As of January 29, 2007, we are no long accepting new Computational Biology students.
All current students must complete their Certificate requirements no later than 3 years after their admission to the program (per the original program requirements) or by the end of the Spring 2009 semester (May 2009), whichever is sooner.
The Certificate in Computational Biology is a 15 credit hour graduate program aimed at enabling technical people to redirect their career toward the exciting frontier of computational biology. The program is designed to be completed by a full-time student in one year. To make it possible to cover so much in such little time, CCB relies on three assumptions:
Pruning - the CCB can select the most crucial topics from the suite of courses generally taught;
Maturity - graduate students have already learned effective study habits and can work at a faster pace than undergraduates;
Commitment - students who wish to pursue this area of learning are willing to work hard get up to speed.
Admission Requirements
To enter the Certificate program you must have a B.S. degree, working knowledge of some computer language (such as C or C++), course work in probability and statistics (comparable to MATH 3800), and at least
one of the following background requirements:
Bioscience: B.S. in Biology or coursework in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Computer Science: B.S. in Computer Science or coursework in algorithms, data structures, database systems, and programming.
Applied Mathematics: B.S. in Mathematics or coursework in linear algebra, differential equations, and mathematical modeling.
Course Requirements
All courses for the certificate must be completed with a grade of B- or better. Additionally, an overall gradepoint average of 3.0 (out of 4.0) must be obtained.
Part 1: Preparatory courses
These courses are designed to provide foundational knowledge in the areas where the background requirements (see above) have not been fulfilled. Students who meet background requirements in only one area take preparatory courses in two areas; students who meet the requirements in two areas take one preparatory course and an approved elective. Consult with your assigned advisor to determine which preparatory courses must be taken. Please read Elective Courses for CCB Certificate Program for a list of recommended electives and instructions for obtaining approval for an elective. The preparatory courses are as follows:
BIOL 5099: Biology for Computer Scientists, Engineers, and Mathematicians. This course introduces the language and underlying concepts of biology: the foundations of life, evolution, genetic code, and biochemical processes. This course cannot be applied toward a graduate degree in Biology.
CSC 5098: Computer Science for Bioscientists. This course provides a broad but detailed overview of the computer science field to graduate students in the biosciences, with an emphasis on web technologies, programming languages, algorithms, and database systems. Prereq: working knowledge of a programming language (e.g. Java, Perl, etc.). This course cannot be applied toward a graduate degree in Computer Science or Mathematics.
MATH 5198: Mathematics for Bioscientists. Provides the mathematical foundation needed for advanced study in computational biology. Covers essential topics from linear algebra, differential equations, applied graph theory, and continuous modeling, with applications to biology. This course cannot be applied toward a degree in computer science or mathematics.
Part 2. Standard Graduate courses
All participants in the Certificate program must complete all three of the following courses.
MATH 5396: Introduction to Bayesian Statistics.
MATH 5610: Computational Biology.
CSC 5840 or MATH 5840: Independent Study: Complex programming project. Prerequisite: completion of 9 credit hours of coursework toward the certificate. A proposal for the independent study must be submitted and approved prior to registration (this process may take several weeks). Please read the Certificate Project Rules and Guidelines for instructions on selecting advisors, writing the proposal, and registering for the independent study.
Time Limit
All coursework for the Certificate program must be completed no later than 3 years after admission to the program. Extensions to this time limit require approval by the CCB Director, who may impose additional requirements.
Evaluation Requirements
All applicants to the Certificate program are required to grant permission to the CCB to contact the applicant's employer (after the applicant has completed the Certificate program) as a means to evaluate the Certificate program's contribution to job performance.
Application Forms
For application forms and more information contact Dana Franklin, Administrative Coordinator at 303-556-6269, or download the
Non-degree Application plus the
supplement (PDF).
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The certificate program may be taken as a stand alone program or in conjunction with an advanced degree program. Students are encouraged to enroll in both a degree program and the Certificate program for the following reason:
If enrolled in just the Certificate program, a student is considered a non-degree student. As such, if the student then applies to graduate school, only 6 credit hours from the certificate program will be transferred to an advanced degree program.
To apply courses to both a degree program and the Certificate program, it suffices that you be enrolled in both programs when you take the courses.
Startup funding for the program was provided by a grant from the Colorado Institute of Technology. |
