Accelerated (4+1) B.S. in Bioinformatics + M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience

The accelerated B.S./M.S. degree program allows qualified, highly motivated students to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years rather than the normal six. The courses necessary for graduation consist of a combination of the required core courses for the BS in Bioinformatics degree, including all mandatory Rowan experience and general education courses (110-111 credits) as well as the full 36 credits for the MS in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience degree.  Students begin taking graduate courses in the spring semester of their senior year. Students enrolled in this program take 15-18 fewer credits to receive both a B.S. in Bioinformatics and a M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience than the number required to obtain both degrees separately.

Admission Criteria

• Matriculated undergraduate student in Bioinformatics at Rowan University
• Minimum overall GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate coursework
• Official GRE General Exam score (generally taken in fall semester of junior year)
• One letter of recommendation/nomination from a faculty member involved in the Bioinformatics program
• Online GSBS application including personal statement and application fee
• Undergraduate research during freshman and/or sophomore year (optional but highly recommended)

Application
Applicants to the accelerated program will submit all application materials to the GSBS admissions committee by January 15 of their junior year.

Admission
Applications will be reviewed by the GSBS admissions committee and students will be notified by February 1.

Satisfactory Progress toward Graduation
Students will be expected to maintain satisfactory progress through the program. Satisfactory progress is defined as:

• Completion of the required Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience courses at the end of fourth year of study.
• Earning at least a grade of B in all graduate courses taken during that period.
• Maintaining full time student status during the entire 5 years of the program (minimum enrollment of 12 semester hours of undergraduate courses; 9 semester hours of graduate courses).

Any student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress will be dismissed from the graduate program.
Students with extenuating circumstances may request an exception to these requirements by obtaining written approval from the GSBS Executive Council and the Undergraduate Advisor as well as meeting other required criteria per University policy.

Dismissal from the Graduate Program
The following provisions apply to students who are dismissed or opt-out of the M.S. degree program.

• Up to 18 credits of M.S. Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience coursework can be applied as free-electives toward the B.S. in Biochemistry degree.
• If the student has not earned enough credits to receive a B.S. in Bioinformatics, he/she will be re-admitted into the B.S. in Bioinformatics program subject to program requirements.
• Any additional credits necessary to reach the 120 credits required for the B.S. in Bioinformatics degree must be taken as traditional undergraduate coursework at the Glassboro campus

Graduation
To graduate from the accelerated B.S. in Bioinformatics/M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience dual degree program, students must:

• Complete all requirements for the Accelerated B.S. in Bioinformatics.
• Complete all requirements for the Accelerated M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience.
• Maintain satisfactory progress through the program.

Upon completion of these requirements, students must apply to receive simultaneously a Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics and a Master of Science in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience. These degrees are awarded as separate diplomas.

Tuition Costs
Students enrolled in the accelerated B.S./M.S. Program will pay undergraduate tuition and fees for all undergraduate courses and graduate tuition and fees for all GSBS graduate courses. Students will not be allowed to take GSBS graduate courses at the undergraduate rate. Students must maintain full time student status during the entire 5 year program.

Structure of Program
The courses necessary for graduation consist of a combination of the required core and upper-level courses for the B.S. in Bioinformatics degree, including all mandatory Rowan experience and general education courses (110-111 credits, dependent upon choice of electives) as well as the full 36 credits for the M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience degree. Students begin taking graduate courses in the spring semester of their senior year and 15-18 credits of the M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience coursework are applied toward the required 120 credits for the B.S. in Bioinformatics degree. The dual degree program requires 138-141 credits compared to 156 credits if the B.S. and M.S. were earned independently.

Students have the option to participate in a novel research project under the supervision of a Rowan faculty member for two semesters with credit anytime from year 1 through fall semester of year 4.

Course requirements for accelerated B.S. in Bioinformatics degree

ROWAN EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS (required of all Rowan students):

Artistic and Creative Experience (ACE)
Literature (LIT)
Multicultural/Global (M/G)
Public Speaking (PS)
Rowan Seminar (RS)
Writing Intensive (WI). The writing intensive course must be taken at Rowan.
Composition II or its equivalent must be completed prior to enrollment in a WI course.
The Program requires majors to take Philosophy of Science (PHIL 09369: M/G, WI, HHL) or Philosophy of Medicine (PHIL 09440: WI, HHL) in the Department of Philosophy and Religion.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS (33 s.h.):

Communication:
COMP 01.101 College Composition I  (3 s.h.)
COMP 01.102 College Composition II  (3 s.h.)
CMS 04.205 Public Speaking  (3 s.h.)

Science and Mathematics:
MATH 01.130 Calculus I  (4 s.h.)
MATH 01.131 Calculus II  (4 s.h.)
PHYS 02.220 Introduction to Mechanics  (4 s.h.)

Social and Behavior Sciences:
2 courses from the Social and Behavioral Sciences Bank  (6 s.h.)

History, Humanities, and Language:
PHIL 09369 Philosophy of Science  (WI,M/G, 3 s.h.)
1 course from the History, Humanities, and Language Bank  (3 s.h.)

ACCELERATED B.S. IN BIOINFORMATICS PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (68/69 s.h.):

BIOL 01.104 Biology 1 (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.106 Biology 2 (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.203 Biology 3 (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.445 Special Topics in Biological Sciences (WI) OR BIOL 01.475 Biology Lab/Field Research OR CHEM 05.440 Research I  (3 s.h.)

CS 04.103 Computer Science and Programming (4 s.h.)
CS 01.205 Computer Laboratory Techniques (3 s.h.)
CS 04.225 Principles of Data Structures (3 s.h.)

PHYS 02.221 Introduction to Thermodynamics OR PHYS 02.222 Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism  (4 s.h.)
 
STAT 02.284 Statistics for the Biomedical Sciences OR STAT 02.280 Biometry  (3 OR 4 s.h.)

CHEM 06.1 00 Chemistry I OR CHEM 06.105 Advanced Chemistry I  (4 s.h.)
CHEM 06.1 01 Chemistry II OR CHEM 06.1 06 Advanced Chemistry II  (4 s.h.)
CHEM 07.200 Organic Chemistry I  (4 s.h.)
CHEM 07.201 Organic Chemistry II  (4 s.h.)
CHEM 07.348 Biochemistry (4 s.h.)

BINF 05.250 Introduction to Bioinformatics   (3 s.h.)
BIOL 05.355 Bioinformatics: Biological Applications   (3 s.h.)
CHEM 07.399 Bioinformatics: Biochemical Applications   (3 s.h.)
CS 04.301 Bioinformatics: Computational Aspects   (3 s.h.)

Restricted Electives (3 courses total)
Includes any 300 or higher Biology, Computer Science, and/or Chemistry and Biochemistry course listed below.

Approved Restricted Electives
CHEM 07.410: Medicinal Chemistry  (3 s.h.)
CHEM 07.407 Advanced Biochemistry Lecture  (3 s.h.)
CHEM 07.409 Advanced Biochemistry Lab  (2 s.h.)
CHEM 07.431: Advanced Topics in Biochemistry  (3 s.h.)
CHEM 08.410: Molecular Modeling Methods  (3 s.h.)
CHEM 08.305: Biophysical Chemistry  (4 s.h.)

BIOL 01.310 Evolution  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.405 Conservation Biology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.428 Developmental Biology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.430 Cell Biology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 01.445 Special Topics in Biological Sciences (WI)  (3 s.h.)
BIOL 01.475 Biology Lab/Field Research  (3 s.h.)
BIOL 11.330 Microbiology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 11.405 Environmental Microbiology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 20.310 Ecology  (4 s.h.)
BIOL 22.410 Concepts in Human Genetics
BIOL 22.450 Molecular Genetics      
BIOL 11.338 Immunology

CS 04.113 Introduction to Object Oriented Programming  (4 s.h.)
CS 04.114 Object Oriented Programming and Data Abstraction  (4 s.h.)
CS 06.205 Computer Organization  (3 s.h.)
CS 06.390 Introduction to Systems Simulation and Modeling  (3 s.h.)
CS 07.370 Introduction to Information Visualization  (3 s.h.)

Free electives and Rowan Experience Requirements: (13-18 credits total)
CMB courses taken as part of the accelerated MS program will fulfill the required 13-14 free elective credits.

Course requirements for the M.S. in Molecular Cell Biology and Neuroscience

Core Course (4 credits)
CMB 00702 Molecular Biology of the Cell

Required Skills Courses (8 credits):
CMB 00801 Bioethics in Science and Medicine
CMB 00802 Experimental Design
CMB 00803 Scientific Writing
CMB 00804 Critical Readings in Cell & Molecular Biology

Required Research (17 credits)
CMB 00682 Lab rotation C- MS CMB
CMB 00683 Lab rotation D- MS CMB
CMB 00690 Thesis Research/MS
CMB 00699 MS Thesis Continuation (two semesters- no tuition, only fees)
CMB 00809 Department Seminar Series

Alternate Focus Courses*: two of the following are required (4 credits)
CMB 00805 Cell Culture and Stem Cells
CMB 00806 Graduate Genetics
CMB 00808 Molecular Oncology
CMB 00810 Biomolecular Interactions

*The available Alternate Focus Courses are subject to change in response to student and faculty interests. If a student has a specific interest in a topic covered by a course offered by another GSBS program (MBS or MPI), this course may be substituted for one Alternate Focus Courses with permission of the student's Advisory Committee and the GSBS Executive Council:

Courses from other GSBS programs
MBS 00602 Antimicrobial Drugs: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance
MBS 00603 Basic Immunology
MBS 00604 Cancer Chemotherapy
MBS 00605 Developmental Biology
MBS 00606 Essential Neuroscience
MBS 00609 Mechanisms of Disease
MBS 00610 Microbiology
MBS 00611 Pathophysiology of the Cardiovascular System
MBS 00612 Principles of Pharmacology
MPI 00504 Topics in Molecular Pathology and Immunology
MPI 00601 Techniques in Molecular Diagnostics

Sample 5-year sequence of course work