Because genetic epidemiology is a multidisciplinary field, we expect applicants to come from a variety of backgrounds. However, most individuals who apply to this program are physician-scientists and other clinical investigators, particularly postdoctoral fellows and people with terminal degrees in other related disciplines who seek to gain expertise in genetic epidemiology. All prospective students must provide evidence of basic skills in genetics, mathematics and computer programming through course work and documented experience or by passing a proficiency exam.

An option for those who have completed a doctoral degree (PhD, MD, or equivalent) is to pursue a postdoctoral Master of Science in Genetic Epidemiology (GEMS) degree. This 30-credit-unit program can be pursued either full-time or part-time, but it must be completed within three years.

The GEMS program for postdoctoral students includes eight core courses (24 credits) as listed below, as well as 6 credits of approved electives:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
MSB 503	Statistical Computing with SAS	2
MSB 506	Introduction to R for Data Science	2
MSB 515	Fundamentals of Genetic Epidemiology	3
MSB 550	Introduction to Bioinformatics	3
MSB 5483	Human Genetic Analysis	3
MSB 560	Biostatistics I	3
MSB 512	Ethics in Biostatistics and Data Science	2
MSB 600	Mentored Research	6
Electives: Students will work with their advisers to determine elective options		6
Total Units		30