Program Admission

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements may be conditionally accepted at the discretion of the BMS Admission Committee. Please submit the application packet comprising the following documents for pre-admission screening:

1. Faculty Sponsor: Contact potential biomedical sciences graduate program faculty sponsor in your area of interest prior to submitting an application. NOTE: a letter indicating the sponsorship by a faculty is strongly recommended as the program does not have sufficient number of graduate assistantships to support all students.

2. Official Academic Transcripts: Successful completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with one or more semesters of biology, physics, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biochemistry/molecular biology, math are recommended. All applicants should have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (scale of 4.0). While a master’s degree is not required for admissions into the biomedical sciences Ph.D. program, a master’s degree with a strong background in the research area of focus is a plus.

3. TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo: The minimum acceptable scores are 540 (76 iBT) and 6.5 for TOEFL and IELTS respectively. An applicant whose native language is English and is a citizen of one of the following countries or has earned a university level degree from a school in one of the following countries may be exempt from providing additional proof of English proficiency: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia Dominica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Australia, Bermuda, Canada (all provinces except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States.

4. Three Letters of Recommendation

5. Statement of Research Interests & Career Objectives: A letter stating research & career interests and goals, prior research experience and outcomes, reasons for interest in BMS program. Include your contact information in the letter.

6. Current Professional Resume

1. Contact faculty in your area of interest and obtain their endorsement. Faculty may choose to interview the candidate on-campus or via Zoom.

2. Submit your application materials (PDF files of cover letter/statement of purpose, letter of sponsorship from the faculty, three letters of reference, transcripts, TOEFL scores) to the admissions office via the University’s admission portal.

3. To ensure full application review for fall semester admission, applications should be received by February 15.

4. Review by BMS Admissions Committee.

5. Forward application packet with BMS recommendation to the faculty and host department.

6. Notification of decision to applicant by May 1.

Establish Dissertation Committee: During the first semester, submit a program of study and meet to coordinate research.

Annual Progress Review: Each year in the spring semester, students will be reviewed by the Biomedical Science faculty. This will entail a formal seminar outlining research progress, progress in coursework and teaching. Students will receive a written summary of progress including interventions as appropriate.

Comprehensive Examination: Students will take a comprehensive examination at the end of the second year. This will include written and oral components. 

Periodic Committee Meetings: Students will attend periodic committee meetings.

Dissertation: Students complete their dissertation.

Dissertation Defense: Students complete their dissertation defense.