Completion of the Certificate in Translational Science Program requires the satisfactory completion of required and elective coursework. Twelve (12) semester credit hours (SCH) of didactic coursework (8 hours required, 4 hours elective) are required to obtain the Certificate in Translational Science. All course-related rules established by the MSCI-TS Program and listed in the MSCI-TS Handbook will be endorsed and followed by the Certificate in Translational Science Program.
Required Courses.
Students in the Certificate in Translational Science Program must successfully complete the following didactic courses.
| TSCI 5070 (2 SCH) | Responsible Conduct of Research |
| TSCI 5071 (2 SCH) | Patient-Oriented Clinical Research Methods – 1 |
| TSCI 5072 (2 SCH) | Patient-Oriented Research Biostatistics – 1 |
| TSCI 6001 (1 SCH) | Introduction to Translational Science |
| TSCI 6101 (1 SCH) | Topics in Translational Science |
Elective Courses – 4 SCH.
Diverse elective courses are available to accommodate the varying interests of the graduate students in this program. These courses may be taken in any semester when offered and include:
| TSCI 5050 (1 SCH) | Introduction to Data Science |
| TSCI 5073 (1 SCH) | Integrating Molecular Biology with Patient-Oriented Clinical Research |
| TSCI 5074 (2 SCH) | Data Management, Quality Control, and Regulatory Issues |
| TSCI 5075 (2 SCH) | Scientific Communication |
| TSCI 5076 (1 SCH) | Introduction to Informatics |
| TSCI 5077 (1-3 SCH) | Practicum in Translational Science |
| TSCI 5078 (1 SCH) | Introduction to Intellectual Property, Tech Transfer, & Commercialization |
| TSCI 5079 (1 SCH) | Practicum in Intellectual Property, Tech Transfer & Commercialization |
| TSCI 5080 (1 SCH) | Practicum in Integrating Molecular Biology with Patient-Oriented Clinical Research |
| TSCI 6060 (2 SCH) | Patient-Oriented Clinical Research Methods – 2 |
| TSCI 6061 (2 SCH) | Patient-Oriented Research Biostatistics – 2 |
| TSCI 6064 (1 SCH) | Grantsmanship and Peer Review |
| TSCI 6065 (2 SCH) | Health Services Research |
| TSCI 6066 (1 SCH) | Instrument Development and Validation |
| TSCI 6067 (1 SCH) | Genomic Healthcare |
| TSCI 6068 (1 SCH) | Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Research Instruments |
| TSCI 6100 (1 SCH) | Practicum in IACUC Procedures |
| TSCI 6102 (1 SCH) | Practicum in IRB Procedures |
| TSCI 6103 (1 SCH) | Selected Topics in Advanced Research Ethics |
| TSCI 6105 (1 SCH) | Topics in Cancer Prevention |
| TSCI 6106 (.5 – 1 SCH) | Practicum in Cancer Prevention Science |
Timeline for Coursework
A typical schedule for a full-time Certificate in Translational Science student is provided in the Appendix of this Handbook. Coursework towards a Certificate in Translational Science must be accomplished within three (3) or fewer years prior to the request for certification. Exceptions to this requirement will be considered by the MSCI-TS COGS on a case-by-case basis. A written request for exemption must be submitted to the Program Director through the Academic Coordinator and should include a brief description of the reason(s) for the request.
Grade Requirement
As detailed by the MSCI-TS Program, student performance in MSCI-TS courses is assessed on a satisfactory (S) / Unsatisfactory (U) basis. Any student who receives less than a Satisfactory (S) assessment in any Certificate in Translational Science required course will be required to re-take the course and receive a passing grade during the next academic year. In the event of a second failure in the same course, the MSCI-TS COGS will provide a recommendation to the GSBS Dean as to whether or not the student should be dismissed from the Certificate in Translational Science Program.
Exemption of a Required Course
Exemptions to the requirement for completion of a required course will be considered by the MSCI-TS COGS on a case-by-case basis. A written request for exemption must be submitted to the Program Director through the Academic Coordinator and should include a brief description of the reason(s) for the request. In the event that prior coursework conducted at another institution is the basis for the request, details regarding the content of the substitute course(s) must be provided. In the event that prior coursework conducted at another institution is the basis for the request, the following supporting documents are required in addition to the written request.
- Official copy of the transcript from the institution where the course was taken, the transcript should include the number of credit hours earned and indicate successful completion of the course.
- Copy of the course description from the catalog in effect when the course was taken.
- Copy of the course syllabus during the semester taken, if available.
MSCI-TS COGS approval of a request for exemption to a required course does not automatically result in approval of course credit hours towards the Certificate in Translational Science degree. Transfer of coursework for credit is described below.
Transfer of Coursework for Credit
If a student has successfully completed graduate-level coursework that is duplicative of required Certificate in Translational Science courses, it is possible that transfer of course credit may be allowed. A written request for consideration of the transfer of course credit in substitution for a given Certificate in Translational Science course must be submitted to the Program Director through the Academic Coordinator. This request should include a comprehensive description of the prior course detailing when and where completed, course contact hours, and details of course content and objectives. The request should include an official transcript that indicates successful course completion and the grade issued. If the transfer of credit request is approved by the MSCI-TS COGS, the program will prepare a request for transfer of course credit (on the GSBS form) and submit to the GSBS for consideration/approval by the Dean. In no case will the allowable semester credit hour(s) of transfer for a given course exceed that of the corresponding MSCI-TS course. No more than 3 semester credit hours may be transferred towards the completion of a Certificate in Translational Science.
Completion of the CTS Program
Recommendation for Granting the Certificate in Translational Science
A graduate student must be accepted into in the CTS Program to be eligible to receive a certificate. Upon satisfactory completion of all required didactic and elective coursework, the Certificate in Translational Science student will complete and submit the Request for Certification form to the MSCI-TS Academic Coordinator for review and approval by the MSCI-TS COGS. Once approved by the MSCI-TS COGS, the Chair of the MSCI-TS COGS will then submit a recommendation form to the Graduate Faculty Council (GFC) of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) through the Dean of the GSBS for further consideration and approval.
Time-to-Certificate
The Certificate in Translational Science Program can be completed within 1 year of study. Some students may require 2 to 3 years to complete certificate requirements. If a student has not completed the necessary coursework within 3 years, the MSCI-TS COGS Chair will form a special committee to review progress with the student. The special committee’s responsibility will be to either recommend a course of action to expedite completion or recommend termination of the enrollment of the student in the program.