MS in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine

Curriculum

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  • The master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine requires a total of 34 units of elective graduate study as determined by the student’s advisory committee.
  • The curriculum is unique among all Master’s programs at the Keck School of Medicine in the rigor and value offered in the core courses in the first year.
  • Sixteen units of required courses in the first year allow students to develop a strong foundation in traditional and state-of-the-art concepts and methods. Required courses also include a course in biostatistics. Details on courses listed below can be seen in the USC Course Catalogue.
  • Students have flexibility in the second year and may take eight units of additional courses within or outside the department. A minimum of 10 units of directed research is also required.
  • Students are required to maintain a 3.0 minimum grade point average.

Courses

Course # Course Title Units Semester Year
BIOC 581 Toolbox for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 4 Fall 1
BIOC 511 Foundations for Molecular Medicine 4 Fall 1
BIOC 000 Faculty Research Presentations 0 Fall 1
BIOC 515 Logic and Design of Disease Mechanism Studies 4 Spring 1
TRGN 527 Applied Data Science and Bioinformatics 4 Spring 1
BIOC 590 Directed Research 2 Spring 1
INTD 500 Ethics and Accountability in Biomedical Research 0 Summer 1
BIOC 590 Directed Research 2-6 Fall 2
BIOC 594A Master’s Thesis 2 Fall 2
BIOC 599 Exploring the Path from Data to Publication 2 Fall 2
Elective Elective courses up to 4 units (see below) 0-4 Fall 2
BIOC 573 Optimal Research Presentation 0 Spring 2
BIOC 590 Directed Research 2-6 Spring 2
BIOC 594B Master’s Thesis 2 Spring 2
Elective Elective courses up to 4 units (see below) 0-4 Spring 2

 

Electives

 

Fall Semester Electives

Course # Course Title Units
BIOC561 Molecular Biology 4
INTD531 Advanced Cell Biology 4
INTD504 Mol Biology of Cancer 4
INTD572 Systems Physiology and Disease I 4
BIOC575 Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers in Cancer Treatment 2
BIOC580 Cancer (Epi)genomics 1

Spring Semester Electives

Course # Course Title Units
BIOC543 Human Molecular Genetics 4
BIOC549 Protein Chemistry 4
MEDS537 Pathway and Target Discovery 4
INTD573 Systems Physiology and Disease II 4
BIOC580 Cancer (Epi)genomics 1

 

Summer Semester Electives

Course # Course Title Units
PM579 Statistical Analysis of High-Dimensional Data 4