Skip to Main Navigation
The University of Texas at Dallas
Graduate Admissions

Certificate in Biomedical Sciences for
Post-Baccalaureate Students

http://www.utdallas.edu/nsm/biology/

Faculty

Professors: Lee A. Bulla, Santosh R. D´Mello, Rockford K. Draper, Juan E. González, Donald M. Gray, Stephen D. Levene, Lawrence J. Reitzer, Li Zhang, Michael Zhang
Associate Professors: Gail A.M. Breen, John G. Burr, Jeff L. DeJong, Ernest M. Hannig, Dennis L. Miller, Stephen Spiro
Assistant Professors: Tianbing Xia, Zhenyu Xuan, Hyuntae Yoo
Senior Lecturers: Irena Borovkov, Mehmet Candas, Vincent P. Cirillo, Wen-Ju Lin, Robert C. Marsh, Ruben Ramirez, Scott A. Rippel, Illya Sapoznikov, Wen-Ho Yu

Objectives

The Certificate in Biomedical Sciences Program at The University of Texas at Dallas offers students the opportunity to further their undergraduate education by taking science coursework focusing on the integrative scientific study of biological issues related to health and medicine. Many students seek this coursework in order to prepare for a career in one of the health professions. The program is a flexible post-baccalaureate certificate program offered through the UT Dallas School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Because the program is flexible, it can address the needs of a variety of students who have previously completed a bachelor´s degree including:

The UT Dallas Certificate Program can accommodate part-time students, full-time students, non-science students needing to take all the pre-requisite courses, as well as those with some science background who need to add more advanced coursework to their record. The program is designed to aid a variety of students interested in either medical or dental school or other health professions programs such as pharmacy, optometry, physician assistant, physical therapy and public health.  

Admission Requirements  

Students interested in enrolling in the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences Program will be considered for admission based on the following standards:

Application for the program is through the ApplyTexas online application at utdallas.edu/admissions. Applicants should apply as Transfer, Undergraduate students in the School of Natural Science and Mathematics and select the Undergraduate Certificate in Biomedical Sciences.  

Once an applicant has made application to the University, they must complete the certificate program supplemental application available on the HPAC website. This supplemental application enables the program director to better assess your motivation for entry into the certificate program and to understand how your past academic experiences relate to your ability to succeed. Applicants should carefully consider their responses to questions posed in the supplemental application.  

Students may enter the program in a Fall, Spring or Summer semester. General UT Dallas application deadlines are published on the admissions office website. Because positions for entering students are limited, individuals interested in the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences program are encouraged to apply early and complete their application materials well before the published deadlines. Also, admission is competitive: therefore, not all applicants meeting the admissions requirements will be admitted. Specific information regarding application deadlines for the certificate program can be obtained from the program coordinator in the HPAC office.  

Degree Requirements  

Requirements for completion of the Certificate in Biomedical Sciences Program include:


The certificate program is designed for students who are preparing to enter a health profession school. Although the program allows for part-time participation, optimally, students will participate on a full-time basis to reflect their ability to succeed in a science-oriented academic program with heavy course loads. Depending on a student´s previous science coursework (including number of courses taken, when taken, and their performance) the certificate program can be completed in as little as one year. Students with little or no academic background in science should plan on a two-year completion timeline.

Requirements for Clinical and/or Research Exposure  

Each Biomedical Sciences Certificate program student must document atleast 50 hours of research or clinical exposure. 50 hours must be approved by an HPAC advisor, and adhere to the following guidelines.

Research or clinical hours above the 50-hour minimum are encouraged, and will certainly improve your candidacy for professional school. If you have further questions, please speak to an HPAC advisor.  

The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area provides many opportunities for students to involve themselves in clinical activities. Students are required to arrange for their own experiences. Hospital volunteer programs, physician or dentist shadowing, and health-related community service projects are the most frequent ways in which students fulfill this requirement.  

Program Graduation Requirements  

Students must initiate the process for graduation from the certificate program. The Certificate Graduation Checklist is included in the Appendix to this document and is also available on the UT Dallas HPAC website. During the last semester in which they wish to take classes, students should submit a completed Checklist to the HPAC office. HPAC will then validate that the student has completed all program requirements and, assuming such, send official notification to the Registrar´s Office indicating completion. Achievement of the certificate program will be noted on the transcript and the student will received a printed certificate by mail. Certificate program graduates are not eligible to participate in the University´s commencement ceremony.  

Once the student has been noted as complete and the Registrar´s Office has been notified, the student will not be able to register for future semesters unless he/she reapplies to the university in a degree program or as a non-degree-seeking student. Therefore, students who have completed all certificate program requirements but wish to remain at the university and take additional courses should delay submitting their Graduation Checklist until they have completed all desired courses.  

Course Offerings  

A variety of classes are available to students depending on their particular needs and previous experience in undergraduate science courses. Program students enroll in traditional courses alongside other undergraduate students and with the same faculty members. This structure is important since medical and dental schools understand and appreciate the rigor of the UT Dallas undergraduate curriculum and know how to interpret a student´s performance within that curriculum.  

HPAC advisors work with students to develop a curricular plan that is based on their individual circumstances including past academic history and career goals. Available courses to fulfill the certificate program requirements are listed below. Not all courses are taught every semester so students should check with an HPAC advisor prior to planning their curriculum for the program.  

Biology

BIOL 2111 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop I
BIOL 2112 Introduction to Modern Biology Workshop II
BIOL 2281 Introductory Biology Laboratory
BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I
BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II
BIOL 3101 Classical and Molecular Genetics Workshop
BIOL 3102 Eukaryotic Molecular & Cell Biology Workshop
BIOL 3161 Biochemistry Workshop I
BIOL 3162 Biochemistry Workshop II
BIOL 3301 Classical and Molecular Genetics
BIOL 3302 Eukaryotic Molecular and Cell Biology
BIOL 3305 Evolution
BIOL 3335 Microbial Physiology
BIOL 3336 Protein and Nucleic Acid Structure
BIOL 3351 Secrets of Cells
BIOL 3361 Biochemistry I
BIOL 3362 Biochemistry II
BIOL 3370 Exercise Physiology
BIOL 3380 Biochemistry Laboratory
BIOL 3455 Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 3456 Anatomy and Physiology II
BIOL 3V20 General Microbiology with Lab
BIOL 4340 Proteomics
BIOL 4341 Genomics
BIOL 4345 Immunobiology
BIOL 4350 Medical Microbiology
BIOL 4352 Medical Molecular and Cell Biology
BIOL 4353 Molecular Biology of HIV/AIDS
BIOL 4354 Molecular Biology of Neurological and Hematological Diseases
BIOL 4366 Molecular Biology of Cancer
BIOL 4370 Developmental Neurobiology
 

Chemistry

CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I
CHEM 1112 General Chemistry Laboratory II
CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I
CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II
CHEM 2123 Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab
CHEM 2125 Introductory Organic Chemistry Lab II
CHEM 2323 Introductory Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 2325 Introductory Organic Chemistry II
 

Neuroscience

NSC 3361 Behavioral Neuroscience
NSC 4352 Cellular Neuroscience
NSC 4351 Medical Neuroscience
NSC 4354 Integrative Neuroscience
NSC 4356 Neurophysiology
NSC 4363 Neuropharmacology
NSC 4366 Neuroanatomy
NSC 4367 Developmental Neurobiology

Physics

PHYS 1101 College Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 1102 College Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 1301 College Physics I
PHYS 1302 College Physics II
PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II
PHYS 2325 Mechanics
PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves
PHYS 3341 Physics for Bio Science I
PHYS 3342 Physics for Bio Science II
PHYS 4v10 Physics of the Human Body
 

If students want to apply other UT Dallas courses, those courses must be approved by the program director PRIOR to registration. Courses not included on this list will generally not be accepted to fulfill requirements for the certificate program. Teaching assistant and research credit courses will NOT be accepted toward course requirements. Research credit may, however, be used toward up to 25 hours of the required clinical/research activities.  

Pre-Health Professional Development (HLTH 3100)

All certificate students are required to take, as a part of their program curriculum, HLTH 3100 (Pre-health Professional Development). This course introduces students to the concept of professionalism within a healthcare context including issues of appropriate personal attributes and expectations, ethical decision-making, interpersonal communication, and self-appraisal. It also contains an overview of the history of medicine in the U.S., and examination of current issues in healthcare and discussions about personal enrichment through research, clinical activities, and study abroad experiences. Pre-health Professional Development is taught by Dr. Wright and offered in Fall and Spring semesters as well as the summer term.  

Elective Courses

Relevant elective courses are also available but do not apply to the number of credit hours required for certificate completion. These courses could serve as important elective credits and supplement the student´s application to professional school. The elective courses, found in a variety of departments around the University, include:  

BA 4362 Introduction to Healthcare Management
ECO 3300 Economics of Health
GEOG 3351 Spatial Dimensions of Health and Disease
GST 4325 Motherhood and the Technological Womb
HIST 3328 History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine
HLTH 1332 Human Nutrition
HLTH 3101 Medical Terminology
HLTH 3301 Issues in Geriatric Healthcare
HLTH 4380 Special Topics in Healthcare
ISGS 4308 Bones, Bodies and Disease
PHIL 4380 Medical Ethics
PHIL 4380 Philosophy of Medicine
PSCI 4365 Law and Medicine
PSY 4346 Human Sexuality
PSY 4328 Health Psychology
SOC 4369 Public Health and Society
SOC 4371 Mental Health and Illness
SOC 4372 Health and Illness
SPAN 3341 Medical Spanish

Last Updated: September 28, 2011