Courses (number, title, credits, and delivery method) comprising the certificate:

Three core courses:

• CMB 451 Bioinformatics (Fall & Winter, 3) 
• CMB 460 Genomics and Molecular Diagnostics (Fall, 3) 
• CMB 452 Computer Modeling and Drug Design (Winter, 3) 

Plus one additional course to choose from the following electives:

• CMB 440 Drosophila Genomics (3)
• CMB/BIO 485/585 Molecular Ecology (3)
• CIS 160 Learn to Code in Python (3)
• CIS 161 Computing for Data Science Applications (3)
• CIS 162 Computer Science 1 (3)
• STA 216 Intermediate Applied Statistics (3) 
• STA 318 Statistical computing (3)
• STA 312 Probability and Statistics (3)

Minimum of 12 credits required to earn the certificate; can be completed in two semesters.

Prerequisites for the core:

• Biology: CMB 155 or BIO 120
• Chemistry: CHM 127
• Genetics: CMB 250 or BIO 375 or BIO 355 or permission of the instructor
• Physics: PHYS 220/221 or permission of the instructor (email Dr. Szarecka if you have not yet completed the PHY series!

Contact Dr. Szarecka at [email protected] for more information.

Admission requirements:

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
• Undergraduate life science experience (e.g. biology, genetics, or biochemistry).
• Submission of all required admission materials, including:
  • Completed graduate application for admission
  • Official copies of transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended (other than GVSU) Transcripts must be sent from those institutions directly to the GVSU Admissions Office
  • Resume
  • Personal statement of career goals and background experiences, including an explanation of how this program will help achieve educational and professional objectives.
  • For applicants whose native language is not English: test scores from the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) or PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English Academic). The following minimum scores are expected: TOEFL is 80, IELTS is 6.5, MELAB is 77, and PTE Academic is 53.  Alternatively, we will accept the successful completion of ELS 112 as demonstration of English language proficiency.

Curriculum:

1. The Certificate will be earned by successfully completing minimum of 4 courses (12 credits).
2. There are three required core courses and a minimum of one elective.

Core courses

• CMB 551 Bioinformatics for Life Sciences (Fall and Winter)
• CMB 560 Genomics and Molecular Diagnostics (Fall)
• CMB 552 Computer Modeling of Biomolecules and Drug Design (Winter)

Electives - Choose one class (3 credits) from a broad range of statistics/programming courses. 

• CMB/BIO 585 Molecular Ecology (Winter)
• STA 610 Statistics for Health Professions
• STA 622 Statistics for Life Scientists
• STA 631 Statistical Modeling and Regression
  • In addition: STA 610 is a prerequisite for STA 616 Statistical Programming: either STA 610, or STA 622, or STA 631 are accepted as prerequisites for STA 518 Statistical Computing and Programming with R, STA 526 Multivariate Data Analysis, STA 623 Categorical Data Analysis
• BIO 593 Univariate Methods
• BIO 594 Multivariate Methods
• CIS 500 Fundamentals of Software Practice
• CIS 611 Introduction to Software Engineering
• CIS 673 Principles of Database Design
• CIS 677 High Performance Computing
• CIS 678 Machine Learning

For information on the program, substitutions, schedules, and course requirements, email Dr. Agnieszka Szarecka at [email protected]