Program Handbook

A Bachelor of Arts or Science degree is required. A completed application packet includes:

• a transcript(s) from every postsecondary institution the applicant has attended 
• three letters of recommendation
• a personal letter stating career objectives and relevant experiences
• resume/cv

Candidates are admitted through the Graduate School Electronic Application Manager System- Slate. Applications are assessed by the NSIM program steering committee.

Matriculating students pursue a course of study that will lead to a Master of Science (MS) degree. The MS degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours and is three semesters long. Students can complete the program in 1-1/2 years, but program duration can be extended.

Research Skills: Students will be able to design, execute, and interpret experiments in their research area of interest.

Research Ethics: Students will be familiar with principles and guidelines for ethical conduct of biomedical research, and competent in applying these to their research and academic practices.

Scientific Communication: Students will develop skills in oral and written communication of scientific ideas and data to audiences that range from

The master’s degree requires a minimum of 36 credit hours that include both coursework and a capstone research project.

Students will be provided with a list of electives when the spring enrollment period starts. Prior to registering for second and third semester courses, students will submit an enrollment form with their courses listed for approval by the director of graduate enrollment.

Students are encouraged to use the HUB student center. Students have self-service access to defined program requirements through their HUB student center via the academic advisement report (AAR). This report is a tool that tracks student progress towards graduation showing how completed courses and future registration will fulfill degree requirements.

Students are expected to obtain a grade of B- or better, in all required courses and to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better. A grade below a B- in required courses will need to be remediated by retaking the course. An overall GPA of lower than 3.0 will result in academic probation. A student on academic probation has 1 semester to bring their GPA to 3.0. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the program.

It is incumbent upon the student to initiate the request for an incomplete grade and to reach an agreement with the instructor regarding completion of the course work. A request for a grade of incomplete will be denied if the instructor believes it is inappropriate. All incomplete grades must be completed within one year.

The purpose of the capstone project for students in the NSIM program is to integrate core concepts in the medical and/or biomedical sciences. This is to be completed in the student’s last semester in the program. However, students can begin work on the project during the second semester of the program.

Project Guidelines:

The capstone project can be based on one of the following projects options:

• meta-analysis of biomedical research publications related to a selected health problem
• summary of an independent research project completed in a Jacobs School laboratory
• research grant proposal 
• individualized project proposal – CTSI community engagement, clinical and translational research, etc.

Students will complete the capstone project agreement with their mentor and submit it to the program director.

When registering for capstone credits, one credit equates to approx. 15 hrs/week dedicated to project (three credits = approx. 45 hours)

At the completion of the capstone project, students will submit a written document (10 pages minimum) that clearly highlights:

• the background and gap in knowledge that led to your research
• the hypothesis or research question that you are addressing
• the methods, results, conclusions, and significance of the research on a broader scale

Mentors will submit the capstone evaluation form with their assessment of their mentee’s project at the end of the semester.

In their final semester, students must apply for graduation in the HUB student center by the deadlines below.

Sick time: Students shall be allowed reasonable medical absences for sickness or treatment.

Maternity or paternity leave: Student maternity or paternity leave will be granted up to 8 weeks continuous absence during which registration will be continued. A more prolonged leave may be negotiated by mutual consent of student and program director.

Petitions must be submitted to the program director and/or the graduate school for the following purposes:

• extension of time limit for completion of degree
  • students must include justifying reasons for an extension beyond three semesters for completion of the MS degree
• leave of absence 

Academic integrity is a fundamental university value. Through the honest completion of academic work, students sustain the integrity of the university and of themselves while facilitating the university's imperative for the transmission of knowledge and culture based upon the generation of new and innovative ideas. For more information, please refer to the Graduate Academic Integrity policy.

If you have any disability which requires reasonable accommodations, you can contact the Office of Accessibility Resources in 60 Capen Hall, 716-645-2608. The office will provide you with information and review appropriate arrangements for accommodations.

UB is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, domestic and dating violence and stalking. If you have experienced gender-based violence (intimate partner violence, attempted or completed sexual assault, harassment, coercion, stalking, etc.), UB has resources to help. This includes academic accommodations, health and counseling services, housing accommodations, helping with legal protective orders, and assistance with reporting the incident to police or other UB officials if you so choose. Please contact UB’s Title IX Coordinator at 716-645-2266 for more information. For confidential assistance, you may also contact a Crisis Services Campus Advocate at 716-796-4399

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning and/or reduce your ability to participate in daily activities. These might include strained relationships, anxiety, high levels of stress, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, health concerns, or unwanted sexual experiences. Counseling, Health Services, and Health Promotion are here to help with these or other concerns. You learn can more about these programs and services by contacting:

Counseling Services: 120 Richmond Quad (North Campus). Phone 716-645-2720 | 202 Michael Hall (South Campus). |hone: 716-829-5800

Health Services: 4350 Maple Rd, Buffalo NY 14226. Phone: 716-829-3316

Health Promotion: 114 Student Union (North Campus). Phone: 716-645-2837

In addition to grievance policies set out by the UB Graduate School, students are encouraged to preemptively address concerns as described below.

The Office of Graduate Education has identified faculty that serve as a Faculty Advocate committee who may be approached by a student to address concerns, facilitate communication, and identify steps that may be taken prior to initiation of steps described in the Graduate School policy. The Faculty Advocate committees will advise the student and will communicate, where appropriate, with the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education.

If the nature of the disagreement is unable to be resolved, or if the student has experienced mistreatment by a faculty member other than their research advisor, the student may choose from the following official channels for reporting and resolution.

MS students are encouraged to report conflicts/mistreatment to their program director or department chair. Should the complaint involve the program director and/or department chair, students are advised to report to the Senior Associate Dean for Biomedical Education, or directly to the Office of the Dean.

Students who feel that they have been subjected to mistreatment and/or conduct which violates of the Learning Environment (LE) Policy, or have witnessed behavior they believe violates the LE policy are encouraged to report the incident on the anonymous UB-wide Ethics Point System.