many GPLS programs are interested in mentoring CMBS-MS students for rotations and thesis research. To facilitate selection of rotation and/or thesis laboratories, and to ensure student exposure to the range of research opportunities, students attend weekly informal luncheon meetings during the first semester during which members of the graduate faculty give brief presentations describing the research activities of their labs.
In addition, a pilot collaboration has been established between the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center and the GPILS master’s programs. Mentored research in this competitive, paid internship program accrues graduate credit and can become the subject of a master’s degree thesis with GPILS/UMB approval.
Required Courses
| GPLS 600 | CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BASIS OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH | 5 |
| Or | |
| GPLS 601 | MECHANISMS IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES: FROM GENES TO DISEASE | 8 |
and one of the following:
| GPLS 690 | CURRENT TOPICS IN VASCULAR AND STEM CELL BIOLOGY | 1 |
| GPLS 691 | MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOPHYSICS | 1 |
| GPLS 692 | CURRENT TOPICS IN GENETICS AND GENOMICS | 1 |
CIPP 901
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