Curriculum

Link to the Iowa State University Graduate College Handbook

Selection of Major Professor

1.  Students may select a major professor immediately upon entering the department if he or she has a general or specific concept of his or her choice of research area.
2. Students may rotate through the research labs of departmental faculty members to assist the student in selecting a major professor.
   1. Rotations may be taken for credit (BMS 501)
   2. The Director of Graduate Education (DOGE) will serve as a temporary advisor until the major professor is chosen.

Program of Study Committee

1. The Department recommends that the student’s Program of Study (POS) Committee be established during the first year in residence.
2. The POS Committee consists, respectively, of at least 3 or 5 members of the Graduate Faculty.

Program of Study

1. The Program of Study (POS) is developed by the student and their major professor in consultation with the POS Committee and should be submitted for approval by the end of the second semester in residence.
2. The POS form lists courses that the student and the POS Committee have agreed the student must complete for the degree sought.
3. A preliminary research plan should be proposed concurrently with POS form submission.

Required Courses

MS with Thesis:  At least 30 credits of acceptable graduate work must be completed

• 22 of those must be from Iowa State University
• Up to 10 credits of dual listed professional courses may be applied as major graduate credit
• See the course requirements below

Ph.D.: At least 72 credits must be earned for a PhD

• 36 credits, including dissertation research, must be from Iowa State University
• Up to 10 credits of dual listed professional courses may be applied as major graduate credit
• The Academic Plan Committee may require additional courses
• Equivalency of courses are determined by the Academic Plan Committee and submitted to the Department Chair for approval
• Transfer credits (“B” grade or better) from another institution must be listed on the POS form and approved by the POS Committee.

The Ph.D. and MS with thesis programs in Biomedical Sciences is flexible and offers four different areas of specialization and career trajectories

Required Courses for both MS with thesis and Ph.D. students in Biomedical Sciences

• Biochemistry
• BBMB 405 (Biochemistry, 3 Cr.) or
• BBMB 420 (Physiological Chemistry, 3 Cr.) or
• BMS 335 (Molecular and Cellular Basis of Disease, 1 Cr) and BMS 336 (Veterinary Nutrition, 2 Cr)
• Statistics: STAT 587 (Statistical Methods for Research, 4 Cr.) or equivalent
• Literature and Research Review: BMS 688 (2 Cr. for M.S. and 4 Cr. for Ph.D. students)
• Seminar: BMS 698A (1 Cr.) Students are required to take this course each semester during their residence. During the last semester of residence, students are required to present a seminar before their oral final exam.Research: BMS 699 (1-3 Cr.) A) Anatomy, B) Physiology, C) Pharmacology, D) Cell Biology

Required courses for different areas of specialization

Anatomy

• Two from the four following courses:
  • BMS 530 (Principles of Morphology, I, 5 Cr.)
  • BMS 531 (Principles of Morphology, II, 4 Cr.)
  •  BMS 547 (Principles of Anatomy, 4 Cr.)
  • BMS 537 (Neuroanatomy, 3 Cr).
  • Required unless the graduate student has had sufficient formal anatomy training (determined by examinations given by the instructors-in-charge of BMS 530, BMS 531, BMS 537 and BMS 547)

Cell Biology

• BMS 575 (Cell Biology, 3 Cr.) and BMS 533 (Biomedical Sciences I, Cr 6);
• OR BMS 575 (Cell Biology, 3 Cr.) and BMS 538 (Principles of Physiology, 4 Cr.).
• Required unless the graduate student has had sufficient formal training (determined by examinations given by the instructors-in-charge of BMS 575, BMS 533, and BMS 538).

Physiology

• BMS 533 (Biomedical Sciences I, Cr 6) or BMS 534 (Biomedical Sciences II, Cr 6) or BMS 575 (Cell Biology, 3 Cr.
• BMS 538 (Principles of Physiology, 4 Cr).
• Required unless the graduate student has had sufficient formal physiology and cell biology training (determined by examinations given by the instructors-in-charge of BMS 533, BMS 534, BMS 538 and BMS 575).

Pharmacology

• BMS 538 (Principles of Physiology, 5 Cr.)
• BMS 554 (General Pharmacology, 3 Cr) or BMS 539 (Principles of Pharmacology, 4 Cr.)
• Required unless the graduate student has had sufficient formal training in physiology and pharmacology (determined by examinations given by the instructors-in-charge of BMS 554, BMS 538, BMS 533 and BMS 539).