Biomedical Sciences (Medical Sciences), MS

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Biomedical Sciences

All traditional or bench research-based MS and PhD students are admitted into the discipline of Biomedical Sciences (BMSC) and remain in the discipline for the first year of graduate study. During the first year, students complete an integrated curriculum that includes the fundamental principles of biochemistry, molecular cell biology, pharmacology, physiology, immunology and microbiology, ethics, an introduction to faculty research, scientific communications, and lab rotations.

First-Year Curriculum for MS and PhD Students

BMSC 6301 Integrative Biomedical Sciences 1: Principles of Biochemistry 4 SCH.
BMSC 6302 Integrative Biomedical Sciences 2: Molecular Cell Biology 4 SCH.
BMSC 6303 Integrative Biomedical Sciences 3: Physiology 3 SCH.
BMSC 6304 Integrative Biomedical Sciences 4: Pharmacology 2 SCH.
BMSC 6305 Integrative Biomedical Sciences 5: Immunology and Microbiology 3 SCH.
BMSC 5160 Biomedical Ethics 1 SCH.
BMSC 5135 Introduction to Faculty Research Programs 2 SCH.
BMSC 5150 Laboratory Rotations 1 SCH.
BMSC 5310 Scientific Communications 3 SCH.
BMSC 5400 Biostatistics for Biomedical Sciences 4 SCH.
BMSC 5998 Individual Research for MS Students 1-12 SCH. or
BMSC 6998 Individual Research 1-12 SCH.

Total Minimum SCH for First Year of Graduate Study: 30

Additional Information

At the end of the first year, students are expected to have reached an agreement with a major professor, identified a research laboratory to conduct research toward the fulfillment of the degree requirements, and formally transferred into a discipline. Admission to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences does not guarantee laboratory placement. It is the student’s responsibility to identify a major professor/laboratory through the laboratory rotations.

Students accepted to MS programs in Forensic Genetics, Biotechnology, Clinical Research Management or Medical Sciences are immediately placed into those disciplines and follow the curriculum requirements set by each discipline.

Medical Sciences

The Master of Science program in Medical Sciences is a specialized master’s program designed to provide additional opportunities to those individuals who would like to enhance their credentials for entry into medical school. This is achieved by offering a strong, challenging biomedical sciences curriculum in the environment of a health science center. The average time to complete the program is twelve months (mid-May through mid-May). Students are only admitted in the summer semester. A comprehensive list of course requirements is available online.

Program Requirements

Each student is responsible for the completion of the requirements for the Masters in Medical Science Program according to the procedures that follow. Each item must be completed in the sequence and time period indicated. Forms are subject to revision at any time and should be obtained from the GSBS Forms and Guidelines website.

The admissions committee will review all applicants for acceptance into the program. A student must have a bachelor’s degree and must meet the general requirements listed in the catalog in effect at the time of application. In addition, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) is required for admission to this program and applicants must have completed the following prerequisites: general or inorganic chemistry (8 SCH), biology (14 SCH), physics (8 SCH), organic chemistry (8 SCH), English (6 SCH), and calculus or statistics (3 SCH). All applications must be completed and received in accordance with the deadlines published in the academic calendar. Electronic application records will be updated before letters are mailed. Applicants may check their application records online at http://my.hsc.unt.edu for admissions decisions. No admissions decisions will be released by phone.
A student admitted to the Medical Sciences program must follow the lock-step curriculum. A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be maintained in order to graduate.

Program Success

This program has been very successful in assisting student to better their chances for acceptance into medical school. In the class that graduated in 2012, 75% of students who matriculated graduated with a Master of Science degree. Sixty percent of these were successful in gaining admission into medical school at UNT Health Science Center, University of Texas at Houston, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas Tech University Health Science Center at El Paso, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, in addition to several out of state schools.