The Cellular and Molecular Oncology Master of Science (CMO MS) program will prepare master’s level scientists to meet the changing landscape of cancer research. Our CMO MS graduate program focuses on training and providing both the academic and laboratory research tools to best prepare graduate students to meet the challenges within the field of oncology early in their careers.
Students will be trained for future careers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, or biomedical industry. Top researchers within Loyola’s Department of Cancer Biology will mentor CMO MS students toward the successful completion of their thesis research, directly involving students in the lab from day one. The profile of CMO MS students will be as diverse as the subject matter that they seek to study, many may seek to prepare themselves for an industry-related career, others will become top candidates for PhD programs, and some will be competitive candidates for healthcare professional schools.
A commonality linking Loyola's CMO MS graduate students lies in their fundamental passion for effecting change in cancer-research.
Curriculum
The Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Oncology requires 30 credit hours and a thesis.
Coursework Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| BMSC 402 | Statistical Methods for Biomedical Science | 3 |
| BMSC 405 | Ethics in Biomedical Sciences | 1 |
| BMSC 412 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BMSC 416 | Methods Biomedical Science | 1 |
| CMO 503 | Special Topics in Oncology | 1 |
| BMB 590 | Molecular Biology of Oncogenesis | 3 |
| Molecular Biology | |
| Special Topics in Molecular Biology (Epigenetics and Stem Cells) | |
| Infections and Immunology | |
| Graduate Histology | |
| Molecular Microbial Genetics | |
| Special Topics | |
| Molecular Basis of Disease and Therapeutics | |
| Principles of Pharmacology | |
| CMO 499 | Research | 2-7 |
| CMO 502 | Seminar | 0 |
| CMO 595 | Thesis Supervision | 0 |
| Total Hours | 30 |
Research and Thesis
Hands-on laboratory research will begin in the first semester of study. Students will complete two lab rotations to help them identify their research advisor and lab. Upon completion of the first semester, a student's research advisor will be assigned and subsequent lab time will be spent designing, conducting, and analyzing independent research projects under the supervision of the student's advisor. Upon completion of the CMO MS program, graduates can expect they will be highly knowledgeable in the methodology and skill necessary for success in future research endeavors.
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
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Deploy a number of concepts, techniques and resources, within the specific topic of their thesis project, to carry out a largely independent research project in experimental oncology.
- Analyze, interpret and comprehend experimental data in a critical fashion.
- Engage in self-directed problem solving. Employ critical thinking and evaluate risks in original scientific projects.
- Use problem-solving experiences to diagnose and troubleshoot new failures to fix experimental faults in a rapid and consistent fashion.
- Being familiar with scholarly publications and the major open questions within an area of investigation.
- Present, verbally and in written form, their scientific results, relating the results to the existing body of knowledge.
