Comparative Health Sciences Requirements

Degree Requirements

Students enrolled in the MS degree will complete a total of 45 graduate credits, including 12 thesis credits.

  • Required core sequence of courses [11 credits (Biomedical Sciences); 20 credits (Clinical Sciences)]
  • Elective courses relevant to the thesis research agreed to by the student’s committee [22 credits (Biomedical Sciences); 13 credits (Clinical Sciences)]  

For more details see Graduate Program Guidelines for MS below. 

Students enrolled in the PhD degree will complete a total of 108 graduate credits beyond the bachelor’s or professional (DVM, MD) degree.

  • At least 27 coursework credits consisting of: 
    • The required core courses that must be taken during Year 1.
    • The remaining should be relevant to the thesis research and must be agreed to by the thesis committee.
  • At least 36 Thesis credits
  • Sufficient additional Thesis credits to reach 108 total credits.

Required Core Courses: Year One

  • VMB 601 Research Perspectives Lab Rotations (3) (PhD only)
  • ST 511 Methods of Data Analysis (4) OR H 524 Introduction to Biostatistics (4)
  • GRAD 520 Responsible Conduct of Research (2) OR MCB 557 Scientific Skills and Ethics (3)
  • Molecular Tools (VMB 671) (3) 
  • VMB 669 Introduction to Grant Proposal Writing (2)
  • VMB 607 Seminar (1-16)

Elective Courses

Elective courses relevant to the thesis research from the VMB listing or other programs agreed to by the thesis committee: 

  • VMB 512 Outreach for Scientists - ONE HEALTH (3)
  • VMB 523 Zoonoses (3)
  • BB 485 Applied Bioinformatics (3)
  • IB 595 Disease Ecology (3)
  • VMB 624 Antibiotic Stewardship (1)
  • VMB 630 Mechanisms of Disease (3)
  • VMB 631 Mathematical Modeling (3)
  • VMB 652 Cancer Systems Biology (3)
  • VMB 670 Systems Biology & Bioinformatics (1)
  • VMB 673 Comparative Immunology (3)
  • VMB 674 Vaccines and New Therapies (3)

Blanket Courses

  • VMB 603 Thesis (36)
  • VMB 607 Reading & Conference or Seminar/Colloquium (1-16)
  • VMB 501 Research (Non-Thesis Masters)

Option Specific Curricula

In addition to the program core curriculum, students will be required to complete option specific curricula, as approved by respective graduate committees.