Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Certificate in Biomedical Data Science Application Requirements

Apply Now

The CBDS Program is Administrated under the governing body of the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program (MSCI-TS).

Admission Requirements

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Individuals eligible to apply to the Certificate in Biomedical Data Science program include all Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï students, postdoctoral trainees, clinical residents and fellows, and faculty/staff from the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Health Professions, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) as well as from individuals and organizations outside Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï. All students should have a sufficient educational background in the quantitative computational or biomedical sciences prior to admission to the program. 

This program may be helpful for applicants seeking post-doctoral and career grants (K-awards) as part of a data analytics training program.

It is expected that most students will have a health professional degree (e.g., MD, DDS/DMD, DVM, or BS in nursing and/or allied health) or a BS/BA, MS, or PhD degree with emphasis in statistics, data science or a health-related discipline.  The following general requirements will be applied:

  • A medical, dental, masters and/or baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the United States or an U.S. equivalent degree and training at an international institution. All transcripts from international institutions (including GPA) must be evaluated and submitted by an approved  foreign credentialing evaluation agency. The CBDS preferred agencies are: The Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or the World Education Services, Inc. (WES). 
  • A Grade Point Average (GPA) no lower than a B (3.00 in a 4.00 system) in the last 60 hours of coursework for a BS/BA degree or a GPA of at least 3.0 for applicants with a MS degree.  
  • A minimum score of 84 on the internet version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 6.5 on the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for our international applicants. 

Application and Fee

Application Process

An online application for admission into the CBDS Program must be processed through Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS).  This application is available at:  

Deadlines

The CBDS has an open application policy and will accept applications year-round for admission as allowed by the online application system. However, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences deadlines (for submission of application and required documentation) for matriculation into a specific academic semester are listed below. 

  • Fall Semester April 1  
  • Spring Semester October 1  

Applicants will have the responsibility for the timely submission of application materials to the CBDS Program in order to meet the deadlines established by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences for registration and course enrollment.  

Applicant Documentation Requirements:

Official test scores, transcripts, and foreign transcript translations, mentioned above, MUST also be sent to:

Registrar’s Office-Graduate Admissions MSC 7702
Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900

Applicants should utilize the  of required documentation for admission that is provided in the Appendix of this Handbook.

All the required information previously described must be submitted in order for an applicant to be considered by the MSCI-TS Student Admissions Committee.  Requests for an exemption to any of these general admission requirements should be addressed to the CBDS Program Director and sent directly to the CBDS Program Coordinator at the address below.

  1. Completed and submitted GSBS online application.  The GSBS online application can be found on the GSBS homepage. 
  2. Official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended. (Upload documents to Application and Official Documents must be sent to UTHSA Registrar’s office.)
  3. Course by Course Translation of International transcripts to include GPA and U.S. degree equivalency by  foreign credentialing evaluation agency (Preferred agencies: ECE or WES). (Upload documents to Application and Official Documents must be sent to UTHSA Registrar’s office.)
  4. Official TOEFL or IELTS (academic version) scores taken within the past two (2) years for International applicants.
  5. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation attesting to the applicant's readiness for graduate level studies in biomedical data science.  These letters should be uploaded to the Recommendation Form by the individual recommenders who will receive an email from the online application system (EMBARK) with a link to the Recommendation Form. 
    • Students from a GSBS graduate program who have a Supervising Professor are required to submit one (1) of the three (3) letters from their Supervising Professor with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CBDS educational activities.
    • Residents or fellows in an approved Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï residency or fellowship program are required to submit one (1) of the three (3) letters from the departmental chair with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CBDS educational activities.
    • Íø±¬³Ô¹Ï faculty and staff are required to submit one of the three (3) letters from their authorized supervisor with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CBDS educational activities.
  6. A Statement of Purpose (a.k.a. Personal Statement) (1-2 pages) that includes a brief description of the applicant’s educational background. The applicant should express their long-term research/ career goals, and clearly state how the CBDS program will fit in with and enhance their career objectives. The Statement of Purpose should be submitted with the online application to the GSBS. 
  7. A current curriculum vitae.  This should be submitted with the online application to the GSBS.  
  8. Copy of U.S. Medical License/Certificate for licensed health care professionals.

Application Review

After receipt of the online application together with all the required admission materials outlined above, the Admissions Review Committee and the MSCI-TS Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) will review and provide an admission recommendation to the Graduate School for Biomedical Data Science. 

The Admissions Review Committee will review each application individually and will consider: the applicant’s undergraduate and graduate course work and degree(s) and, if applicable, TOEFL or IELTS (academic version) tests, research experience, and all other required documentation submitted with the online application or sent directly to the Academic Program Coordinator. Research experience is not required but may be beneficial.  

After sequential review by the Admissions Review Committee and the MSCI-TS COGS, applicants will be formally notified of the outcome by the Graduate School for Biomedical Science office. The MSCI-TS COGS recommends admission to the most highly qualified applicants regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, the nation of origin, or disability.  

Transcripts

As described in the online application for admission into the GSBS, official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended by the applicant are required, as well as official TOEFL or IELTS (academic version) test scores.  

Additionally, all transcripts from international institutions must be evaluated/translated and submitted by a  international (preferably by WES or ECE).  

Finally, for healthcare professionals applying to the program, a copy of the applicant’s medical license or other professional accreditation should also be submitted.