Curricular Components
Enrolling in the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences opens doors to educational opportunities both within the College and with other outstanding institutions. We have developed innovative curriculum approaches to ensure you master the critical thinking, communications, teamwork and professional skills necessary to succeed within potential career paths in research in academia or industry.
The MS in Biomedical Sciences is a structured, two-year program that includes coursework and research culminating in a thesis and thesis defense. The classroom coursework covers 34 term credits of graduate-level courses.
Required Credit Coursework
Foundations of Contemporary Biomedical Research (14 credits):
- Molecular Methods
- Molecular Cell Biology
- Principles of Genetics
- Introduction to Biostatistics
Critical Thinking and Professional Skills (14 credits):
- Thesis Research Preparation (selecting a thesis laboratory)
- Critical Reading & Scientific Literature Analysis
- Rigor & Reproducibility
- Scientific Writing
- Laboratory Leadership & Management
- Powerful Presentations
- Designing & Managing Successful Scientific Projects
- Student Research Seminar
- Thesis Writing
Hands-on Advanced Technology Training (3 credits):
- Advanced Technology Skills Development
Ethics (3 credits):
- Ethics in the Conduct of Research
Popular Elective Options
- Cancer
- Principles of Immunology
- Principles of Neuroscience
- Applications to Biology of Computation
- Ethics & Regulatory Prep for Research with Animal Models
- Animal Models of Human Disease
- Intellectual Property
- Commercialization of Biomedical Technologies
Master’s students can choose electives from over 40 Ph.D.-level graduate courses offered through the BCM Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Thesis Research
A key component of the MSBS training is the mentored thesis research.
During the first two terms, students focus entirely on coursework while identifying their thesis laboratories through interactions with faculty organized as part of the Thesis Research Preparation course. Students engage with potential faculty mentors through mini-rotations, spending time in laboratories, exploring potential research projects and becoming familiar with the laboratory environment.
Starting in the third term (January), students join their chosen laboratories to begin mentored thesis research, with regular milestone checkpoints through advisory committee meetings and program activities. During this time, their didactic training in research methods is complemented by immersive, hands-on skills development in the Advanced Technology Cores, allowing students to take advantage of the cutting-edge technologies available to BCM researchers.
Beginning in the middle of the second year, students start preparing their theses through a guided Thesis Writing course. Toward the end of the program, they present their research at the annual Graduate School Symposium, finalize and submit their theses, and complete an oral thesis defense to fulfill the requirements of the MS program.