Online Master's Degree Programs in Biomedical Sciences (MS)
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Biomedical science refers to various topics related to human biology and diseases. Disciplines such as medical microbiology, biomedical engineering, human physiology, pharmacology, nutrition, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology are all part of biomedical sciences. Students with a master’s degree in biomedical sciences can opt for a wide range of careers in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and even veterinary medicine.
Several universities offer online master’s programs in biomedical sciences and related subjects such as health informatics and biomedical diagnostics. The coursework helps students better understand biology, microbiology, immunology, and diseases. Additionally, they also learn about various aspects of healthcare and biomedical informatics.
Graduates from these programs can pursue further research and a PhD or opt to work in biomedicine, regulatory affairs, clinical laboratory support, and veterinary medicine.
The following guide details four online master’s degrees in biomedical sciences and related subjects. It also profiles three exceptional faculty members teaching these programs.
Featured MS in Biomedical Sciences programs
University of Northern Colorado
The University of Northern Colorado offers an online master’s degree in biomedical sciences. The program is ideal for students wishing to pursue a career in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, or pharmaceuticals. Those aspiring to pursue a PhD in biomedical sciences can also find the program valuable.
To apply for the program, students must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and test scores (GRE, MCAT, DAT, OAT, or PCAT). International students must also submit TOEFL scores.
The program consists of 30 credits and prepares students for a biomedical and health professions career. Some of the courses included in the curriculum are immunology and disease; virology; cell physiology; reproductive and developmental biology; developmental biology; advanced systemic physiology; and molecular genetics.
The program covers myriad topics and equips students with a wide range of skills. They learn about the causes of disease in animals, the physiological control systems in human beings, mechanisms of pathogenesis, and biochemistry. Graduates of the program can work in biomedicine, clinical research, university teaching, as well as cardiac rehabilitation.
- Location: Loveland, Colorado
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Expected Time to Completion: Less than 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $639 per credit
Arizona State University (Related program)
Arizona State University offers an online master of science in biomedical diagnostics. This fully online program trains students to screen, diagnose, and monitor diseases.
Admission requirements to the program include a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, official transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and proof of English proficiency.
Students can choose from the following four core areas: application of diagnostics, the business of diagnostics, the science of diagnostics, and the technology of diagnostics. Comprising 30 credits, the curriculum gives students a complete overview of biomedical diagnostics, including the legal, business, regulatory, and technological aspects.
The coursework includes topics such as health economics, policy, and payment models; principles of diagnostic technology: immunoassays; regulation of medical diagnostics; principles of diagnostic technology: molecular diagnostics; and translational bioinformatics. As part of the program, students must take one course with extensive learning modules from Dublin City University (DCU).
The field of diagnostics impacts a large part of healthcare, right from the pharmaceutical industry to the development of new technologies, patient care, finance, and policy-making. The program emphasizes the importance of diagnostics through its curriculum.
At the end of the program, graduates can pursue job opportunities such as quality systems analyst, clinical research specialist; clinical laboratory technician; regulatory affairs specialist; analytical chemist; operations engineer; and database administrator.
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $841 per credit
Liberty University (Related program)
In addition to offering a residential, campus-based master of science in biomedical sciences program, Liberty University offers an online master of arts in medical sciences with five specializations to choose from. These are as follows: business management, biopsychology, health informatics, public health, and molecular medicine. Except for the molecular medicine specialization, the program is available completely online.
Applicants to the program must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75, among other requirements.
The program is made up of 34 credits. Irrespective of their specialization, students have to study some core courses such as the foundations of biomedical sciences; medical anatomy; principles of physiology; introduction to human metabolism & diseases; ethics in health science; and principles of cellular biology.
Additionally, they are required to choose more courses per their specialization. The biopsychology specialization includes courses such as fundamentals of neuroscience, advanced developmental psychology, and developmental neuropsychology, while the health informatics specialization includes health informatics, health information systems and integrated technologies, and principles of medical genetics.
The public health specialization explores biostatistics, health policy, and principles of community health, while the molecular medicine specialization includes fundamentals of neuroscience, pathogens and human diseases, and fundamentals of human pathology.
Depending on their specialization, students can pursue a career in non-clinical health science fields or apply to more advanced degree programs upon graduation.
- Location: Lynchburg, Virginia
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
- Estimated Tuition: $565 per credit
The University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine offers an online master of science in biomedical sciences with an emphasis in biomedical sciences offered in a 100 percent online format providing students with the foundation they need to pursue their passion. Working with experienced faculty members, students in this non-thesis program will acquire a strong grasp of core biomedical subjects like neuroscience, cell biology, and physiology. After completing this program, graduates can pursue further study or take on careers in the veterinary, pharmaceutical, or medical industries.
For admission into this program, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students must also complete prerequisites in biology, physics, biochemistry, chemistry, and calculus. TOEFL or IELTS test scores are required of students whose native language is not English. GRE scores are not required for admission.
The 30-credit program includes instruction in veterinary cell biology; veterinary neuroscience; multiple approaches to biomedical sciences; seminar in veterinary biomedical science; veterinary physiology; essentials of radiation biology; veterinary toxicology; veterinary cytology; and principles of toxicology.
The program opens up career opportunities for graduates in academic research, governmental agencies, pharmaceutical industries, and veterinary medicine.
- Location: Columbia, Missouri
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $500 per credit
Professors to Know in Master’s Degrees in Biomedical Sciences (MS)
Dr. Valentin Dinu is an associate professor of biomedical informatics at the College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University. He also serves as the program director of the master of science in biomedical informatics program. Some of the courses he teaches or has taught include translational bioinformatics, advanced topics in biomedical informatics, and the foundations of biomedical informatics methods.
Dr. Dinu’s research currently explores the development of computational approaches, software applications facilitating management, and integration of the myriad sources of biomedical information. He has been published in acclaimed journals such as the Journal of Biomedical Informatics, PeerJ, and the Journal of Biometrics and Biostatistics. He completed his PhD from Yale University and AB from Harvard University.
Dr. Ginger Fisher is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Northern Colorado and the director of the University of Northern Colorado’s master’s in biomedical science program. She teaches or has taught several courses, including introductory biology, physiological ecology, marine biology, and the foundations of clinical research. Her early research explored the physiology of aquatic organisms, and recently, she began studying bioeducation.
An active member of regional and national advising associations, Dr. Fisher’s research has appeared in top-notch journals such as the Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education and The Undergraduate Research Journal of the University of Northern Colorado. Professor Fisher has won several accolades for her teaching, including the 2007 Donald Bletz Award for Outstanding Teaching, the 2013 Excellence in Advising Award, and the 2015 Excellence in Leadership Award. She earned her PhD and MS from Wake Forest University and her BA and BS from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dongwen Wang teaches biomedical informatics at Arizona State University. Some of the classes he teaches or has taught include knowledge representation for biomedical informatics, problem-solving in biomedical informatics, and health informatics database modeling.
Before joining Arizona State University, Dr. Wang taught at the University of Rochester and Columbia University. His research efforts are focused on the management of biomedical data, the representation of biomedical knowledge, and the development of online resources. His findings have been published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, the International Journal of Medical Informatics, and the Journal of Biomedical Informatics. Dr. Wang completed his PhD from Columbia University and BE from the Huazhong University of Science & Technology.
