Curriculum Overview
A total of 24 course credits and six thesis research credits are required to fulfill the degree requirements for the Master of Science in Clinical Research.
In addition to the core course areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical research methods, clinical trials, outcomes measurement, health care economics and policy, and ethics of clinical research, additional courses are available in data management, translational research methods, and more specialized health services research methods.
Students who enter as master’s degree candidates may continue provided their first-year performance is satisfactory.
Thesis Requirement
A major component of the master’s degree curriculum is a student-chosen, mentored research thesis that is designed, conducted, analyzed, and summarized during the two-year program.
There are currently 90 established investigators who are available to participate as mentors and advisors for these projects.
Through choice of research topic, students can opt for a concentration in clinical research, clinical trials, or health services research, for example.
Students should review the thesis guide from The Graduate School at Penn State for additional information.
Sample Course Progression
