Admission Requirements

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate School, the following are required for study toward the M.S. in Bioinformatics:

Under most circumstances, students admitted to the program will have:

1. A baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, or another related field that provides a sound background in life sciences, computing, or both
2. A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) and 3.0 in the major (this requirement is waived for Early Entry program applicants who meet the University’s overall GPA requirement (3.2 and 75-90 hours of completed undergraduate coursework) in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, SIS or CS, or another UNC Charlotte major if the department determines the student’s preparation is appropriate)
3. A minimum combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE, and an acceptable score on the analytical section
4. A combined TOEFL score of 220 (computer-based), 557 (paper-based), or 83 (Internet-based) is required if the previous degree was from a country where English is not the common language
5. Three positive letters of recommendation

GRE Waiver

The GRE application requirement may be waived for applicants meeting one or more of the following criteria:

• Have a cumulative minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2 from a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body
• Have a relevant master’s degree or terminal degree from a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body
• International students who provide a transcript evaluation that indicates a United States college or university equivalency GPA of 3.2 or higher; this evaluation must be completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation
• Have successfully completed the Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics Applications  or Graduate Certificate in Bioinformatics Technology  

Early Entry Program

Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may apply for the Early Entry Program and begin work toward the graduate degree before completion of the baccalaureate degree.  See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements.  Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies  section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Early Entry Programs.

Degree Requirements

The M.S. in Bioinformatics degree requires a minimum of 34 graduate credit hours, and a minimum of 30 credit hours of formal coursework.  A minimum of 24 credit hours presented toward an M.S.in Bioinformatics must be from courses numbered 6000 or higher.  A maximum of 6 hours of graduate credit may be transferred from other institutions.

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of this program, which is designed to provide students with a common graduate experience during their professional preparation for the M.S. in Bioinformatics degree, all students are required to take a general curriculum that includes a two-year sequence of courses as described below:

Degree Total = 34 Credit Hours

Grade Requirements

An accumulation of three C grades will result in suspension of the student’s enrollment in the graduate program. If a student makes a grade of U in any course, enrollment in the program will be suspended.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 6 credit hours of coursework from other institutions will count toward the M.S. in Bioinformatics degree requirements. Only courses with grades of A or B from an institution accredited by an accepted accrediting body are eligible for transfer credit.