Medical Sciences (MS)

Admission Requirements:

Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer appropriate strengths.

Expected Minimum Requirements for Admission into the Medical Sciences Program - Admissions decisions are made by the Medical Sciences Program Committee. Students will be admitted to the program based on enrollment availability and their ability to meet the following minimum recommended entrance requirements:

• BS, equivalent degree or post-baccalaureate certificate in a laboratory profession (such as medical laboratory sciences, biotechnology, cytogenetic technology or cytotechnology; other laboratory professionals may be eligible, based on training and experience) from an accredited college or university.
• The GRE is not required, TOFEL requirements are described in detail below for international applicants.
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Written statement of goals and objectives (the personal statement) that clearly identifies the applicant’s research and curriculum interests and explains how admission to the program will facilitate their professional objectives.
• Current résumé and two letters of recommendation.

All students will be expected to be sufficiently conversant in English and knowledgeable in the written word to convey clear, logical and complex written expressions.

Admission Procedures - Applicants must submit all of the following items directly to the University Office of Graduate Studies using the online admission process before admission can be considered:

1. A completed application should be submitted no later than February 1 for the fall semester, and October 1 for the spring semester to ensure consideration.
2. A nonrefundable application fee must be submitted with the application. Credit card payment is accepted with the online application. Checks must be payable to the University of Delaware. Applications received without the application fee will not be processed. International students paying by check must use a check drawn on a US bank or an International Postal Money Order.
3. Applicants must submit responses to specific questions asked on the application; a resume; and a statement of professional goals and objectives.
4. Applicants must submit at least two letters of recommendation. All letters of recommendation should be mailed directly to the Office of Graduate Studies.
5. One official transcript of all US colleges and universities attended must be sent directly from the institution to the Office of Graduate Studies or be provided in a sealed 6 6 envelope with the application packet. Students who have attended the University of Delaware need not supply a transcript from Delaware.
6. One official transcript of all non-US based college and university records is required. The transcript must list all classes taken and grades earned. If the transcript does not state that the degree has been awarded, send a degree certificate that states that the degree has been awarded. If the degree has not been awarded or the degree certificate has not been issued, evidence of the awarded degree must be provided prior to the first day of classes in the term of admission. For institutions that issue documents only in English, send the English original. For institutions that issue documents both in English and a foreign language, send both the English language original and the foreign language original. For institutions that issue documents only in a foreign language, send the foreign language original and a certified translation in English. The translation must be certified by an official of the issuing institution, a state- or court-appointed translator, or the Embassy of the issuing country in the United States. If it is necessary to send non-original documents: a. The documents must be original “attested copies”, officially attested to by the issuing institution or the Embassy of the using country in the United States, and b. Certified translations must be originals, no copies will be accepted.
7. International student applicants must demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language if English is not the first language. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is offered by the ETS in test centers throughout the world. The University requires an official paper-based TOEFL score of at least 550 or at least 79 on the Internet-based TOEFL for an applicant to be considered for admission. TOEFL scores more than two years old cannot be validated or considered official.
8. International students must be offered admission to the University and provide evidence of adequate financial resources before a student visa will be issued. The 7 7 University has been authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. International students are required to purchase the University-sponsored insurance plan or its equivalent.
9. All first-time international students are required to attend the Orientation Day for new international students, which takes place before classes begin.
10. It is a Delaware State Board of Health regulation and a University of Delaware mandate that all graduate students with a birth date after January 1, 1957, be immunized for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Also, students may be required to provide evidence of PPD (Mantoux) Tuberculosis Screening Test within 6 months prior to beginning classes. Students who are admitted beginning January 2002 are required to show proof of vaccination against meningococcal disease unless granted a waiver. Students should refer to and complete the Student Health Service Immunization Documentation form upon admission. Admission Application Processing - Applications will be processed as they are submitted. The admission process is completed as follows: First, completed applications consisting of the application form, undergraduate/graduate transcripts, letters of recommendations, resume, statement of purpose, and written statement of goals and objectives are reviewed by the Program Committee of the Medical Sciences Program. The Program Committee arrives at an admission decision after reviewing the completed application. Students are notified in writing of the admissions decision within two weeks of the decision. There is only one category of admission - there is no provisional admission to the MMS. Nota bene - admission to the MS in Medical Sciences does not confer admission to the Ph.D. in Medical Sciences, which is a distinct graduate program offered through the College of Health Sciences.

Program Requirements:

The MS in Medical Sciences (MMS) is built on 32-34 graduate credits that include both core courses, fieldwork experiences and individualized concentration electives. The curriculum can be completed in as little as three semesters (accelerated format), in a traditional four semester format, or in an extended part-time format over the course of six-semesters.