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Program Details

Graduate Program: Genetics (MS)

General Information

Request Information
Program/Degree
Genetics (MS)  
Program Description

Students are admitted to the MS degree in Genetics. For more information about the MS program, please email Cora Varas-Nelson (cora@email.arizona.edu, Nathan Ellis naellis@arizona.edu, or Keith Maggert kamaggert@arizona.edu

The purpose of the University of Arizona's GIDP in Genetics (also, the “Genetics Program”) is to train the next generation of geneticists. Our discipline integrates basic and applied life sciences, computational sciences, and physical sciences. Our faculty are homed in a wide variety of departments and centers, including Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences (Phoenix), Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Immunobiology, Mathematics, Medicine, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Natural Sciences and the Environment, Plant Sciences, Pediatrics, Pharmacy Practice, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. In addition to training the traditional biology student, the Genetics Program seeks to attract students from outside the life sciences and to train these students in genetics.

In summary, graduate students in the Genetics Program complete a series of courses, seminars and journal clubs, and research activities, to complete a masters research project with the input of, and assistance by, an advisor. The faculty of the Genetics Program serve as these advisors, instructing, mentoring, and directing the students’ education. For a list of GIDP in Genetics faculty, please see https://genetics.arizona.edu/faculty-members.

Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs - http://gidp.arizona.edu/

The Graduate College sponsors several Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDPs) in addition to the many interdisciplinary possibilities available through regular graduate degree programs. GIDPs transcend departmental boundaries by facilitating cutting edge teaching and research at the nexus of traditional disciplines. The high value placed on interdisciplinary research and education is indicative of The University of Arizona's enthusiasm and commitment to fostering innovation and creativity among its faculty and students.

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs

The Graduate College sponsors several Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDPs) in addition to the many interdisciplinary possibilities available through regular graduate degree programs. GIDPs transcend departmental boundaries by facilitating cutting edge teaching and research at the nexus of traditional disciplines. The high value placed on interdisciplinary research and education is indicative of The University of Arizona's enthusiasm and commitment to fostering innovation and creativity among its faculty and students.

 

 
College

Graduate College/GIDP

 
Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Angela Cora Varas-Nelson
520-626-1452
Graduate Program Coordinator
Angela Cora Varas-Nelson
520-626-1452
Director of Graduate Studies
Nathan Ellis
520-626-7979
Graduate College Degree Counselor
Annie Prisbrey
520-621-0119
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must complete at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent prior to enrollment in the Program.  Examples of undergraduate majors that normally constitute satisfactory preparation for graduate work in Neuroscience include but are not limited to: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Neurobiology, Neuroscience and Psychology.

The Genetics GIDP program does not have absolute criteria for GPA or GRE scores, characteristics of a strong application will generally include:

  • GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • GRE scores are optional.
  • 2 strong letters of recommendation from college professors, one of whom served as advisor for an independent research study; international students should provide at least one letter from a scientist who works in or is known well the U.S. system
  • A strong personal statement indicating basis for interest in genetic graduate study in neuroscience, relevant background, and career goals.
  • A Curricum Vitae or Resume.

The Graduate Admissions Committee evaluates the entire admissions file. Deficiencies in one or two of the areas described above should not discourage interested applicants from applying.

 All required documents *must be* uploaded electronically; no paper copies will be accepted during the application process.

 
Standardized Tests

The following is a summary of all materials that should be prepared submitted online prior to the application deadline (December 1 for PhD) in order to complete your application:

  • Graduate College Application for Genetics: https://apply.grad.arizona.edu/ 
  • Scores from the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are currently optional
  • Scanned copies of transcripts from each college or university attended
  • A Personal Statement (see below)
  • Two (2) letters of recommendation (follow the instruction on the Graduate College application)
  • International students must submit TOEFL scores 

It is recommended that you keep a hard-copy of all online forms, in case there are technical problems with online transmission.

If you are admitted, you will be required to submit 1 copy of your transcripts to:

Cora Varas-Nelson
Genetics GIDP
1548 E. Drachman St.
Tucson, AZ 85721-047
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 8572-0476
 

Problems submitting your application should be addressed to Cora Varas-Nelson, Program Coordinator, at cora@email.arizona.edu (520) 626-1452.

Personal Statement:

Your personal statement should be between 1000-1500 words long, and might include a discussion of your long-range goals; your reasons for pursuing an advanced degree; your interest in our program; information on your prior research experience or teaching (if any); and topics in genetics that are of particular interest to you and that might serve as the focus of your graduate program.

Letters of recommendation

All applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. These letters should be current or former advisors or instructors, and may address your previous research or laboratory experience, your academic qualification, your scientific potential, and your motivation for graduate work.

Required test(s):

If you have taken the Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores from the advanced examinations (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, psychology) may also be included in the application, but are not required.

International students are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  Minimum TOEFL: a score of 550 (paper based) or 79 (iBT) or higher.

 
Funding Opportunities

Financial Aid

The current funding package for masters students depends of the sources of funds of their faculty major advisor.

the Genetics GIDP Program makes every effort to provide financial support to our students throughout their academic careers.

 
Admissions Deadlines

Domestic Applicants:

  • Fall: December 1

International Applicants:

  • Fall: December 1
 
International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

32 

Core Coursework Requirements

Coursework. The Genetics GIDP requires 32 units of coursework, including

  1. CMM 518 Fundamental Genetic Mechanisms (3 credits, fall semester)
  2. Four (4) semesters of GENE 670 Recent Advances in Genetics (2 credits, fall and spring semester). This is the Genetics graduate seminar.
  3. And, at least 15 additional coursework credits from the student's specific area of interest, as agreed upon by the student’s advisor or the Genetics Curriculum Committee, the Chair, or the Vice-Chair of the GIDP.

Required Coursework. At noted above, the Genetics Program has one required genetics course CMM 518 Fundamental Genetic Mechanisms. This three-credit course help in the fall semester covers a broad range of topics in science of heredity and genetics of DNA and chromosome transactions. Students learn to analyze and evaluate the primary literature, to solve complex problems in genetics, and to present oral communications of and to prepare written reports of old and new concepts in genetics.

Seminar. Students must attend and participate in the graduate seminar course GENE 670 Advances in Genetics for a minimum of four semesters. In this course, students learn to present their own work and the work of others to a broad audience of faculty and students on a regular basis. Students are also required to present in annual retreats of the Program, in the form of an oral presentation or a poster presentation.

Thesis units. 6 units of GENE 910 MS thesis credit.

Elective courses. Students chose from a wide range of genetics and other courses to fulfill their curricular needs. Program maintains a roster of potential elective courses in genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and biochemistry on the Program website (https://genetics.arizona.edu/prospective-students/degree-requirements).

Course                 Description                                            Units

CMM 518              Core requirement for Genetics GIDP     3 Units

GENE 670             Advances in Genetics, seminar             8 Units

GENE 910             Thesis                                                    6 Units

                              Elective courses                                    15 Units

 
Elective Coursework

Elective Courses. Decided upon by student and Program ≥15 Elective courses. Students chose from a wide range of genetics and other courses to fulfill their curricular needs. Program maintains a roster of potential elective courses in genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and biochemistry on the Program website (https://genetics.arizona.edu/prospective-students/degree-requirements).

Other courses. The inclusion of a new course offered by the University on one of the lists can be done by your advisor by contacting the Genetics Curriculum Committee, the Chair, or the Vice-Chair of the GIDP.

 
Additional Requirements

Grade requirements. The Graduate College expects students to maintain an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B). One semester < 3.0 and the student is on probation. Two semesters < 3.0 and the Graduate College will remove the student from the program. The Genetics Program has a more stringent requirement that students must not have more than two (2) grades of C in their coursework. Failure to achieve such a record can result in dismissal from the Program. In this case, the Program asks the Graduate College to remove the student.

 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate 100%
Med. Time-to-degree (years) n/a
 
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male n/a
Enrollment Percent Female n/a
Enrollment Percent International n/a
Enrollment Percent URM n/a

Back to statistics
  • All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2020.
  • Median Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2015-2019) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program.
  • Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/GENEMS
Last revised 12 Oct 2020
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