Master of Science and Certificate Programs in Biomedical Informatics

Recent college graduates and in-career learners with training in biology, research and clinical medicine, computer science, data science and analytics, statistics, engineering and related disciplines are encouraged to apply. Applications are open on September 1 for the following academic year and are accepted for the Certificate and part-time MS programs on rolling basis through July 15. The full-time MS application closes on Jan. 31. Please note that students are only admitted for fall entry at this time.

In addition to the online application, you will be required to submit:

• Statement of purpose
  Your statement should include previous professional or research experience, current professional interests, and long-term career goals. Please also explain how you became interested in the degree program and how it will help you to achieve your goals. The Statement of Purpose should adequately explain these areas, but should not exceed 2 pages.
• Essay question
  Applicants will submit a one page response to the following essay question:
  Informatics, data science, and biostatistics have the potential to create positive change in equity and social justice issues as they relate to human health and health care. Drawing on both your professional and personal experiences, how do you view these fields contributing to a more just healthcare system and society?
• CV or résumé
• Three academic letters of recommendation (two for Certificate applicants)
  At least two letters should be from recent academic advisors, instructors, or current supervisors.
• Documentation of degrees and transcripts
  Unofficial transcripts are sufficient for initial application review. However, if admitted, official transcripts of all academic work at the higher education level are to be submitted either electronically to OHIDS-Education@wustl.edu (preferred method) or in a sealed envelope sent directly by the university to the address below. Transcripts must include the grading scale.
• Official TOEFL or IELTS Scores ^‡
  The TOEFL or IELTS is required for all international applicants. See waiver eligibility requirements below. If you already have notification of your score, please attach a copy with your application. The test must have been taken within the last 2 years.
  
  The official TOEFL scores should be sent directly to Washington University in St. Louis (the code is 6929).  For IELTS, please send official scores electronically to Washington University in St. Louis Graduate Admissions.
  
  English Proficiency Standards for Admission to Washington University in St. Louis & Visa Issuance U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires universities admitting international students to verify that each non-native English-speaking student has sufficient English language proficiency to succeed in the academic program. Therefore, admitting departments must present proof of this level of proficiency for each non-native English-speaking student before visa eligibility documents can be processed by the Office for International Students and Scholars (OISS)
  
  Fulfilling the USCIS Requirement To fulfill this requirement, applicants must take the TOEFL iBT or IELTS. Duolingo will be accepted for the 2023-24 application cycle. Applicants will provide an official score report showing a score at or above the following minimum levels:

• For an applicant’s official test score to be valid for the purpose of English proficiency certification, the applicant must take the test less than two years before requesting that the score be reported to the university.^† 
  
  Programs with High English Communication Demands
  For programs whose students will serve as associates in instruction, do extensive reading and writing, complete a practicum or clinical experience, or otherwise meet a particularly high standard of English proficiency, departments are encouraged to establish a minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL iBT or 7 on the IELTS Academic module.^‡ The Duolingo English Test will be temporarily accepted for students admitted for the academic year 2024-2025 due to the pandemic. A score of 115 is the required minimum for the Duolingo English Test in order for applicants to be considered for admission. Students submitting scores from Duolingo must also complete testing upon arrival within the school to determine if they need additional English courses.
  
  Waiving the English Proficiency Test Requirement
  The English proficiency test requirement is waived for citizens of Australia, Cameroon, Commonwealth Caribbean nations, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. It may also be waived for students who have completed three or more years of study in an approved English-medium academic program in any of the aforementioned countries, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa, or the United States. If a student has completed three or more years of study in an English-medium university-level academic program in a country other than the ones listed above, the admitting department will need to request a waiver on a case-by-case basis. In this case, the department is responsible for providing documentation to support this request (e.g., proof of appropriate minimum English proficiency standards at that university).
• WashU English Language Course
  Official ELP test scores will be reviewed to determine if matriculating students will be required to enroll in the U15-1120 English Advantage: Biostatistics & Biomedical Informatics at the student’s own expense. Students will automatically be enrolled in the first fall semester. See table above for minimum scores to waive this course.  

• GRE scores are not required for the MS BMI application and thus will not be considered during application review.

Prerequisites

Program prerequisites: Acceptance into the MS in Biomedical Informatics program requires knowledge of statistics, either through successful completion of an introductory course or through professional experience. Applicants must also possess strong quantitative skills including at least one advanced math course (e.g. Calculus I) and proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g. R, Python, etc.).

All qualified applicants will be asked to participate in a telephone or virtual meeting interview before a final admission decision is made.

Supporting documents should be sent electronically to OHIDS-Education@wustl.edu (preferred method) or be mailed to the following physical address:

Application open: Sept. 1

Please note that at this time, students are admitted for fall entry only.

Application deadline:

• Full-time MS program: Jan. 31
• Part-time MS program: July 15
• Certificate program: July 15

I²DB application fee:

• MS program: $50.00
• Certificate program: $25.00

Eligibility for a fee waiver is assessed on submission of an application. Waivers are granted for a variety of volunteer service-based organizations, scholar programs, and academic pipeline programs (full list on application). Fee waivers are also available for current WashU students, alumni and employees.

If you think you may qualify for a fee waiver based on one or more of these criteria, please email ohids-education@wustl.edu. Please Note: International students residing outside the United States are not eligible for a fee waiver unless you meet the above criteria.

An application must be started before requesting a fee waiver. If you believe you qualify for a waiver, please email OHIDS-Education@wustl.edu.

Having problems or difficulties with the application system? Email help@applyweb.com for help.

Washington University encourages and gives full consideration to all applicants for admission, financial aid, and employment. The University does not discriminate in access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability, or genetic information. Inquiries about compliance should be addressed to the University’s Vice-Chancellor for Human Resources, Washington University, Campus Box 1184, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130.

Interested in applying? Please join our mailing list for more information, fill out the inquiry form, or email OHIDS-Education@wustl.edu.

Single Course Non-Degree (SCND)

Those interested in enrolling in our courses as a non-degree seeking student must submit an application. Applicants will need to submit a resume, courses interested in enrolling, and how prerequisites have been met. Official transcripts may be requested.

Core Courses: All Tracks

All students in both the certificate and the Master of Science (MS) programs in Biomedical Informatics (BMI) will be expected to take the core classes listed below:

• M18 5302 Introduction to Biomedical Informatics I – 3 units
• M18 5303 Introduction to Biomedical Informatics II – 3 units
• M18 5304 Introduction to Biomedical Data Science I – 3 units
• M18 5305 Introduction to Biomedical Data Science II – 3 units

Core Courses: MS Program

• M18 5200 Biomedical Informatics Research in Progress – 2 units
• Research hours may include up to ten units in rotations, research, and courses related to capstone and thesis work.
  • M18 5201 Rotation – 2 units
  • M18 5401 Capstone or M18 5402 Thesis – 3 units
• One Advanced Topics Course – 3 units
  • M18 5204 Mixed Methods in Biomedical Informatics
  • M18 5205 The Electronic Health Record

Competencies: MS Program

Students in the MS in BMI will be expected to have competency in Scientific Writing by the time of graduation. Students who have taken the equivalent at other institutions may be excused from this course with permission from the director. If the competency has not been met, the student will enroll in M17 – 529 Scientific Writing and Publishing (2 credit hours). These credit hours do not count towards the 36 credit hours required for the MS Program.

Electives

Students may take approved electives in computer science, medicine, business, basic science, and public health based on their track with approval from their academic advisor. Some suggested electives include:

• M21 503 Statistical Computing with SAS
• M21 506 Introduction to R for Data Science
• M21 560 Biostatistics I
• M21 570 Biostatistics II

Earning a Certificate in Biomedical Informatics

The certificate program is ideal for working professionals. It requires 16 credits, including the option for a mini-capstone project. Expected completion time is one to three years.

Washington University employees may be eligible for a 50 percent tuition assistance benefit after one year of full-time employment.

For matriculating students starting Fall 2023, tuition is set at:

• $1,485 per credit hour.
• $742.50 per credit hour for auditing.
• For the 2024-2025 academic year, the tuition will be slightly higher.
• The projected degree tuition for the 36 credit hour MS program is approximately $53,460.
• The projected certificate tuition for the 16 credit hour program is approximately $23,760.

Additional notes:

• Matriculation deposit is $250 for MS students. A partial deposit is returned to matriculating students in the first fall semester. Full-time students will receive $150 from the deposit. The remaining $100 will be used towards graduation fees, including regalia orders. No deposit is required for part-time students.
• All full-time students are required to pay for the School of Medicine’s Student Health Services Benefit Plan for fall and spring semesters. The cost for this program is currently $1,374.50 per semester.
• All students are required to bring a laptop. Information on minimum specifications can be found here.
• Faculty or staff pursuing the MS in Biomedical Informatics are eligible for 50% of part-time evening program graduate tuition costs for up to seven (7) credit hours per semester. For additional information, please visit the Employee Tuition Assistance page.
• Tuition is payable incrementally each semester and is due at least one week before each semester begins. Students can check their account status and make payments online via WebSTAC. Tuition paid by check should indicate the student’s official name and student ID number and should be mailed to:
  Washington University in St. Louis
  P.O. Box 14627
  St. Louis, MO 63150-4627

Visit the Financial Services website for further payment instructions.

Who should apply?

Recent college graduates with backgrounds in the biological and/or computational sciences

In-career learners with a broad range of experiences in biomedicine/biosciences, mathematics, physical or computer information sciences or engineering, and cognitive and/or social sciences

What interest areas are available?

This master’s degree program offers grounded theory and a broad range of applied skills for three areas of interest:

• Applied Clinical Informatics
• Population Health Informatics
• Translational Bioinformatics

Students will have the opportunity to personalize their approved electives and competency courses based on their interest and educational and professional backgrounds, allowing them to build on their existing biomedical informatics competencies while gaining hands-on experiential learning opportunities. With the cutting-edge biomedical research being highly funded by the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies, part-time employment opportunities including Research Assistantships are frequently available throughout Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Students may apply for these opportunities upon completing their first semester.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis strives to support all learners, faculty and staff in the academic medical center in providing an environment conducive to learning, research and high-quality patient care. To report a concern regarding mistreatment or unprofessional behavior in the learning environment, please visit safereporting.wustl.edu.

If you’d like to learn more about our medical campus, the surrounding community, or St. Louis, please visit WashU School of Medicine’s About St. Louis page.

View current student resources.