Master's Curriculum

The Human Genetics M.S. program includes both Research- and Coursework-only tracks. Research credits can be taken in both tracks. The difference is that on the research-only track, an M.S. thesis is written.

24 Credits Minimum

Fall Term:

    • HUMGEN 545 Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Genetics (3 credits)
    • HUMGEN 821 Student Seminar (1 credit)
    • HUMGEN 800 Research and/or Other Electives* (5 credits)

Winter Term:

    • HUMGEN 546 Genetics in Human Biology and Disease (4 credits)
    • HUMGEN 822 Student Seminar (1 credit)
    • HUMGEN 551 Computational Genomics (3 credits), BIOINF 524 Foundations for Bioinformatics (3 credits), or similar (with approval)
    • HUMGEN 803 Current Topics in Genetics (2 credits)
    • HUMGEN 800 Research and/or Other Electives* (5 credits)

Spring/Summer Terms:

    • Finish research and write thesis (HG800 credits as needed) 

Note: The curriculum can be completed over the course of a single calendar year or may be extended over additional semesters. 

Required Courses

  • HUMGEN 545 Molecular, Cellular, and Organismal Genetics (3 credits)
  • HUMGEN 546 Genetics in Human Biology and Disease (4 credits)
  • HUMGEN 803 Current Topics in Genetics 
  • HUMGEN 821 Student Seminar
  • HUMGEN 822 Student Seminar
  • HUMGEN 551 Computational Genomics (3 credits), BIOINF 524 Foundations for Bioinformatics (3 credits), or similar (with approval)

*Elective Courses

(Note: other classes can be considered based on student interest)

  • BIOINF 527 Introduction to Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
  • BIOINF 528 Structural Bioinformatics
  • BIOLCHEM 550 Macromolecular Structure & Function
  • BIOLCHEM 591 Signal Transduction
  • BIOLCHEM 640 Regulatory RNA
  • BIOLCHEM 650 Eukaryotic Transcription and Epigenetics
  • BIOSTAT 601 Probability & Distribution Theory
  • BIOSTAT 602 Biostatistical Inference
  • BIOSTAT 666 Statistical Models & Numerical Methods in Human Genetics
  • CANCBIO 554 The Science of Cancer
  • CDB 530 Cell Biology
  • CDB 581 Developmental Genetics
  • CDB 582 Stem Cells to Regenerative Biology
  • EPID 516 Genetics in Epidemiology
  • HUMGEN 630 Genetics
  • HUMGEN 650 Medical Genetics
  • MICRBIOL 607 Microbial Pathogenesis
  • MICRBIOL 615 Viral Pathogenesis
  • MICRBIOL 619 Special Topics in Microbiology & Immunology
  • MICRBIOL 640 Molecular & Cellular Immunology
  • PATH 581 Tissue, Cellular & Molecular Disease
  • PHRMACOL 502 Introduction to Scientific Communication
  • PHYSIOL 555 Method & Logic in Biomedical Science
  • STATS 425 Introduction to Probability
  • STATS 426 Introduction to Theoretical Statistics
  • STATS 500 Statistical Learning I: Regression
  • STATS 503 Statistical Learning II: Multivariate Analysis