Program Overview
The Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) MS Non-Thesis degree program equips students with a strong foundation in the biomedical sciences and provides an educational experience that positions students to achieve their aspirations of becoming health professionals.
Most BIMS MS Non-Thesis students aim to pursue a professional program of study in one of the various fields of medicine. With 30 semester credit hours of science courses and electives, this program offers students the opportunity to strengthen their professional program application by:
- Improving academic preparation in foundational subjects related to biomedical sciences
- Raising science grade point average (GPA), upper-level science GPA, and last 45-hour GPA
- Staying academically engaged while preparing for standardized tests, working part-time, or participating in clinical shadowing
Students have the flexibility of progressing through the program carrying a full or part-time academic load. While the majority of students complete the program in four semesters with full-time enrollment, it is important to note that many progress through the program while working part-time jobs and/or participating in clinical shadowing opportunities.
During the program’s first semester, students select a graduate faculty mentor. This faculty mentor supports students by providing mentorship, guiding and approving coursework selection, and overseeing the capstone experience, a hallmark for improving a student’s competitiveness for both admission and success in their chosen professional program.
BIMS MS Non-Thesis students are also supported by a full-time staff academic advisor in the VMBS Office for Research & Graduate Studies. The academic advisor guides students through the logistical pieces of the graduate experience by helping students meet programmatic and university milestones and deadlines, assisting with class registration, and connecting students with school and university resources.
