Master of Science Graduate Program
Department of Pathology Graduate Program Faculty
| Mission | The Department of Pathology Master of Science Program is dedicated to preparing post-baccalaureate science majors for careers in biomedical research. Graduate-level coursework provides students with a foundation in cell and molecular biology, and a laboratory-based thesis project equips trainees with contemporary research skills. Graduates from the program are sought after as research scientists in academic and private sector laboratories, or advance into doctoral-level programs. |
| Program Overview | Students entering the program typically complete all requirements for the Master of Science degree within three years. Requirements include 21 hours of graduate-level coursework and a research thesis. Coursework begins upon entry into the program and is completed by the end of the second year. During the first semester, students rotate in a minimum of two laboratories for the purpose of choosing a faculty mentor and area of study for their thesis project. At present, the Department of Pathology has laboratories focused on the areas of immunology, inflammation and vascular biology, microbiology, neuroscience, signaling and cell death, stem cells, tumor biology and cancer, and virology. Students begin work on their project once they commit to a laboratory, and usually defend their thesis at the end of the third year. |
| Curriculum | All Pathology M.S. students must have a minimum of 21 credit hours of coursework and 9 hours of research. Required coursework is as follows:
Remaining coursework consists of electives focused on the area or topic of the student's thesis project. These electives are graduate level courses offered by a range of departments on the biomedical campus, and are decided upon in consultation with the mentor and program director. |
| Thesis | The thesis project is carried out under the guidance of the thesis committee. The committee is composed of the student’s mentor and two additional faculty members. In general, the thesis consists of four chapters with the first being a concise review of the literature, the second materials and methods, and the last two a scholarly description of the project results. The thesis must be defended before the committee prior to final approval. |
| Financial Support | All full time students admitted into the program receive stipend and tuition support. Stipend support is at the same level with other graduate programs in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. |
| Admission | Science majors with a baccalaureate degree are invited to apply for admission to the Master of Science program. The following application materials must be submitted to the Admissions office prior to consideration: completed Graduate College application (either on-line or printed version), official transcripts from all attended undergraduate and graduate institutions, recent Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, three letters of recommendation, and application fee. Foreign student applicants whose native language is other than English must also submit recent Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and composite score of 1100 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE. The Department of Pathology gives preference to candidates available for an on-site interview. You can apply online or download an application from the University of Iowa Office of Admissions website. |
| Information | For more information on the Department of Pathology Graduate Program and application instructions, please contact the department at thomas-waldschmidt@uiowa.edu or 319-335-8192. |