Master of Science in Biology of Health Degree Program Overview

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MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY OF HEALTH DEGREE PROGRAM PROPOSAL NJIT FACULTY SENATE PRESENTATION DR. DIRK BUCHER May 11, 2021 4/12/2025 2

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY OF HEALTH DEGREE PROGRAM PROPOSAL Will begin recruiting in Fall 2021 for the first cohort to begin in Summer 2022. Offers a wide range of foundational biomedical courses at the graduate level, which will enhance the academic records of students, as well as a range of graduate level courses with more specific medical and applied health science content that will broaden the students' outlook and understanding of medical and related professions. Integrates with NJIT's existing pre-heath advising program, especially the intensive application mentoring that has yielded great success with our undergraduate students (an acceptance rate of 89% over the last eight years). 4/12/2025 3

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW FALL SEMESTER (15 CREDIT HOURS) BIOL 644 Human Anatomy BIOL 646 Physiological Mechanisms BIOL 650 Endocrinology CHEM 673 Biochemistry Elective I Choose from list SPRING SEMESTER (15 CREDIT HOURS) BIOL 628 Cell Biology of Disease PTC 660 Medical Ethics Elective II Choose from list Elective III Choose from list Elective IV Choose from list 4/12/2025 4

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW ELECTIVES NEUROSCIENCE ELECTIVES* BIOL 635 Intro. to Computational Neuroscience BIOL 636 Advanced Computational Neuroscience BIOL 640 Cellular Neurophysiology BIOL 641 Systems Neuroscience BIOL 648 Neuropathology R120 517 Developmental Neurobiology * students must take at least neuroscience one (1) course MEDICAL & APPLIED SCIENCE ELECTIVES BIOL 606 Applied Bioprocessing & Immune Based Therapies BIOL 643 Biology of Addiction BIOL 653 Medical Genetics & Genomics BIOL 668 Evolutionary Medicine BIOL 725 Independent Study BME 650 Clinical Physiology & Neurophysiology BME 668 Medical Imaging Systems BME 671 Biomechanics of Human Structure and Motion EVSC 616 Toxicology MATH 654 Clinical Trials Design and Analysis PTC 640 Health Communications FOUNDATIONAL ELECTIVES BIOL 610 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy BIOL 612 Comparative Animal Physiology BIOL 645 Biological Imaging Techniques BIOL 672 Computational Systems Biology MATH 615 Quantitative Analysis in the Life Sciences R120 515 Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes R120 524 Cell, Molecular, & Developmental Biology 4/12/2025 5

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY OF HEALTH EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT Prior to approval, the State of New Jersey mandates that all new programs are evaluated by an expert in the field. Dr. Joseph Stabile, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and Professor of Biology at Iona College in New Rochelle, NY. Site visit and interviews took place virtually on Friday, March 5, 2021. 4/12/2025 6

EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT OVERALL RECOMMENDATION New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) proposes the establishment of Master of Science in Biology of Health (MSBH). The proposed program is well-conceived and builds on the existing academic strengths of current programs and health professions advisement structure. I strongly recommend approval with minor modifications of NJIT s MSBH program. NJIT is well positioned to create a distinctive program that will help students pursue careers in medicine and other health professions. The Biology faculty and Administration of NJIT are committed to developing a rigorous academic master s program built on student-centered faculty, a strong assessment plan, an excellent personalized advising structure and commitment to diversity and inclusion. The majority of post baccalaureate programs in the New Jersey New York region are designed for students changing careers. MSBH is designed as a record enhancement program. As such it has the potential to create a niche in a competitive regional market due to the strengths of its academic program and advising structure. Dr. Joseph Stabile, External Consultant Report, p. 2 4/12/2025 7

EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE The institutional response addresses all eight (8) of the recommendations made in the report: 1. Identification of program type 2. Admissions requirements 3. Virtual anatomy laboratory 4. Support for Director of Pre-Health Programs 5. Involvement of the Office of Informational Services & Technology 6. Library utilization 7. Curriculum 8. Marketing 4/12/2025 8

EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT INSTITUIONAL RESPONSE IDENTIFICATION OF PROGRAM TYPE Dr. Stabile observes that the MSBH needs to be clearly identified as either a career changer program or record enhancer program for the AAMC (p.3). As he notes later in his report, [b]ased on the curriculum and interviews with NJIT Biology faculty and Administrators, the program is clearly for record enhancement (p. 6). When it comes time to register the program as a post-baccalaureate premedical program (PBPP) on the website of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), we will specify that the program focus is academic record enhancement. Furthermore, it is worth noting that labeling the program as an academic record-enhancer does not preclude New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) from developing a complementary career-changer PBPP at a later date. 4/12/2025 9

EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT INSTITUIONAL RESPONSE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS Elaborate the program s admissions standards. Admission requirements have been further explicated. REQUIRED COURSEWORK General biology (with corequisite labs) General chemistry (with corequisite labs) General physics (with corequisite labs) Organic chemistry (with corequisite labs)1 Composition2 RECOMMENDED COURSEWORK Anatomy Biochemistry Calculus Genetics Physiology Psychology Sociology Statistics NUMBER OF SEMESTERS 2 semesters 2 semesters 2 semesters 2 semesters 2 semesters 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 Biochemistry may be substituted for second semester of organic chemistry lecture. 2 Upper-division intensive writing courses may be substituted for 1 or 2 semester(s) of composition. 4/12/2025 10

EXTERNAL CONSULTANT REPORT INSTITUIONAL RESPONSE VIRTUAL ANATOMY LABORATORY The program requires courses in anatomy (BIOL 650: Human Anatomy) and physiology (BIOL 644: Physiological Mechanisms). In support of this endeavor, Dr. Stabile writes, NJIT should develop a state-of-the-art virtual anatomy laboratory (p. 8). We strongly concur with this recommendation and NJIT s senior administration is committed to providing the startup capital to invest in such a resource. Such laboratory upgrades will also positively impact undergraduate students, who currently lack direct institutional access to this type of coursework (whether at the undergraduate or graduate level). We envision the development of a virtual anatomy laboratory as key component critical to the program s long-term success. 4/12/2025 11

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIOLOGY OF HEALTH DEGREE PROGRAM PROPOSAL Next steps Comments or questions 4/12/2025 12

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