Bioinformatics (MS)
Bioinformatics is a highly interdisciplinary STEM field that integrates computational and statistical methods for analyzing large biological data sets. Bioinformaticians apply their biological and computational sciences backgrounds to develop, utilize, and optimize new computational tools for organizing, synthesizing, and analyzing the rapidly increasing amount of biological and biomedical data.
Prospective students choose between the Thesis-based track and the Non-thesis track.
The Bioinformatics (MS) also offers an Accelerated Master's Pathway for Undergraduate students to complete their Graduate studies in a fifth year. Further details of the AMP, including the suggested sequence of courses, can be found under the Curriculum tab.
Thesis-Based Track
Students will be trained and mentored in conducting independent hypothesis-driven research, including experimental design, data analysis, and interpretation of results. They will also learn scientific writing and presentation design and delivery. After graduation, students are primed for competitive Ph.D. programs and positions at research institutions, in government agencies and other public sectors, as well as in the private sector.
Non-Thesis Track
Students gain real-world experience in an internship environment and are exposed to a breadth of coursework in the field of bioinformatics. At the conclusion of their studies, graduates are competitive for employment in the biotech industry, as well as in bioinformatics positions in academia, government agencies, hospitals, and related public and private institutions.
Related Programs
Curriculum
Degree Requirements
Applicants pursuing the Master of Science in Bioinformatics select the Thesis-based track or the Non-Thesis track. Students must complete 30 credit hours. Six (6) courses, worth a total of 17 credit hours, comprise the Foundational Curriculum, and the remaining 13 credit hours will consist of track-specific courses.
Besides the traditional Master's program, the Bioinformatics (MS) is also offered as an Accelerated Master's Pathway where exceptional students can complete the program in a fifth year. A suggested sequence for the AMP can be found below.
Foundational Curriculum
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 488 | Bioinformatics | 3 |
| COMP 483 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| STAT 437 | Quantitative Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 500 | Advanced Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 501 | Bioinformatics Seminar | 1 |
| BIOI 565 | Exploring Proteins (Fall only) | 3 |
| or CHEM 465 | Special Topics in Biochemistry | |
| Track Specific Courses | 13 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Track Specific Courses
Thesis Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| UNIV 370 | Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship | 0 |
| BIOI 494 | Bioinformatics Research Design | 1 |
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 8 |
| BIOI 595 | Thesis Supervision | 1 |
| + 1 Bioinformatics Elective * | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 13 | |
* Thesis track: No stipulation regarding the department of the Bioinformatics Elective (see list below).
Non-Thesis Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOI 498 | Bioinformatics Internship | 1 |
| + 4 MS Bioinformatics Electives * | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 13 | |
* Non-Thesis Track: Bioinformatics Elective Courses must be selected from at least two departments.
Bioinformatics Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | ||
| BIOL 402 | Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOI 495 | Special Topics in Bioinformatics (Human Genetics) | 3 |
| BIOL 482 | Advanced Molec Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 495 | Special Topics (Genomics - Spring only) | 3 |
| BIOL 495 | Special Topics (Human Molecular Genetics) | 3 |
| BIOL 495 | Special Topics (Metagenomics - Fall only) | 3 |
| Chemistry | ||
| CHEM 425 | Special Topics in Organic Chemistry (Medicinal Chemistry) | 3 |
| CHEM 435 | Special Topics in Physical Chemistry (Computational Biochemistry) | 3 |
| CHEM 455 | Special Topics in Analytical Chemistry (Introduction to Spectroscopy) | 3 |
| CHEM 465 | Special Topics in Biochemistry (Enzymology) | 3 |
| CHEM 465 | Special Topics in Biochemistry (Plant Biochemistry) | 3 |
| CHEM 465 | Special Topics in Biochemistry (Protein Crystallography) | 3 |
| Computer Science | ||
| COMP 406 | Data Mining | 3 |
| COMP 413 | Intermediate Object-Oriented Development | 3 |
| COMP 439 | Distributed Systems | 3 |
| COMP 460 | Algorithms & Complexity | 3 |
| COMP 453 | Database Programming | 3 |
| COMP 471 | Theory of Programming Languages | 3 |
| COMP 479 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| COMP 486 | Computational Neuroscience | 3 |
| Statistics | ||
| STAT 406 | Stochastic Processes | 3 |
| STAT 407 | Statistical Design | 3 |
| STAT 408 | Applied Regression Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 410 | Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 436 | Topics in Biostatistics | 3 |
Suggested Sequence of Courses
Traditional Master's Program
Thesis Track
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hours | |
| UNIV 370 | Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 494 | Bioinformatics Research Design | 1 |
| BIOL 488 | Bioinformatics | 3 |
| CHEM 465 or BIOI 565 |
Special Topics in Biochemistry 1 or Exploring Proteins |
3 |
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 2 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 501 | Bioinformatics Seminar | 1 |
| COMP 483 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| STAT 437 | Quantitative Bioinformatics | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 500 | Advanced Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 3 |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 3 |
| BIOI 595 | Thesis Supervision | 1 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students should register for the "Proteomics" topic if taking CHEM 465. Semester offered varies.
Non-Thesis Track
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| BIOL 488 | Bioinformatics | 3 |
| CHEM 465 or BIOI 565 |
Special Topics in Biochemistry 1 or Exploring Proteins |
3 |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 501 | Bioinformatics Seminar | 1 |
| COMP 483 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| STAT 437 | Quantitative Bioinformatics | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 500 | Advanced Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 498 | Bioinformatics Internship | 1 |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Students should register for the "Proteomics" topic if taking CHEM 465.
Accelerated Master's Pathway
Students can take up to 15 credit hours in the senior year with admission to the AMP. These credits are shared between the Bachelor's and Master's programs.
Thesis Track
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Hours | |
| UNIV 370 | Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 494 | Bioinformatics Research Design | 1 |
| BIOL 488 | Bioinformatics 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 465 or BIOI 565 |
Special Topics in Biochemistry 2 or Exploring Proteins |
3 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 501 | Bioinformatics Seminar | 1 |
| COMP 483 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| STAT 437 | Quantitative Bioinformatics | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Master's | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 500 | Advanced Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 4 |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 499 | Bioinformatics Research | 4 |
| BIOI 595 | Thesis Supervision | 1 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Take another BIOL 400-Level course if BIOL 388 was taken as an undergraduate.
- 2
Students should register for the "Proteomics" topic if taking CHEM 465. Semester offered varies.
Non-Thesis Track
| Senior | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| BIOL 488 | Bioinformatics 1 | 3 |
| CHEM 465 or BIOI 565 |
Special Topics in Biochemistry 2 or Exploring Proteins |
3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI 501 | Bioinformatics Seminar | 1 |
| COMP 483 | Computational Biology | 4 |
| STAT 437 | Quantitative Bioinformatics | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Master's | ||
| Fall | ||
| BIOI 500 | Advanced Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BIOI 498 | Bioinformatics Internship | 1 |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| BIOI Graduate-Level Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- 1
Take another BIOL 400-Level course if BIOL 388 was taken as an undergraduate.
- 2
Students should register for the "Proteomics" topic if taking CHEM 465. Semester offered varies.
Responsible Conduct of Research
All PhD students and students in thesis-based Master's degree programs must successfully complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship or other approved coursework in responsible conduct of research as part of the degree requirements. It is strongly recommended that students complete this two-day training before beginning the dissertation/thesis stage of the program.
Guidelines for Accelerated Master's Pathways
In Accelerated Master’s Pathways, students share limited, authorized credits between their Undergraduate and Graduate degrees to facilitate completion of both degrees in a shorter amount of time. Shared credits are Graduate level credit hours (400-level or higher) taken during the Undergraduate career and then applied both to the Undergraduate degree and towards Graduate program requirements.
Admission and Matriculation
Accelerated Master's Pathways are designed to enhance opportunities for advanced training for Loyola’s Undergraduates. Admission to these programs is competitive and will depend upon a positive review of credentials by the Graduate program. Accordingly, the admission requirements for these programs may be higher than those required if the Master’s degree were pursued entirely after the receipt of a Bachelor’s degree.
Students enrolled in an Accelerated Master's Pathway who choose not to continue to the Master’s degree program upon completion of the Bachelor’s degree will face no consequences.
Ideally, a student will apply for admission to an AMP program as they approach 90 credit hours in their Undergraduate career.
Students will not officially matriculate into the Master’s degree program and be labeled as a Graduate student by the university, with accompanying changes to tuition and Financial Aid (see below), until the Undergraduate degree has been awarded. Once admitted to the Graduate program, students must meet the academic standing requirements of their Graduate program as they complete the program curriculum.
Advising and Registration
Students in their final Undergraduate year will work with Advising in the home School of their Bachelor's program(s), as well as the Graduate Program Director of the Master’s program. Any 400-level or higher courses that the student plans to enroll in should be reviewed by both advisors to ensure that these courses will complete requirements for both degrees.
Registration in Graduate level courses during the Undergraduate year may require assistance from the Graduate Program Director and/or the student’s current academic advisor to enroll.
Shared Credits
Only courses taken at the 400-level or higher will count toward the Graduate program. At the Undergraduate level, students are restricted to enrolling in and sharing up to the number of Graduate level credits explicitly indicated in the catalog for their selected AMP program.
In general, Graduate level coursework should not be taken prior to admission into the Accelerated Master's Pathway. Exceptions may be granted for professional programs where curriculum for the Accelerated Master's Pathway is designed to begin earlier. On the recommendation of the program’s Graduate Program Director, students may take one of their Graduate level courses before they are admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway if they have advanced abilities in their discipline and course offerings warrant such an exception.
Degree Requirements and Conferral
Undergraduate degree requirements are in no way impacted by admission to an Accelerated Master’s Pathway. Students should not, for example, attempt to negotiate themselves out of a writing intensive requirement on the basis of admission to a Graduate program.
The program’s Graduate Program Director will designate credit hours to be shared through the advising form and Master’s degree conferral review process. Graduate credit hours taken during the Undergraduate career will not be included in the Graduate GPA calculation.
If students wish to transfer credits from another university to Loyola University Chicago, the program’s Graduate Program Director will review the relevant syllabus or syllabi to determine whether it meets the criteria for a 400-level course or higher.
Programs with specialized accreditation requirements that allow programs to offer Graduate curriculum to Undergraduate students will conform to those specialized accreditation requirements.
Degrees are awarded sequentially. All details of Undergraduate commencement are handled in the ordinary way as for all students in the School/College/Institute. Once matriculated in the Graduate program, students abide by the graduation deadlines set forth by the Graduate program. Students in these programs must be continuously enrolled from Undergraduate to Graduate degree program unless given explicit permission by their program for a gap year or approved leave of absence. In offering the option of an Accelerated Master’s Pathway, the university is making possible the acceleration of a student’s Graduate degree completion. It should be understood that students may not request deferral of their matriculation into the Master’s degree program. If students would like to delay their Graduate studies after earning the Undergraduate degree, they may apply for admission to the traditional Master’s degree program. Any application of Graduate credit earned while in the Undergraduate program is subject to the policies of the Graduate degree granting school.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
In Loyola's M.S. in Bioinformatics program you will gain fundamental skills that will help you be an inquisitive scientist, including:
- Demonstrate Advanced Interdisciplinary and Computational Expertise - Integrate advanced knowledge in genomics, molecular biology, statistics, and computer science to develop and evaluate computational methods and analyze complex, high-dimensional biological datasets.
- Conduct an Independent, Scholarly Project in Academic Research (Thesis) or Internship (Non-thesis) - Formulate original research questions, design rigorous studies, implement analytical pipelines, interpret results critically, and contribute to the scientific literature.
- Communicate and Collaborate Professionally - Present research effectively to scientific and interdisciplinary audiences and function as a collaborative leader in team-based research environments.
- Exemplify Ethical and Thoughtful Leadership - Practice responsible data stewardship, uphold integrity and reproducibility, engage in reflective inquiry, promote justice and the common good, and pursue excellence in scholarship and professional practice.