Master of Science (M.S.) in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

The Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (BCB) Program at Iowa State University is an interdepartmental graduate major offering outstanding opportunities for graduate study. Over 80 nationally and internationally known faculty take part in the BCB program including biologists, computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians, physicists and statisticians - all who participate in a wide range of collaborative research projects. Nearly 50 graduate students in the BCB Program have the opportunity to conduct research, with access to some of the most modern experimental platforms. BCB students are trained to develop an independent and creative approach to science through a highly interdisciplinary curriculum and thesis research projects that include both biological and computational/mathematical components. First-year students are appointed as research assistants and have the opportunity to do research exploration rotations in various laboratories to gain experience in both "wet" and "dry" lab environments before selecting the laboratory in which to do their graduate research. In the second year, students initiate a thesis research project under the guidance of two faculty mentors, one from the biological sciences and one from the quantitative/computational sciences. BCB students are encouraged to participate in internships with academic or industrial partners during their degree program. The M.S. degree is usually completed in two years, respectively.