College of Science

Networked for Success. Networked for Industry. Networked for Life.

MASTER OF SCIENCE

BIOINFORMATICS

“Northeastern’s MS in Bioinformatics

is opening up new and exciting

career opportunities throughout the life

sciences and pharma-ceutical industries for undergraduates and professionals alike.”

—Professor Steven Vollmer, Program Director,

MS in Bioinformatics

THE PROGRAM

MS IN BIOINFORMATICS

Northeastern University is committed to delivering cutting-edge programs that foster

interdisciplinary thinking, research, and the pursuit of innovation-driven discoveries that

have an impact on lives. That commitment and vision are at the very core of the MS in

Bioinformatics.

The program’s cross-disciplinary training prepares graduates to succeed in multiple roles

in this new and growing field. Combining challenging academics in biology, computer

science, and information technology with real-world experience, the program helps

students integrate the knowledge, skills, experience, and confidence they need to

achieve their goals and make a difference in our world.

THE EXPERIENCE

The Northeastern Network

The Northeastern University network spans the globe. With the support of over 3,000

employer partners and more than 200,000 alumni, Northeastern students are Networked

for Success. MS in Bioinformatics students from around the world have access to all of our

campus resources, including our research library, career services, and various conferences

and presentations. Whatever their location, all of Northeastern’s students graduate prepared

and Networked for Life.

The Faculty

Northeastern’s MS in Bioinformatics program is taught by respected faculty who are

also senior leaders in the field. They bring their extensive experience in next-generation

genomics, drug discovery, personalized genomics, network analyses, and proteomics to

the classroom, allowing students to gain first-hand knowledge of current industry projects.

These dedicated and talented faculty members assure that your education is rigorous,

current, and relevant.

Co-Op

Students in the MS in Bioinformatics program gain real-world knowledge, awareness,

perspective, and confidence during a three- or six-month graduate co-op in industry or

academia. As the recognized leader in experiential learning and a trusted source of high

caliber students, Northeastern enjoys relationships with more than 3,w000 public and

private sector employers on seven continents. Recent bioinformatics co-op placements have

included the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and pharmaceutical giants including Genzyme, Millennium,

and Novartis.

THE OPPORTUNITYBig Data. It’s today’s buzzword. It’s also a driving force behind the explosive demand

for trained professionals in the field of bioinformatics. With high-throughput genomic

assays generating significantly more data, research within the life sciences is

increasingly data-intensive. As a result, the need for individuals with the broad,

interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to plan, mine, analyze, and interpret large-

scale data sets continues to grow.

Northeastern University’s MS in Bioinformatics provides the cross-disciplinary

training in biology, computer science, and information technology—along with real-

world experience—that prepares graduates to play pivotal roles in today’s cutting-

edge life science, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries, including genomics,

proteomics, personalized medicine, drug discovery, and cancer therapy.

“ Through classes and co-op, Northeastern University’s MS in Bioinformatics gave me the solid foundation in molecular biology and bioinformatics computational methods I needed to apply my systems development skills to biological questions.”

—Charles Roesel, MS Bioinformatics

THE CURRICULUM

An Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Northeastern’s interdisciplinary curriculum combines core coursework in bioinformatic computational methods,

programming, and statistics with graduate electives that offer students the flexibility to specialize and build broader

knowledge in both life sciences and computer science. The university’s signature experiential learning model connects

students with leading industry employers through three- or six-month co-ops that integrate classroom study with a

practical, professional experience.

Core Courses (20 semester hours)Bioinformatics Computational Methods 1

Bioinformatics Computational Methods 2

Bioinformatics Programming

Bioinformatics Seminar

Ethics in Biological Research

Statistics for Bioinformatics

Sample Elective Courses (12 semester hours)Biochemistry

Database Design and Management

Data Mining Techniques

Molecular Cell Biology

Molecular Modeling

Web Development

THE OPTIONS

Two Outstanding Cities—One Innovative University

The MS in Bioinformatics is offered in two vibrant cities that boast resources and co-op

opportunities perfectly in line with the program. Boston is the home of our main campus,

a city known as a center for world-class research. Seattle is the West Coast campus for

graduate studies, a city with strong ties to innovative disciplines and skill-driven industries.

Both locations offer the program in a hybrid format on both a full- and part-time basis.

On-ground courses are offered in the evenings to accommodate working professionals.

Whatever option you choose, Northeastern’s MS in Bioinformatics program delivers the same

rigorous academics, experienced faculty, cutting-edge research opportunities, and industry

experience. With the support of our Global Network of employer partners, connected alumni,

and dedicated faculty, the program enables students to successfully build their careers while

maintaining their lives.

A Virtual Campus

Our MS in Bioinformatics degree is also available 100-percent online, allowing students to

take advantage of the program’s challenging classes and expert faculty. This flexible option

is based on the same vibrant curriculum as our hybrid and on-campus versions.

ALIGN Master’s Degree Program

Interested in our Bioinformatics program, but think your background might not be a match?

Consider our ALIGN program, created specifically to prepare non-science, bachelor of arts

degree holders for the high-demand bioinformatics field, regardless of their experience or

undergraduate major. ALIGN offers custom curricula in on-ground, online, and hybrid formats

as well as 100-percent online. ALIGN also includes the benefits of our co-op experience and

Northeastern’s Global Network. Learn more at northeastern.edu/align

THE NEXT STEP

Apply

If you’re ready to be Networked for Life, apply to Northeastern’s MS in

Bioinformatics Program. To access our online application, go to

northeastern.edu/bioinformatics/how-to-apply

Application Requirements

Fall and spring admission options are available. To apply to the program, you must have:

> A bachelor of science degree*

> An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher

To complete the application process, you must submit:

> Transcripts from any undergraduate and previous graduate institutions

> Two letters of recommendation

> Official TOEFL or IELTS scores (for non-native English speakers only)

> A personal statement

*Students with non-science degrees may be accepted to the program based upon significant professional experience in IT, computer science, and/or biological science. Students with a bachelor of arts degree may also be eligible for our MS in Bioinformatics ALIGN program. To learn more, go to northeastern.edu/align.

For more information, please contact:

Steve Vollmer, PhD MS in Bioinformatics Program Director bioinformatics@neu.edu

northeastern.edu/ bioinformatics

College of Science

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