Graduate & Professional Degrees

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine (BMM) offers a program for the Master of Science degree. Primary goals of the program are to train students in preparation for (1) further doctoral study, and (2) research careers in industry and academia. Students are provided the necessary theoretical foundation in biochemistry and molecular biology, traditional and state-of-the-art methods used for research, experimental design, applied data science and bioinformatics. They are trained in conducting laboratory research on a defined project, oral presentations of the results and writing a thesis defending their project. The program is designed to enable high-achieving students from other STEM fields such as chemistry or pharmacy to broaden their education and/or research experience to biological sciences. The program, with its rigorous curriculum, is designed to simultaneously challenge students with prior education in biology. 

The prerequisites for applicants to the BMM MS Program are a Bachelor's degree with an undergraduate major in any STEM field. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required and a GPA of 3.0 in STEM courses is preferred. In most cases, international applicants must demonstrate satisfactory English proficiency with a minimum TOEFL score of 90 or an IETLS score of 7. Applicants that do not meet all the criteria above may be considered in special circumstances. At least three letters of recommendation are required from faculty members and/or employers who can evaluate the applicant's potential for graduate work and independent research.

The MS degree in BMM is a two-year program that requires 34 units of graduate study. Master's students must take a set of required courses, as well as perform laboratory research and write a research thesis under the guidance of a USC faculty mentor. Students must complete 16 or more course units offered in the BMM Department; the majority of the remaining units are taken as research or dissertation units. The student must successfully defend the thesis as determined by the student's Thesis Committee. Flexibility exists to plan each student's curriculum to suit individual needs, ambitions and background.

Graduate study for the Master of Science in Biokinesiology is open to individuals who have a bachelor's degree and who have a strong interest in movement science.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements include a superior grade point average in cumulative undergraduate and graduate course work (if applicable). Applicants are to provide the department with three letters of recommendation. The faculty may request a personal interview before making a decision on admission. Admission will be considered for the fall semester only. The application deadline is November 1. All applicants should contact the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy for advisement.

Prerequisites

The prerequisite for applicants to the Master of Science program in biokinesiology is either: (a) a bachelor's degree or higher with a science major or equivalent; or (b) a bachelor's or master's degree in physical therapy with appropriate basic science content. Courses completed at the time of application must include work (with appropriate laboratory study) in chemistry, physics, calculus and biology. Highly recommended is course work in anatomy, physiology, histology, kinesiology, trigonometry, neuroscience, analytical geometry, exercise physiology, biochemistry and computer programming. Applicants with no background in cellular or molecular biology may be required to take PT 509 in the entry-level DPT program. Candidates should have some degree of computer literacy. International applicants will be considered on a special evaluation of credentials.

Students deficient in certain prerequisites may be admitted subject to completion of requirements within two years after admission. An additional year may be granted upon review of the student's program by a faculty committee. Work in any prerequisite subjects will not be part of the required units for the Master of Science.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Biokinesiology is designed to prepare graduates to address important research questions to improve the health and well-being of society. Graduates develop expertise in a focused area of Biokinesiology as well as the requisite technical skills to make meaningful contributions to the field. The PhD in Biokinesiology program prepares graduates to be educators and scientists in Biokinesiology, capable of directing an interdisciplinary research program that is innovative, collaborative and sustainable.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet all general admission requirements of the university. Admission requirements include a superior grade point average in cumulative undergraduate and graduate course work (if applicable). In addition, applicants should have previous research experience or applicable clinical training. Students admitted for the Master of Science degree are not automatically admitted to the Doctor of Philosophy program. The Master of Science is not required as a prerequisite to the PhD but may be advised.

The application package consists of applicable transcripts, curriculum vitae, a personal statement, three letters of recommendation. International students whose first language is not English should submit scores from the TOEFL or IELTS exams. Competitive applicants will participate in an interview with the program faculty. A student can be considered for admission only when a member of the full-time Ph.D. faculty has agreed to serve as the student’s Ph.D. adviser.

Prerequisites (PhD Program)

The prerequisite for applicants to the PhD program in Biokinesiology is either: (a) a bachelor’s degree or higher with appropriate basic science content or (b) a doctor of physical therapy degree (DPT). Courses completed at the time of application must include work (with appropriate laboratory study) in chemistry, mathematics, physics and biology. Highly recommended is course work in anatomy, physiology, histology, cell biology, exercise physiology, kinesiology, biochemistry, trigonometry, analytical geometry and calculus. Candidates should be computer literate.

Students deficient in certain prerequisites may be admitted subject to completion of requirements within two years after admission. Work in any prerequisite subject will not be part of the required 60 units for the Doctor of Philosophy.

Graduate study for the Master of Science in Biokinesiology is open to individuals who have a bachelor's degree and who have a strong interest in movement science.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements include a superior grade point average in cumulative undergraduate and graduate course work (if applicable). Applicants are to provide the department with three letters of recommendation. The faculty may request a personal interview before making a decision on admission. Admission will be considered for the fall semester only. The application deadline is November 1. All applicants should contact the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy for advisement.

Prerequisites

The prerequisite for applicants to the Master of Science program in biokinesiology is either: (a) a bachelor's degree or higher with a science major or equivalent; or (b) a bachelor's or master's degree in physical therapy with appropriate basic science content. Courses completed at the time of application must include work (with appropriate laboratory study) in chemistry, physics, calculus and biology. Highly recommended is course work in anatomy, physiology, histology, kinesiology, trigonometry, neuroscience, analytical geometry, exercise physiology, biochemistry and computer programming. Applicants with no background in cellular or molecular biology may be required to take PT 509 in the entry-level DPT program. Candidates should have some degree of computer literacy. International applicants will be considered on a special evaluation of credentials.

Students deficient in certain prerequisites may be admitted subject to completion of requirements within two years after admission. An additional year may be granted upon review of the student's program by a faculty committee. Work in any prerequisite subjects will not be part of the required units for the Master of Science.

Application deadline: January 15

In the PhD Biology with an emphasis in Marine and Environmental Biology MEB graduate program (MEBP), the curriculum is designed to increase student flexibility and specialization within the broad topic heading of marine and environmental biology, while maintaining high standards of education. The program optimizes each student's curriculum to the needs and demands of their chosen research field. MEBP students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to be considered in good standing in the program. 

For Admission Requirements, refer to the admissions section of Biological Sciences.

The MS degree program in biology is a terminal degree for students admitted into the marine biology and biological oceanography (MBBO), neurobiology (BNRO), or integrative and evolutionary biology (IEB) PhD programs who cannot complete the PhD degree program for personal or medical reasons.

The MS degree program is a non-thesis program but a paper, based on the student's original research investigation of a selected program in biology, constitutes one of the requirements. Each student must take 7–8 units of biology graduate core courses (BISC 582, BISC 584 and BISC 585) or neurobiology courses (NSCI 524 and either NSCI 531 or NSCI 532), two seminars and additional graduate courses or research units for a minimum of 24 units. Students also must satisfy the residency and other requirements of the Graduate School. Further details of these requirements are contained within each graduate program's particular requirements and policies.

The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry offers a 24-month program leading to a Master of Science (MS) in Biomaterials and Digital Dentistry (BMDD). The MS in Biomaterials and Digital Dentistry provides dental professionals with in-depth knowledge in dental material properties, characterization, biological interactions of dental adhesive systems, composite resins, ceramics, implants, 3D printing, digital scanning and Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM).

The MS BMDD also places an academic focus on skills to master cutting-edge digital technologies for improving dental health. Developing skills in cutting-edge digital technologies is an emphasis and strength of the program. The MS BMDD program will prepare graduates for future careers in dental research and academic positions, industry jobs, and public service in Dental Healthcare management.

The admissions requirements include a DDS, DMD or equivalent degree (for international dentist applicants), three letters of recommendation, curriculum vitæ, Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) Report and statement of purpose. The GRE is not required for the MS in BMDD program. For non-native English speakers, an Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) test score of 90 or above is required, with 20 or above on each section (reading, listening, speaking, and writing). The exam score should be current (less than two years old). The MS BMDD is only available to current residents on USC Operative and Adhesive Dentistry and Prosthodontics. Please refer to the Admissions section of the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry for more information.

All students are required to complete an original research project and a master's thesis following a thesis protocol approved by their advisory committee. An advisory committee normally includes three faculty members, who will establish thesis requirements to be completed by each student.

The program requires completion of 28 units, 20 of which are core courses, with the remaining 8 units taken from an approved list or selected in consultation with an adviser and approved by the academic program officer. Admission requirements are consistent with the currently established requirements for our Viterbi graduate degree programs.

The Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. At least 28 approved units must be satisfactorily completed, of which at least 19 units must be at the 500 level or above. Four of these units may be thesis BME 594a, BME 594b, BME 594z.

The master's degree program provides students with a broad background, linking physiology with engineering science, necessary for entering interdisciplinary careers in medical technology or pursuing further graduate studies in a related field.

The objective of the Doctor of Philosophy is to produce independent investigators who can make original scholarly contributions and apply advanced engineering concepts and techniques to the understanding and solution of biomedical problems. This program is intended to prepare the student for a career in academic research and teaching, or as an independent investigator in industrial or government laboratories.

The requirements listed are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School.

This program is designed to be normally completed in four years of full-time work beyond the Bachelor of Science degree (including summers). The first two years are devoted primarily to formal course work and the last two to research. In view of the flexible program, each student is assigned an adviser who will guide him or her in the selection of courses. By the end of the third semester of graduate study the student must have completed the PhD screening examination. Subsequently, he or she is required to make a tentative major field selection (e.g., biomedical imaging, signal processing, neural engineering) and pass a qualifying examination. In accordance with the requirements of the Graduate School, at least 60 units of credit beyond the Bachelor of Science degree are required, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students are required to take BME 533, the graduate biomedical engineering seminar course, for three semesters during their studies.

Requirements for Admission

Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or a natural science, and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations. Undergraduate work should include a basic course in biology, physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, differential equations and digital computation. Students lacking any of these will be required to make up the deficiency during the first two years of graduate work.

Students who have completed all requirements for the Master of Science degree offered in this department may apply for admission to the PhD program. In this case, all courses taken in the MS program may be applied toward the requirements of the doctoral degree.

Screening Examination Process

By the end of the third semester of graduate study, all students must have completed the screening examination process to determine whether or not they will be allowed to continue in the Doctor of Philosophy program. Those who fail will be dropped from the program, although they may be permitted to complete the additional requirements necessary to obtain the Master of Science degree.

Qualifying Exam Committee

During the third semester, the student must make a tentative major field selection as described above and form a qualifying exam committee. The latter administers the qualifying examination.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination will normally be taken during the fourth semester of full-time academic study. The examination requires the preparation of a comprehensive written research proposal that presents a research question, critically reviews the pertinent literature and outlines the proposed experimental, analytical and computational procedures required to answer the question. The proposal must be defended in an oral examination.