Master of Science Program in Clinical and Translational
Research
Introduction
The Masters program in Clinical and Translational Research is
designed to prepare health care professionals with the academic
and research skills needed to be competitive for independent
research. The program will focus on the preparation of
individuals with established, terminal degrees in a health
related field (M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D., D.D.S. or D.M.D.) to
conduct independent research in translation of information from
the basic sciences to the community as researchers, teachers,
public health administrators, clinicians, and industry employees
competent to carry out the broad health mission of the State of
Connecticut.
Program Overview
The Master of Science degree program in Clinical and
Translational Research is administered in the Department of
Medicine. The program stresses clinical research methods and
research practicum. The program is offered to individuals with a
health related terminal degree (M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D., D.D.S. or
D.M.D. ) to provide practical research training to be prepared
for independent research. The Master Program is based on both
course work and research experience, but no research thesis is
required. Students will be required to sit for a final
examination, which may entail the oral defense of a grant
application and a manuscript.
Educational Requirements/Admission Criteria
For admission to the Masters Program in Clinical and
Translational Research (MCTR), students must have successfully
obtained a terminal degree in a health-related field, such as an
M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D. D.D.S., or D.M.D. Students who do not have
an established terminal degree must be accepted and in good
standing in a terminal degree granting program in a
health-related field.
GPA of 3.0, transcripts from previous schools attended, two
letters of reference (at least one of which should be an
academic letter), personal statement/letter of intent,
application and fee, TOEFL if applicable. It is possible to have
TOEFL requirement waived and also for exceptions to be made to
the GPA requirement of 3.0. This is done based on a case-by-case
basis. GRE scores are not required.
Courses of Study
Each student’s academic program will be planned jointly by
the student and the student’s major advisor based on academic
and professional background and school requirements. Students
will be required to complete 24 credits, anchored by required
core courses in Clinical and Translational Research (9 credits).
In addition, each student will be required to complete a
3-credit “translational research” course from a list of approved
courses. Completion of one 3-credit elective course from a list
of approved courses will also be required to complete the plan
of study for Clinical and Translational Research. Students will
also be required to complete 9 credits in research to provide
them with competency in the implementation of research methods,
including hypothesis formulation, research design, quantitative
and qualitative methods, data analysis and computer application.
After completion of the course work, students will sit for a
general examination, and will complete a written paper and a
grant proposal.
Student pursuing the MCTR in conjunction with the M.D. or
D.M.D. typically maintain full time status through the School of
Medicine or Dental Medicine and work part-time on the MCTR
portion of the program.
Time to Complete
All work must be completed within three years of the beginning of
study which is defined as the beginning date of the earliest
course, wherever taken, listed on the approved Masters Plan of
Study. Since the three core courses in clinical and
translational research must be taken consecutively, the minimum
timeframe to complete the program is 18 months. Therefore, we
currently do NOT accept students that would require a inflexible
full-time status (eg. due to visa issues).
Requirements for Graduation
Students must have completed all courses on an approved Plan of
Study, have passed the final exam, and have submitted final
copies of the paper and grant required for the final
examination.
Average Annual Number of Classes
Depending on the student’s background and their status in the
program, the number of credit hours taken in one year may range
from 3 to 21. The course of study is tailored to the individual
student.
Average Annual Number of Students
There are on average five students in the Master of Clinical and
Translational Research each year.
Average Annual Number of Teachers
There are approximately 54 faculty members who participate in
the Master of Clinical and Translational Research program. They
are engaged at various levels of teaching courses (approximately
three course offerings per year), supervising independent
studies or thesis research.
Schools Session Base
The Graduate School runs on a semester basis. Students may
register for Master credits during the summer; however, summer
registration is always optional.
Registration Dates
Fall registration begins September and runs through March.
Classes typically begin during the last week of August. For the
most current class schedule, tuition and fee information, please
visit the
Registrar's web page.
Application Process
To apply to the MCTR, you must first submit a letter of
intent, along with a copy of your curriculum vitae, to Ms. Lisa
Godin, via e-mail (Godin@nso.uchc.edu)
which will be reviewed by the MCTR Curriculum Committee. If they
recommend acceptance, the student will be instructed to submit
an application. This is done by completing the application for
admission on the Graduate School website: http://grad.uconn.edu/apply.html.
The documents needed
are as follows:
1. Application for Admission
2. Processing fee
3. Residence Affidavit
4. Official transcript from each college or university attended
5. Official TOEFL or IELTS score if applicable
6. Letters of Recommendation (2 letters of recommendation)
7. Personal Letter of Application
8. Test scores if applicable
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