Bioinformatics (M.S.)

M.S. in Bioinformatics

Candidates for master's program requirements: 

• A bachelor's degree is required for admission, preferably in a STEM field such as computer science or biology. However, students without prior coursework in these areas are also encouraged to apply and will complete foundation courses to complement their academic background.

Applicants must submit: 

• A completed graduate online application
• Submit an official e-transcript from the institution where your highest degree was earned sent to gofurther@hood.edu
• A statement of intent of no more than 250 words that describes your background, experience and future goals.

GRE or GMAT exams are not required. 

All application materials should be submitted by July 15 for fall admission and December 1 for spring admission. Applications will continue to be reviewed after the deadline on a space-available basis.

Transfer credit policy for admitted students

Students may transfer a maximum of 6 graduate credits from an external, accredited institution, or another Hood graduate program prior to the first semester of study in the current program. Please review the full graduate transfer credit policy in the College catalog.

Students can complete the Bioinformatics M.S. program coursework in approximately two to three years depending on the pace of coursework that they choose. By following these two steps, students can plan on completing the program requirements at a pace that meets their professional needs. 

Step One

Look up the Bioinformatics M.S. program requirements, course descriptions and Graduate School policies and procedures in the College Catalog. 

Step Two

Students should consult their adviser and the course schedule each semester to determine how they will fulfill the program requirements; the program director contact information is located at the bottom of the Bioinformatics M.S. homepage and students' academic advisers are indicated on their letters of admission. These faculty members can assist in planning a program of study based on a student's professional and career goals. All students must consult with their adviser before signing up for any final research project. 

Graduate students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty who can assist in the pursuit of academic and professional goals. Students are encouraged to get to know their faculty advisers and course professors to make the most of their graduate school experience.

The 33-credit M.S. in Bioinformatics includes options for a 3-credit capstone project or a 6-credit thesis. All of the classes are taught in the evening by experts in the field who interact personally with their students. The degree includes a required “gateway” foundational course that differs according to the student’s background in either biology or computer science. The coursework includes the following:

Initial courses cover public databases and applications, database management/data mining, programming for bioinformatics, statistics and analysis of genomic, proteomic and data modeling. Under the program’s “dual-gateway” format:

• Candidates who have strong biology backgrounds begin by enrolling in a “gateway” foundation course in computer science.
• Candidates who have strong computational backgrounds, but lack the understanding of life science and ‘-omics’ projects, enroll first in a foundation course that introduces the basics of cell biology and genome science.
• Electives are centered on specific applications and tools and emphasize the synergy and integration of multiple approaches and platforms as solutions to bioinformatics challenges.
• A team-based research project, linked where possible with local research labs and companies, culminates the program. Students are required to develop the research questions; collect and analyze the primary data; coalesce and synthesize the material into a final product; and report their findings back to the partner institution. 

Required courses (24 credits required)

Elective Courses (3-6 credits required)

Students electing to pursue the Capstone path (BIFX 579), will complete two elective courses (6 credits). Students electing to pursue the thesis path (BIFX 580A and B), will complete one elective course (3 credits).

Capstone or Thesis

Students may elect to complete Hood’s 15-credit bioinformatics certificate and then apply those credits* toward the M.S. degree.

Students gain sound, practical knowledge in the following areas:

• Programming languages foundations – R, UNIX/Linux, Python
• Algorithm development and testing
• Modeling biological systems
• Molecular structure analysis
• Data management
• Structural bioinformatics
• Database systems and SQL
• Machine learning
• Bioinformatics sequence analysis and comparative genomics
• Systems and integrative biology
• Use of publicly available databases and analysis tools
• Leadership and project management skills

Graduates are well-prepared for diverse and expanding career opportunities. These include vital roles in biotechnology (gene editing and synthetic biology), healthcare (precision medicine and diagnostics), the pharmaceutical industry (drug discovery and clinical trials), and government-sponsored research (genomic studies and public health). Hood College's strong ties to the bioinformatics community in Frederick County and the greater Baltimore/Washington area provide students with extensive networking opportunities and exposure to various career paths. 

Experiential learning

Students are strongly encouraged to pursue experiential learning with local research labs and biotechnology companies. Coursework emphasizes the leadership and project management training needed in the team-based environment of bioinformatics research today. In addition, students have access to a laboratory information management system with features that support modern laboratory operations.