Department website: https://health.wvu.edu/research-and-graduate-education/graduate-education/ms-programs/health-sciences/
Degree Offered
- Master of Science
Nature of the Program
The Master of Science (M.S.) program in the Health Sciences emphasizes enhancing knowledge in the biomedical and public health disciplines to increase the student’s competitiveness for admission to professional or graduate programs and/or to augment the student’s career potential. The program is a one-year, non-thesis masters. Completion of the M.S. degree is realized when the student has fulfilled all course requirements and the independent study project. Students can enter the program in either the Fall semester or the Summer Session. The Master of Science (M.S.) in the Health Sciences is a terminal degree program targeting students interested in developing their skills toward a career requiring basic science knowledge. The objectives of this program are to:
- provide integrative scientific education in the biomedical and public health sciences to graduates from an accredited undergraduate institution
- provide the opportunity to explore career options in various health professional disciplines
- develop integrative and critical thinking skills to allow application of scientific knowledge to traditionally non-scientific fields
- train students in the rudiments of research on a basic science, public health or clinical topic; these include hypothesis testing, data collection, manuscript preparation
- enhance competitiveness for admission to a health professional and/or Ph.D. program
- enhance skills for job placement including resume and cover letter evaluation, and interviewing preparation.
To achieve these objectives, the program has two areas of emphasis: (1) advancement of basic science and public health knowledge for career enhancement and (2) partnering basic science with other disciplines. In the first area of emphasis, the student will augment his/her scientific skills with advanced coursework emphasizing critical thinking and application of that knowledge to problems facing human health. This area targets students interested in pursuing professional or advanced academic degrees. In the second area of emphasis, the student can expand their knowledge to allow them to direct a non-scientific career toward one that relies on a scientific skill set. Students in this area of emphasis may be teachers wishing to teach science in secondary schools, individuals interested in eventually achieving other professional degrees such as a J.D. or M.B.A. to pursue patent law or a position in a biotech/pharmaceutical company, or positions as a scientific liaison translating scientific knowledge to the general public in a community organization or a for profit company, a position sometimes called a knowledge broker.
Proposed coursework is designed to build the foundation knowledge common to first-year curricula in medical and dental schools and biomedical and public health Ph.D. programs. The common core curriculum will include coursework in the basic sciences course such as physiology and biochemistry and courses in public health, biostatistics, epidemiology, and social and behavioral theory. The director of the M.S. in the Health Sciences works with each student to tailor electives to fit the student’s career goals. In addition to coursework, the student will participate in a series of activities:
- Participation in an independent study project with a research mentor for three semesters
- Training in reading, writing, and evaluation of the scientific literature
- Enrichment activities to enhance career development skills, such as preparation to take entrance exams, preparation of resumes and cover letters, seminar presentation skills, and interviewing skills
- Attendance at seminars to learn cutting edge advancements in science
- Cross-disciplinary approach to the acquiring and application of scientific knowledge
Admissions for 2027-2028
All applications to the M.S. in the Health Sciences program are accepted electronically and must be submitted electronically via the official WVU Graduate Education application.
M.S. in the Health Sciences applications are reviewed beginning in January by a Common Admissions Committee comprised of the Director of the MS in Health Sciences program, the School of Medicine Associate Dean for Student Services & Curriculum, the School of Dentistry Associate Dean for Dental Admissions, Recruitment, & Access, the Director of Admissions for the Office of Research and Graduate Education, and the School of Medicine Program Director for Physician Assistant Studies.
Students may apply for admission beginning in either the summer (May) session or the fall (August) semester of that year. Decisions of acceptance are made on a rolling basis until all slots are filled. All decisions made by the Admissions Committee are final. For maximum admissions consideration, we recommend that you apply as early as possible.
Please visit the website to review the application process.
Major Code: 8308
Master of Science
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 is required. | ||
| Minimum grade of C is required. | ||
| BIOS 501 | Applied Biostatistics 1 | 3 |
| BMM 531 | General Biochemistry | 4 |
| EXPH 701 | Professional Development 1 | 1 |
| EXPH 702 | Professional Development 2 | 1 |
| EXPH 703 | Experiential Learning in Health Professions | 4 |
| PCOL 549 | Pharmacology Fundamentals for Future Healthcare Professionals | 4 |
| PSIO 743 | Fundamentals of Physiology | 4-5 |
| or PSIO 580 | Systems Physiology | |
| SBHS 601 | Social and Behavioral Theory | 3 |
| or MICB 500 | Medical Microbiology | |
| Health Science Electives * | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- *
Elective courses must be chosen from Health Science Center graduate courses. Consult with your adviser for recommendations.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| PSIO 743 or 580 | 4-5 | PCOL 549 | 4 | BMM 531 | 4 |
| BIOS 501 | 3 | MICB 500 or SBHS 601 | 3 | EXPH 703 | 2 |
| EXPH 701 | 1 | EXPH 702 | 1 | ||
| EXPH 703 | 1 | EXPH 703 | 1 | ||
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 | ||
| 12 | 12 | 6 | |||
| Total credit hours: 30 | |||||
Major Learning Outcomes
Health Sciences
The Master of Science (M.S.) in the Health Sciences is a terminal degree program targeting students interested in developing their skills toward a career requiring basic science knowledge. The objectives of this program are to:
- Demonstrate graduate-level mastery of foundational biomedical sciences.
- Show readiness for professional training through strong application, interviewing, and career communication skills.
- Apply biomedical knowledge in real-world clinical, research, service, or leadership settings.
- Communicate health-science information clearly and collaborate effectively in professional teams.