Biostatistics Graduate Certificate in Genomics Data Science
Our interdisciplinary graduate certificate program leverages talented faculty from across VCU to deliver a practical introduction to the breadth of genomics data science.
Students will learn the fundamentals of molecular biology, DNA and RNA sequencing, bioinformatics and data analysis principles and procedures critical for applied genomics research. The goal is to prepare students to enter the competitive workforce with the skills ready to be applied to real data from a wide range of biological settings.
Reflecting the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of this program, this certificate program consists of courses from a variety of exciting and topical disciplines -- biology, genetics and genomics, computer science, informatics, statistics and biostatistics.
Timeline and Career Outlook
This training program is designed to be completed over two semesters covering 10 months.
The knowledge and skills acquired as a part of this certificate program apply to many high demand career arenas across both public and private sectors. These include biotechnology, genomic medicine, health care, pharmaceutical and medical manufacturing.
Student Profile
Students in our certificate program typically:
- Seek to advance their careers by acquiring knowledge and skills in genomics data science
- May be interested in future graduate study but are unsure of which graduate program to pursue
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, applicants for the graduate certificate in genomics data science are expected to have earned an undergraduate degree in an area related to biology, bioinformatics, computer sciences, computational biology, applied mathematics, statistics, or in another relevant discipline.
All applicants are also expected to have computational/technology skills that facilitate learning and use of several statistical software packages.
Our departmental admissions committee evaluates all applicants for graduate work and arranges personal interviews when possible.
Certificate Requirements
Graduate certificate students must complete at least 18 semester credit hours of applicable courses as outlined in the Bulletin. These include courses from the domains of biological principles of genomic science, data analysis/statistical training, principles of sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, and computational principles and software tools.