2021 - 2022 Program Core Requirements

Program Curriculum

The Master’s Degree requires completion of 45 units and submission of a Master’s thesis. The required core courses are listed below. In order to fulfill the remaining unit requirement, students will enroll in additional COMPMED 260- Laboratory Research units each quarter to receive credit for lab work. If relevant to career goals, students may also enroll in elective courses that are deemed necessary/appropriate by their PI.

Catalog Number

  Course Title

Repeat

Units

COMPMED 200

One Health Journal Club (S. Hestrin; Autumn and Winter)

x2

1

COMPMED 205

Animal Use in Biomedical Research (includes completion of VSC workshops) (M. Albertelli; Spring)

 

4

COMPMED 209

Laboratory Animal Medicine Seminar (DCM faculty; year-long)

  

1

COMPMED 210**

Form and Funkiness of Lab Animals I: Anatomy, Histology and Pathology (J. Vilches-Moure; Winter) Offering 2023-2024

  

4

COMPMED 211**

Robust, reproducible, real-world experimental design and analysis for life and biomedical scientists (J. Garner; Autumn)

  

3

COMPMED 290

Laboratory Animal Science Professional Development and Career Exploration (S. Green; Autumn and Winter)

 

1

COMPMED 291

Masters Research Presentations
(C. Darian-Smith, S. Felt, S. Green; Spring)

 

1

* *Courses must be taken for a letter grade

Research

COMPMED 260

Masters Laboratory Animal Science Practicum/Laboratory Research
(DCM Faculty; year-long)

  

1-18

COMPMED 299

Directed Reading in Comparative Medicine
(DCM Faculty; year long)

  

1-18

Department Electives (not required)

Must obtain approval from PI for any electives

      

COMPMED 114

Wielding White Coat Words: Introduction to Comparative Medical Terminology (D. Bentzel; Winter)

  

3

COMPMED 208

Primate Brain Evolution: An Introduction to who we are
(C. Darian-Smith; Autumn, alternate years)

 

2

Master’s Thesis:

Students must complete a master's thesis, which may take the following form:

  1. Original analysis of original data.
  2. A comprehensive literature review with a meta-analysis of data or a critical reanalysis of data.
  3. Evaluation of a methodological problem using real data.
  4. A comprehensive literature review with a grant proposal (NIH style format) for a new study to bridge a gap in the existing knowledge.

Students typically complete their required courses in 2-3 quarters and spend their final 2 - 3 quarters working on their thesis project.

Updated September 30, 2022