Translational Biomedical Sciences Program Requirements & Coursework
Program Requirements
The PhD program in TBS transcends the model of a traditional disciplinary program, creating a flexible student-learning environment with a curriculum focus on three main components:
- Translational core competencies.
- Specific, individualized, knowledge content.
- Research skills.
The flexibility in design allows for different combinations of potential coursework depending on the studentās prior education and experience. Additionally, the program combines formal educational activities such as case studies, problem-based learning in small groups, presentations, seminars, and laboratory group meetings, with informal gatherings between graduate students, scientists, and faculty with experience in interdisciplinary team research, which will provide key networking opportunities.
The coursework and related experiences throughout the PhD in the TBS program provide
students from all backgrounds with the opportunity to acquire and refine the skills necessary for teamwork, leadership, and competitive success in the field of Translational Biomedical Sciences. Additionally, a deep knowledge within a specific cross-disciplinary study area will result in graduates who are experts in their field, with both depth and breadth of knowledge. Upon successful completion of the TBS program, graduates will be able to take advantage of their unique traits to lead scientific teams, engage the community in the quest for better health, apply innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to the improvement of the health of their community, and to reduce inequality in the access to healthcare.
All students will be required to complete a minimum of ninety (90) credits in graduate work
beyond their BS/BA degree and meet all established criteria for the award of a PhD from 51ĀŅĀ×. The path to complete the program will contain a series of defined milestones, which will be governed by the program rules as approved by the Steering Committee, and organized as follows:
- Milestone 1 ā Demonstration of acquisition of the core competencies for Translational
Biomedical Sciences. - Milestone 2 ā Demonstration of the ability to conduct independent research and to
effectively communicate the results of said research. - Milestone 3 ā Demonstration of an in-depth knowledge of the specific subject, and
successful defense of a research project that constitutes an original scholarly contribution towards the advance of Translational Biomedical Sciences.
Core Competencies in Translational Biomedical Sciences
Conducting research
- Use theories and methods of multiple disciplines in developing and applying integrated theoretical and research frameworks, under the guidance of the approved research mentor.
- Integrate concepts and methods from multiple disciplines in designing and
implementing interdisciplinary research protocols. - Investigate hypotheses through interdisciplinary research.
- Draft research proposal based on the evidence (with optional budget).
- Disseminate interdisciplinary research results within and outside his or her
discipline. - Author publications with research mentor and scholars from other disciplines.
Communication
- Advocate interdisciplinary research in developing initiatives within a substantive area of study.
- Express respect for the perspectives of other disciplines.
- Read journals outside his or her discipline.
- Communicate regularly with research mentor and scholars from multiple disciplines.
- Share research from their discipline in language meaningful to an interdisciplinary team.
- Modify their own work or research agenda as a result of feedback from faculty and interactions with colleagues.
- Present in an interdisciplinary research setting.
Interacting with others
- Interact in training exercises with scholars from other disciplines.
- Engage colleagues from other disciplines to gain their perspectives on research problems.
- Attend scholarly presentations by members of other disciplines.
- Collaborate respectfully and equitably with scholars from other disciplines to develop interdisciplinary research frameworks.
Core Coursework
Acquisition of these core competencies will be facilitated by the following courses (to a
minimum of 18 credits), which are required of all TBS graduate students (with additional track courses and other courses as recommended by mentor):
- One course in Biostatistics and/or Epidemiology that involves practical data analytical skills (3 credits) (see specific options).
- One course in Bioethics that includes Responsible Conduct of Research or taking an
additional separate course in Responsible Conduct of Research (3 credits). - One course in Technical Writing (3 credits).
- One course in Tools for Translational Research, TBS 5720 (3 credits).
- One capstone course in Translational Competencies, TBS 6500 (3 credits).
- Two seminars in Translational Biomedical Sciences Career Development, TBS 6220 (2
credits).
- Students in the TBS program are expected to attend this seminar every semester
until graduation.
Elective Track Coursework
Based on the studentās selected track, framing the research focus, the student is required to take the required courses to strengthen knowledge and skills in the specific area of research.
Biological and biochemical
Select four (4) courses from the following list:
Biochemistry - CHEM 5901 (4 credits) and/or CHEM 5902 (4 credits)
Mechanisms of Gene Regulation - BIOS 5270 (3 credits)
Principles of Endocrinology - BIOS 5500 (3 credits)
Biological Pharmacology ā BIOS 5100 (3 credits)
Immunology and Lab - BIOS 5860-5865 (3 credits)
Molecular Genetics - BIOS 5260 (3 credits)
Human Neuroscience BIOS 5130 (3 credits)
Molecular & Cellular Neuroscience BIOS 5140 (3 credits)
Principles of Physiology BIOS 5420 (5 credits)
Physiology of Exercise BIOS 5450 (3 credits)
Molecular Biology - MCB 7200 (3 credits)
Advanced Cell Biology - MCB 7600 (3 credits)
Musculoskeletal and neurological physiology
Select four (4) courses from the following list, including one class on advanced statistics:
BIOS 5130 Neuroscience (3 credits)
PT 7510 Neural Basis of Movement (3 credits)
EXPH 6600 Advanced Biomechanics (3 credits) OR ME 5670 Engineering Biomechanics of Human Motion (3 credits)
PSY 6220 Physiological Psychology (3 credits)
PSY 6310 - Cognitive Processes (3 credits)
Courses in Advanced Statistics:
PSY 6111 Advanced Statistics (3 credits)
PSY 6112 - Intro to Linear Regression Analysis (3 credits)
PSY 7130 - Advanced Regression (3 credits)
Social and behavioral
Select at least one (1) course in each of the four (4) categories from the following list:
| Advanced Biostatistics | IHS 5303 Secondary data analysis (SAS) (4) BIOS 8700: Biostats 2 (R) (3) COMS 7520: Measurement preliminary analysis (4) PBIO 5150 Statistical methods (4) PSY 5110 Statistics behavioral science I (SPSS) (4) PSY 5111 Statistics behavioral science II (SPSS) (4) PSY 6111 Adv stats behavioral science (SPSS) (3) PSY 7170 Health statistics (SPSS) (3) AT 6322 Adv stats II athletic training (multivariate) (R) (4) | Fall/spring (7 wk) Fall Fall Spring Fall Spring Fall Spring Spring |
| Research Methods | MPA 6020 Research methods leadership pub affairs (3) MPA 5580 Public program evaluation (3) PSY 6120 Advance research methods (3) EDRE 7510 Qualitative interviewing methods (4) EDRE 7530 Qualitative data analysis, theory, imp (4) EDRE 7700 Intro mixed methods (4) GEOG 5711 Qualitative methods (4) MPA 6030 Qualitative research methods (3) | Spring Fall Spring Spring Spring Fall Spring Spring |
| Population health | HLTH 6720 Social behavioral sciences public health (3) HLTH 6791 Chronic disease epidemiology (3) IHS 5210 Fundamentals of global health (3) IHS 6210 Globalization and health (3) | Fall/Summer Summer Fall (7 wk) Fall |
| Health policy | HLTH 6080 Health policy (3) IHS 5301 Fundamental health policy: concepts (3) IHS 5301 Health policy making process (3) IHS 5302 Health policy: current issues, trends, emerging (3) MPA 5850 Policy analysis leadership public affairs (3) NRSE 7803 Health policy (3) | Spring Fall Fall Spring Spring |
Biomedical Engineering
Students must select at least two (2) courses from the following course offerings. If students have taken one or two classes from this list previously, they may substitute one or two graduate-level courses in their research focus area to meet this requirement. In addition, in consultation with their committee, students must complete at least four (4) additional hours of graduate-level courses in their research focus area.
BME 5830 Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology
CHE 5800 Biochemical Engineering
CHE 5420 Polymer Synthesis and Properties
CHE 7120 Molecular Simulations
CHE 7700 Advanced Topics in Biomedical Engineering
CS 5160 Problem solving with Bioinformatics Tools
EE 5290 and ME5290 Mechanics and Control of Robotic Manipulators
EE 6183 Nanoelectronic Devices and Applications
ME 5670 Engineering Biomechanics of Human Motion
ME 6900 Special Topics in ME - Advanced mfg-Material & Design taught by Andrew Weems
CHE 5810 Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery
Demonstration of the Ability to Conduct Independent Research and to Communicate Effectively the Results of that Work
Following satisfactory completion of the competency requirements, students in the TBS
program are expected to demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research and to effectively communicate research results. This is part of the process for admission to candidacy in the TBS doctoral program and fulfills the qualifying examination requirement.
As early as the first semester of graduate study, a student in the TBS program must begin to engage in research under the supervision of a TBS graduate faculty and register for credit hours of TBS 6940: Independent Research. Students will present in public the results for their independent research project, followed by a defense-style exam with three TBS faculty members. The examiners will meet with the candidate in closed session and probe for evidence of research creativity, formal thinking, and rigor. The Examination Committee will determine in advance the scope of the questions, and they will address not only the research presented, but also background and related material, to assess both depth and breadth of knowledge.
Doctoral Dissertation
After admission to candidacy, the student will formally select two mentors from different
disciplines and form a doctoral advisory committee. In concert with this doctoral advisory committee, the student will define the dissertation topic and prepare a written research proposal in the format of (or substantially equivalent to) an NSF or NIH fellowship application. The doctoral advisory committee must approve this proposal and will be charged with determining the appropriate elective course work, that is, the content knowledge in support of the dissertation research.