Bioinformatics (M.S.)

M.S. in Bioinformatics

Candidates for master's program must have completed one of the following: 

• B.A. or B.S. in a life science or computer science field with a GPA of 2.75 or higher
• Bioinformatics certificate from Hood (or be progressing toward the certificate) with a 3.0 or higher
• M.A. or M.S in a biology-related or computer science-related field with a 3.0 or better. 

Applicants must submit: 

• A completed online application.
• One copy of official transcripts from each institution of higher education attended; submit to the Graduate School.
• 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 Dec. 1 for spring admission. Applications will continue to be reviewed after the deadline on a space-available basis.

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 that is based on a student's professional and career goals. All students must consult with their adviser before signing up for any final research project. 

At the Graduate School at Hood College, 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 program includes 18 credits of required coursework, 12 credits of elective coursework and a three-credit capstone project. 

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 (18 credits)

Electives (12 credits)

Capstone (3 credits)

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

*An FAES student may count up to 9 FAES credits toward their BIFX degree or up to 6 credits toward their BIFX certificate, pending approval of the program director.