The Master of Science (MS) program is designed to be completed in two academic years. Most trainees are able to complete all requirements within seven academic quarters, although occasionally students take extra time to complete their original research.
Courses
At least 38 quarter-units of coursework are needed for graduation. Trainees will take the majority of their coursework in the first year allowing for focus on performing independent research in the second year. Grading policy is determined by the UCSF Graduate Division. In particular, scholars should note that UCSF graduate students must maintain at least a 3.0 (B average) and that letter grades cannot be converted to "S/U" after the deadline for the respective quarter. It is the policy of the TICR Program that one "C" grade or less (or one "U" grade) will trigger a discussion between the program director and the student about the expected level of performance in the program. Two or more grades of "C" or less (or two or more "U" grades) will trigger a formal review by the program and the chair of the scholars’ Master’s Committee. This formal review will develop an individualized remediation plan to address the deficiencies. A memorandum of understanding will be generated that clearly outlines specific steps and associated timeline that the scholar must fulfill in order to return to satisfactory performance. The memorandum will be signed by the following parties: the scholar, the Master’s Committee chair, and the program director. Should a scholar be unable to fulfill the expectations according to the timeline outlined in the memorandum, the student will be subject to dismissal from the program.
Policies and procedures governing graduate study at UCSF may be found at the Graduate Division website.
Course Registration: All students matriculated in the Master's in Clinical & Epidemiological Research Degree program must follow the registration process established by the UCSF Office of Admissions and Registrar. Please refer to the Office of Admissions and Registrar website for further information about the registration process, deadlines for filing study lists, adding/dropping courses, and other matters.
Sample Course Schedule - for students entering Summer 2024
| Year 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Winter | Spring |
|
(EPI 204 — Clinical Epidemiology (3))* EPI 221 — Master's Seminar II (1) EPI 300 - Educational Practice (2)** (summer or fall) |
EPI 221 — Master's Seminar II (1) EPI 300 - Educational Practice (2)**
|
EPI 221 — Master's Seminar II (1) EPI 300 - Educational Practice (2)**
|
Highly Recommended Electives:
EPI 205 — Clinical Trials (2)
BIOSTAT 210 — Biostatistical Methods for Clinical Research IV (2)
Electives can be taken during any quarter.
* MS students can opt to take EPI 204 in MS year 1 or MS Year 2
** Educational Practice assignments will be made in May of year 1. Students may complete assignments during one quarter of the 2nd year.
Required and Elective Courses (students beginning Summer 2024)
Course Requirements for students who entered prior to Summer 2024.
Sample Course Schedule (currently being updated with 2024 revisions)
2024-2025 Schedule Overview
Tracks
The MS program currently has three optional tracks of specialized instruction in which scholars can elect to enroll:
Scholars in these tracks will be required to take the core set of courses in epidemiological and biostatistical methods that underlie clinical research and will use their elective courses for focused instruction in their track’s specific objectives. If you are opting to complete one of these tracks, please visit their pages for specific course details. Scholars may choose to join these tracks at any time during their residency in the program.
*enrollment in this track (or courses) is not guaranteed due to high demand