phd in biomedical sciences fiu

TOTAL DEGREE HOURS: 120 Plans of Study

The Biomedical Sciences degree serves as a gateway into a variety of health-professional programs such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Physician Assistant. Required courses include Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Physics. This degree provides the flexibility to choose advanced-level science coursework based on academic and professional interests. Students contemplating graduate study should pursue a major in the discipline of their interest, such as Biology, Chemistry, or Microbiology.

University Admissions - College of Arts and Sciences

Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:

Freshman: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/requirements-deadlines.aspx

Transfer: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/transfer/admission-information/index.aspx

International: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/international/admission-information/index.aspx

For Admission information specific to the College of Arts and Sciences, see the information at College of Arts and Sciences   .

Progression Requirement - College of Arts and Sciences

All students in the below listed programs must successfully complete the below science and math coursework without earning three (3) D and/or F grades. Students unable to successfully complete these courses within these prescribed parameters will be required to select a different major and will not be permitted to take any additional courses offered by the below Departments/Divisions. In addition, registration for all courses offered by these departments will be dependent on students meeting the prescribed parameters regardless of their major. Grade Forgiveness will NOT apply to the mandated requirement of changing majors.

Included Departments/Divisions:

• Effective Fall 2022: Department of Physics* and all other Departments/Divisions continued from Fall 2018.
• Effective Fall 2018: Division of Health Professions Advising; Department of Chemistry; Department of Molecular Biosciences; and Department of Integrative Biology.

Furthermore, any student who requests a change of major to one offered in the above identified departments will be required to meet these prescribed parameters as well as those criteria outlined in the Degree Progression Policy 10-505 . Students who are able to complete a major in one of the above Departments/Divisions by earning fewer credit hours than required to complete any other major offered at USF may petition to request an exception to the D/F Policy and should contact the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Advising Office ( [email protected] ) for instructions.

*Students who are redirected from one of the above Departments/Divisions as a result of the D/F Policy may pursue the following degrees offered by the Department of Physics: B.S. Physical Sciences and B.A. Physical Sciences.

Included courses:

• Biology:   BSC 2010   ; BSC 2011   ; BSC 2085   ;  BSC 2086   ; BSC 2093C   ; BSC 2094C   ; BSC 2932   ;  MCB 3020   ; PCB 3023   ; PCB 3063   .
• Chemistry:   BCH 3053   ;  CHM 2023   ; CHM 2045   ; CHM 2046   ; CHM 2210   ; CHM 2211   ; CHS 2440   .
• Mathematics & Statistics:   MAT 1033   ;  MAC 1105   ; MAC 1147   ; MAC 2241   ; MAC 2242   ; MAC 2281   , MAC 2282   , MAC 2311   ; MAC 2312   ;  STA 2023   . 
• Physics:   PHY 2053   ; PHY 2054   ; PHY 2048   ; PHY 2049   ; PHY 2060   ; PHY 2061   ; PHY 3101   ; PHZ 3113   .

Graduation Requirements - College of Arts and Sciences

Satisfactory completion of the following requirements:

• Students must complete all State and University level graduation requirements.
• The College may approve an exception when a student has successfully earned the minimum grade required for all courses applied in the major but does not have a major GPA of 2.0.
• Physical Education coursework is limited to two (2) semester hours.
• ROTC courses that are primarily physical training and field experiences will not be applied to College of Arts and Sciences degree programs. All other military Science coursework will apply, in particular, coursework utilized toward completing an established ROTC minor will be applied to the total hours toward degree. 
• When earning a second degree, double major or concurrent degree, the Major Core and Major Elective/Concentration areas of the degree audit must not overlap for both degrees.  All other areas of the degree audit may have overlapping credit hours applied.
• Maximum of 20 hours of S/U option. S/U contracts must be negotiated in writing within the first three (3) weeks of the term. None of the 20 credits may be taken in the student’s major unless S/U is the only grading option. Coursework fulfilling the General Education Core Curriculum Requirements and the State Communication Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Writing) and State Computation Requirement (formerly known as Gordon Rule Math) may not be taken S/U.
• The Audit option is available only during the first 5 days of classes.
• Complete all major course requirements.
• College of Arts and Sciences students are expected to complete a minimum of 50% of their major and/or minor coursework in residence at USF. Some College of Arts and Sciences Departments/programs/majors have established additional major course hours to be taken in residency at USF. See the major or program section of the catalog for these credit-hour requirements.

Required Courses: (63 credit hours)

State mandated common course prerequisites - biomedical sciences b.s. (42 credit hours).

Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program. 

Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program. 

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C- is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

• BSC X010C OR (BSC X010 AND BSC X010L) - 4 credit hours
• BSC X011C OR (BSC X011 AND BSC X011L) - 4 credit hours
• CHM X045C OR (CHM X045 AND CHM X045L) - 4 credit hours
• CHM X046C OR (CHM X046 AND CHM X046L) - 4 credit hours
• CHM X210C OR (CHM X210 AND CHM X210L) - 5 credit hours
• CHM X211C OR (CHM X211 AND CHM X211L) - 5 credit hours
• PHY X053C AND PHY X054C - 8 credit hours  OR
• (PHY X048 AND PHY X048L) AND (PHY X049 AND PHY X049L) - 8 credit hours OR
• (BSC X093 AND BSC X093L) AND (BSC X094 AND BSC X094L) - 8 credit hours  OR
• BSC X093C AND BSC X094C - 8 credit hours  OR
• BSC X085C AND BSC X086C - 8 credit hours  OR
• ( BSC X085 AND BSC X085L) AND (BSC X086 AND BSC X086L) - 8 credit hours  OR
• PHY X048C AND PHY X094C - 10 credit hours​​​​​​​
• MAC X241  OR MAC X281 OR MAC X311 - 3-4 credit hours
• MAC X242  OR MAC X282 OR MAC X312 OR STA X023 OR STA X014 - 3-4 credit hours

State Mathematics Pathway – Biomedical Sciences B.S. (6 Credit Hours)*

The Biomedical Sciences B.S. uses the Statistical Reasoning Mathematics Pathway with the following requirements:

• MAC 2241 - Life Sciences Calculus I Credit(s): 3 **
• STA 2023 - Introductory Statistics I Credit(s): 3 ***

* Mathematics Pathway courses count towards the State Common Prerequisite math courses and are not additional credits ** Any of the MAC X311or MAC X281 courses taken for state common prerequisites can meet this requirement *** Any of the STA X014, MAC X242, MAC X312 or MAC X282 courses taken for state common prerequisites can meet this statistics requirement

Major Core Courses: 3 courses; 7-8 credit hours

• BCH 3053 - General Biochemistry Credit(s): 3

Then choose from one of the following options:

• MCB 3020 - General Microbiology Credit(s): 3
• MCB 3020L - General Microbiology Laboratory Credit(s): 1

                                                      Or

Take one of the following courses:

• PCB 3023 - Cell Biology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 3063 - General Genetics Credit(s): 3

AND one of the following labs:

• BCH 3023L - Basic Biochemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 2
• PCB 3023L - Cell Biology Laboratory Credit(s): 1
• PCB 3063L - General Genetics Laboratory Credit(s): 1

Major Electives Courses: 5 courses; 14 credit hours

Minimum of 14 credit hours (5 courses) from the following to include:

• Biology course (3 hour minimum lecture course)
• Chemistry course (3 hour minimum lecture course)
• Biology or Chemistry course (3 hour minimum lecture course)
• Biology or Chemistry Lab (1 hour minimum)
• Additional Biology or Chemistry elective (4 hours minimum)

NOTE: Biology and Chemistry courses must be selected from the approved lists.  

Biology Courses

• BOT 3850 - Medical Botany Credit(s): 3
• MCB 3410 - Cell Metabolism Credit(s): 3
• MCB 4115 - Medical Bacteriology Credit(s): 3
• MCB 4115L - Determinative Bacteriology Laboratory Credit(s): 2
• MCB 4404 - Microbial Physiology and Genetics Credit(s): 3
• MCB 4404L - Microbial Physiology and Genetics Laboratory Credit(s): 1
• MCB 4503 - Virology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 3712 - General Physiology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 3713L - General Physiology Laboratory Credit(s): 1
• PCB 4109 - Cancer Biology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 4234 - Principles of Immunology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 4402 - Disease Ecology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 4522C - Experimental Genetics and Cell Biology Credit(s): 3
• PCB 4744 - Biomedical Physiology Credit(s): 3
• ZOO 3713C - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Credit(s): 4
• ZOO 4233 - Parasitology Credit(s): 3
• ZOO 4753 - Human Histology & Molecular Pathology of Disease Credit(s): 3

Chemistry Courses

• BCH 3023L - Basic Biochemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 2 *
• BCH 4033 - Advanced Biochemistry I Credit(s): 3
• BCH 4034 - Advanced Biochemistry II Credit(s): 3
• CHM 3120C - Elementary Analytical Chemistry Credit(s): 4
• CHM 3415C - Physical Chemistry Methods Credit(s): 4
• CHM 3610 - Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 3610L - Intermediate Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 1
• CHM 3941 - Peer Leading in Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4060 - Use of Chemical Literature Credit(s): 1
• CHM 4133 - Mass Spectrometry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4230 - Spectroscopic Analysis of Organic Compounds Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4252 - Advanced Organometallic Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4254 - Advanced Organic Chemistry I Synthesis Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4260 - Advanced Organic Chemistry II Physical-Organic Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4274 - Introduction to Drug Discovery Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4292 - Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4300 - Biomolecules I Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4307 - Bio-Organic Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4410 - Physical Chemistry I Credit(s): 4
• CHM 4410L - Physical Chemistry Laboratory Credit(s): 1
• CHM 4411 - Physical Chemistry II Credit(s): 4
• CHM 4413 - Biophysical Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4455 - Chemistry of High Polymers Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4714 - Chemistry of Advanced Materials Credit(s): 3
• CHM 4932 - Selected Topics in Chemistry Credit(s): 1-3 **
• CHS 4300 - Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry Credit(s): 3
• CHS 4301L - Clinical Laboratory Credit(s): 2

*  BCH 3023L    satisfies “Biology or Chemistry Lab” or “Additional Biology or Chemistry Elective” requirements only.

** Contact Advisor for approval for  CHM 4932  

Additional Information - Biomedical Sciences B.S.

Gpa requirement.

Major GPA (all USF courses which are applied to major requirements):  2.0

Gen Ed GPA (all USF courses which are applied to gen ed requirements):   2.0

USF GPA:  2.0

Overall GPA 2.0

Grading Requirement

A grade of C- (1.67) or better to meet major course requirements unless specified elsewhere.   All courses in any Chemistry major must be taken with letter grade (A, B, C, D, F, I), except those courses which are graded S/U only.

Note:  Some USF courses have higher grade criteria to meet prerequisite knowledge necessary for progression into higher level courses.

Residency Requirement

Department Major Academic Residency Requirement -  

• At least seven (7) credits of Chemistry coursework, upper or lower level, must be completed at USF, and
• At least 12 credit hours of major-applicable, upper-level natural science courses must be completed at USF.

College Academic Residency Requirement - Interdisciplinary majors do not have an additional college academic resident requirement. 

USF Academic Residency Requirement - 30 of the last 60 hours earned must be from USF.

Other Requirements

No duplicate credit allowed.

Other Program Information

General Electives . Courses over and above the required courses should be taken to complete a 120 hour program. Additional courses in computer programming, economics, management, engineering, statistics, writing, and other applied disciplines are strongly recommended to strengthen the degree for subsequent professional employment.

Transfer Credit:  It is strongly recommended that students transferring from community/state colleges to the University of South Florida complete whole sequences of chemistry courses, such as general and organic chemistry, before they transfer. Even though courses may carry the same common course number, topics covered may vary significantly from school to school.

Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways

Students majoring in Biomedical Sciences have the option to pursue one of the following Bachelor’s/Master’s Pathways:

• B.S. Biomedical Sciences/MD Medicine
• B.S. Biomedical Sciences/PharmD Pharmacy

For more information, see the Graduate Catalog .

Research Opportunities

Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit  IDS 4914     course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The  Office of Undergraduate Research  is able to assist with further inquiries.

Advising Information - College of Arts and Sciences

Undergraduate Advising Information

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) Advising Team provides students with support to create timely graduation plans that will integrate both their academic and professional goals.  Each of our undergraduate programs has dedicated professional advisors with specialized knowledge and understanding of the major requirements, course offerings, undergraduate research, and career opportunities in their field.  Additionally, we have dedicated pre-health and prelaw advisors to help students prepare for admission to professional graduate programs.

CAS Academic Advisor Contact information can be found here: CAS Advisors

To schedule an advising appointment: Advising Appointments

Plans of Study - Biomedical Sciences B.S.

•   Biomedical Sciences B.S. - 2 Year Plan of Study    
•   Biomedical Sciences B.S. - 4 Year Plan of Study (Fall Start)    

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Info Session: Graduate Certificate in Molecular and Biomedical Sciences

This is a past event.

Monday, May 6 at 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Graduate Certificate Program -- GCP 

The  Graduate Certificate in Molecular and Biomedical Sciences  at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is uniquely suited to boost your qualifications for acceptance into the MD or MPAS programs.

Join us for an information session, May 6, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Register in advance for this session:

https://fiu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcemrrTMjH9OUC5DZkjvD5fz5PC1yKosM

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PhD Programs

The Doctor of Philosophy program prepares graduates for careers in academia, industrial research and development, or government. The program is designed to train students for advanced independent research and technical innovation in biomedical engineering.

In general, the department admits three types of students to its PhD program:

• Students with MS degrees in Biomedical Engineering or related science and engineering fields.
• Students with MD degrees with undergraduate degrees in sciences or engineering.
• Highly qualified students with BS degrees in engineering or sciences (direct BS to PhD track).

The requirements include completion of a minimum of 72 course credits, satisfactory completion of a qualifying examination, completion and oral defense of a dissertation research proposal, and completion and oral defense of a dissertation.

Additional information on the PhD program in biomedical engineering, including areas of research, admission criteria, curriculum, advising and graduation requirements can be found in the  Academic Bulletin .

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