School of Medicine

Departmental E-mail:   anatinfo@iu.edu

Departmental URL:   https://medicine.iu.edu/departments/anatomy-cell-biology/

(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)

Curriculum

Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

Degrees Offered

Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

Special Departmental Requirements

(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)

Admission Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a strong background in the sciences. Candidates should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (B) overall, and 3.0 in science courses. The Graduate Record Examination General Test or Medical College Admission Test is required. Test of English as a Foreign Language is required of international applicants. It is preferable that graduate study be started in the fall semester. A personal interview may be requested. Applicants will be notified of departmental action by April 15.

Master of Science Degree

The M.S. degree in Anatomy & Cell Biology is offered in two different learning tracks that prepare students for successful careers in either research or education. This is an independent degree and not required as a prerequisite for the doctoral degrees. Both tracks require a total of 30 credit hours for the degree.

Course Requirements for Research Track M.S.

This two-year program is designed for individuals who wish to pursue careers in biomedical research and can serve as either a terminal degree or as preparation for PhD studies. Program applicants must have completed a comprehensive series of graduate-level courses on the fundamentals of modern research biology (including GRDM-G715, GRDM-G716, GRDM-G717, GRDM-G817, GRDM-G855, GRDM-G505) as well as two years of ANAT-D861 (seminar), electives, and at least 12 hours of ANAT-D860 (research) with completion of a laboratory-based thesis or research paper. Participation in this program does not require the traditional anatomical courses. Applications for the Research Track are considered only after the potential student reaches a mentoring agreement with a faculty member with whom the research work will be done.

Course Requirements for Clinical Anatomy Track M.S.

This one-year non-thesis program provides students with a rigorous background in the traditional anatomical disciplines, coupled with supervised experiences teaching anatomy or conducting anatomy education research. Program requirements include ANAT-D501 (Gross Anatomy), ANAT-D853 (Embryology), ANAT-D502 (Histology), ANAT-D527 (Neuroanatomy), PHSL-F503 (Physiology), BIOC-B500 (Biochemistry), ANAT-D861 (Seminar), and electives. Students must also take either ANAT-D878 (anatomy teaching) or ANAT-D700 (educational research).

Doctor of Philosophy Degree

The Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology offers two Ph.D. tracks.  The Research Track is for students looking to pursue careers in laboratory research and most students enter through the Indiana BioMedical Gateway Program (IBMG), and the Education Track is for students who desire a career focus in anatomical teaching and educational research.

Course Requirements for Research Track Ph.D.

Option 1: A total of 90 credit hours, including Biomedical Science I, II, and III (GRDM-G715, GRDM-G716, GRDM-G717), three research rotations (GRDM-G718), Research Communications (GRDM-G655), Research Ethics (GRDM-G505), Reagent Validation (GRDM-507), Statistics (GRDM-G855), Seminar (ANAT-D861, in second year and each year following), and two courses in the anatomical sciences (selected from ANAT-D501, ANAT-D502, ANAT-D527, ANAT-D701)or one course in the anatomical sciences and two courses in cell biology (selected from GRDM-G817, GRDM-G819, GRDM-G852, or from a list of approved neuroscience courses).  A minimum of 32 credit hours must be in courses other than dissertation research and lab rotations.

Option 2: A total of 90 credit hours, including four courses in the anatomical sciences (selected from ANAT-D501, ANAT-D502, ANAT-D527, ANAT-D701, ANAT-D853, GRDM-G817), Seminar (ANAT-D861, each year in the program), Reagent Validation (GRDM-G507), and an approved statistics course.  A minimum of 32 credit hours must be in courses other than dissertation research and lab rotations.

Minor Courses

For both options, a minimum of 12 credit hours of course work other than dissertation research and lab rotations in a related program (e.g., biochemistry, biophysics, education, medical genetics, microbiology,neurobiology, pathology, pharmacology, physiology, statistics, toxicology, or life science). For a minor in life science, at least 6 credit hours must be taken in one department. The minor must be approved by the student’s advisory committee.

Course Requirements for Education Track Ph.D.

A total of 90 credit hours, including all of the following core courses: MED-X620, MED-X630, MED-X660 (or ANAT-D701), MED-X640 (or PHSL-F503), Seminar (ANAT-D861, each year in the program), three teaching rotations (ANAT-D878), Statistics courses (EDUC-Y500, EDUC-Y502 (or PBHL-B551), EDUC-Y604 (or PBHL-B652)), and electives selected in consultation with student’s advisory committee.        

Minor Courses

A minimum of 18 credit hours of education course work, including MSCI-M620 (or SHRS-W672), EDUC-J500, EDUC-P540, EDUC-Y611, EDUC-Y521 (or EDUC-Y520), and one course selected from EDUC-Y525, EDUC-Y603, EDUC-C750, or another education course selected in consultation with student’s advisory committee.        

Other Requirements

Research Track students are required to gain experience in teaching by assisting one semester in one of the departmental courses. Education track students are required to teach at least three semesters in three different departmental courses.

Grades

Overall B (3.0) average in course work and no less than a B- in any required or elective course.

Qualifying Examination

Written and oral, designed to assess the student’s preparedness to carry out a rigorous program of biomedical or educational research

Final Examination

Oral defense of dissertation.

Further details of departmental policies will be made available to the student on request and at the time of enrollment.