MS in Cancer Genomics and Bioinformatics

Quick Facts
Master of Science · 28 units · Two years · In person · Fall start · USC Health Sciences Campus

Who This Program is For
Students typically enter with strong preparation in the biological or biomedical sciences and want to add applied skills in genomics, data analysis, and bioinformatics. The curriculum is designed to build on that science foundation.

Why Cancer Genomics and Bioinformatics at USC
Study cancer genomics and bioinformatics in a medical-school environment that provides direct experience applying computational methods in a translational research setting. Students build practical skills for working across biology and data science, rather than training primarily as software engineers.

What You’ll Learn
Students in this program will gain an understanding of:

• Best practices for applying bioinformatic analyses to investigate biomedical and clinical research problems
• Analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data from short- and long-read platforms for whole-genome, exome, and transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq)
• Emerging single-cell, spatial, and multiomic technologies
• Applications of AI in genomics and agentic systems
• Reproducible research and project management

How It’s Taught
This intensive, two-year program is taught in person within the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The curriculum emphasizes applied analysis, reproducible workflows, integration of existing computational tools, project management, version control, and communication between experimental and computational teams. Students work across molecular biology, systems biology, and structural biology, with a major focus on NGS data analysis.

Technology
Students will need a reliable laptop capable of running current bioinformatics and statistical software. Specific hardware and operating-system requirements are provided to admitted students before enrollment and updated as the technical environment changes.

Academic Preparation
The program is best suited to students who already understand biomedical experimental design and have a foundation in biostatistics. Applicants with biomedical laboratory experience may be particularly well prepared for the applied nature of the curriculum.