Requirements for a M.S. in Computational Biology

Orientation

Matriculating students arrive at the Carnegie Mellon campus in August to attend the University-wide orientation. The week before classes start, the Department of Biological Sciences holds its orientation, which includes meeting the faculty and staff, course selection, tours of the Mellon Institute, safety training and ethics discussions. The M.S. Program Advising Committee meets with each student during orientation to formulate a course of studies and each semester thereafter to assess the progress of the student.
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Coursework

To receive the M.S. degree, all students must take and successfully complete three Core Courses (must be completed with an average grade of B).

Computational Biology 03-710
Computational Genomics and Molecular Biology 03-711
Biological Modeling 03-712

In the event that a course is cancelled, one of equivalent materials and degree of difficulty may be substituted with permission of the Advising Committee.

In addition, students must add electives of their choice, earning a minimum of 99 units (including the Core Courses) required to graduate.

A minimum of 36 units must be earned in graduate-level courses (700 level or above; 03-510 and 09-560 are also acceptable).
A maximum of 27 units may be in undergraduate courses, which must be at the 200 level or above, and may not include a course equivalent to one previously required to complete a degree at any other institution.
Subject to the approval of the M.S. Advisory Committee, relevant courses in other departments or at the University of Pittsburgh (through cross registration) may be taken for credit toward the 99 unit total.
No grade lower than C shall be used for credit. The average grade of 99 units must be at least B.

Students taking summer courses pay tuition unless it is paid for by either their advisor or another source.
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Departmental Seminar

Each semester, all students may register for and attend the weekly departmental Research Seminar (Graduate Seminar 03-750; 1 unit). Graduate students are strongly urged to meet the speakers to broaden their knowledge of cutting-edge biological science and to make useful contacts; the faculty host can arrange individual or small group meetings for interested students.
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Graduate Research Seminar (Journal Club)

Each semester, all students may register for and attend the weekly departmental Journal Club (Graduate Research Seminar 03-755; 3 units) during which faculty members and graduate students (usually doctoral students) give 25-minute presentations. Typical, M.S. students write three 1-2 page reports about the presentations. The reports are due within one week of the presentation and should be submitted electronically to the Coordinator of Graduate Programs.
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Research

Students who are interested in research can take 03-700 (M.S. Research). Up to 12 units may be taken to gain some research experience and will count toward the 99-unit total. In order for more than 12 units of 03-700 to count toward the 99-unit total, the student must write a thesis document and present it in a public forum. Typically, students contact faculty directly to learn about available research opportunities.
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Internships

Students who are interested in doing a summer internship can take 03-601 (Computational Biology Internship) for credit; the units will vary according to the time commitment. The Internship in Computational Biology usually occurs in the summer between the 1st and 2nd year of coursework. Students' projects range from programming to research, and the companies offering internship opportunities are national and regional.

Typically, students begin to seek and apply for available internships after the winter break or earlier. Ms. Stark is available for assistance and guidance, especially with professional documents like resumes and cover letters, and also with making contacts. The Internship can also proceed during the academic year, with approval from the M.S. Advising Committee.
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Academic Year Employment in Research

Students are allowed to work for pay on projects separate from their research-for-credit projects (03-700), provided academic progress is not compromised. For students who desire to earn wages, there are limited employment opportunities in faculty research groups. Students are responsible for seeking out such opportunities. It is strongly advised that students wait until their second semester to begin work on a paid research project.

The number of hours worked will not exceed 12 hours per week; the pay scale will ordinarily range from $10 to $15 per hour.

M.S. students are not eligible for teaching assistantships.
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