BS in Clinical and Translational Sciences

Translational science includes each stage of research along the path from the biological basis of health and disease to clinical and public health interventions that improve the health of individuals and populations. The development, approval and implementation of clinical interventions that improve human health faces several challenges and requires translational research that will accelerate the process of basic scientific discoveries to the development of impactful interventions. To facilitate this process, the clinical and translational science workforce will need to be familiar with the specific methods associated with patient-oriented translational research, as well as training in biomedical research ethics and regulations.

The clinical and translational sciences (CTS) major provides students with in-depth instruction in the fundamental skills, methodology, and principles of clinical and translational research. It is designed to equip students with the ability to formulate meaningful hypotheses, design and conduct interpretable experiments, analyze results critically, understand and communicate the broad significance of research findings, and uphold the highest ethical standards in research.

Students will attain these skills through in-depth instruction, formal laboratory experiences, and specific ongoing guidance on the process of translational science and emerging developments in the field.

The program will expose students to the concept of multidisciplinary research, preparing them to see team science as the expectation, rather than exception—leveraging resources and expertise across the University to prepare students to become leaders and members of clinical and translational research teams. Students will gain knowledge of a range of scientific disciplines allowing them to effectively communicate and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.

After completion of this program, students should be able to:

  • Understand the philosophy and approach of translational science
  • Understand the public health context of clinical and translational research and its societal implications
  • Understand and apply the fundamental principles of clinical research methodology involved in clinical and translational research
  • Understand and apply the biological and physiological principles that form the foundation for clinical and translational sciences
  • Describe the principles of team science and their significance to clinical and translational research
  • Compare the role of basic and clinical sciences in clinical research and population health

Major Requirements

This major has eight full-credit required courses (the CTSC 299 research seminar course spans two semesters and is equivalent to two courses), one 1-credit lab, and four electives. Students who complete this major will receive a bachelor of science degree that satisfies the natural science requirement of the Rochester Curriculum.

Foundational Courses

All of the following courses:

  • BIOL 110: Principles of Biology I or BIOL 112: Perspectives in Biology I
  • BIOL 111: Principles of Biology II or BIOL 113: Perspectives in Biology II (Prerequisite: BIOL 110 or BIOL 112)
  • CHEM 131: Chemical Concepts I with Lab
  • CHEM 132: Chemical Concepts II with Lab (Prerequisite: CHEM 131)

Core Requirements

Six of the following courses:

  • PHLT 103: Concepts of Epidemiology
  • STAT 180: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methodology
  • PHIL 225: Medical Ethics or PHIL 228: Public Health Ethics (instructor permission required)
  • CHEM 203: Organic Chemistry I or CHEM 171: First-Year Organic Chemistry I *
  • BIOL 198: Principles of Genetics or BIO 190: Genetics and the Human Genome*
  • BIOL 204: Principles of Human Physiology*

Plus both of the following:

  • CTSC 299W: Research Seminar in Translational Sciences (CTS juniors or seniors only) *
  • CTSC 299: Research Seminar in Translational Sciences (CTS juniors or seniors only) *

*Requires prerequisite from either the foundational courses or other core requirement courses.

Plus one of the following one credit labs:

  • CHEM 207: Organic Chem I: Lab
  • CHEM 173: First-Year Organic Chem I Lab

Electives

Students must take a total of FOUR of the following, with at least one from clinical research methods and one from population sciences.

Clinical Research Methods Electives

Choose at least one from this group:

  • STAT 276: Statistical Computing in R
  • CSC 161: Introduction to Programming
  • DSCC 201: Tools for Data Science or BIOL 253: Computational Biology (Prerequisite: CSC 161 or CSC 171)
  • DSCC 210: Digital Imaging: Transforming Real into Virtual
  • PM 415U: Principles of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)
  • PM 488: Experimental Therapeutics (Prerequisite: CTS juniors or seniors only)
  • BST 465: Design of Clinical Trials (Prerequisite: BST 463 or equivalent)

Biomedical Sciences Electives

  • CHEM 204: Organic Chemistry II or CHEM 172: First-Year Organic Chemistry II (Prerequisite: CHEM 203/207; Pre-health students should take this course as their biomedical sciences elective.)
  • BIOL 202: Molecular Biology (Prerequisite: BIOL 198 or 190 and 250)
  • BIOL 210: Cell Biology (Prerequisite: BIOL 110/111 or BIOL 112/113)
  • BIOL 222: Biology of Aging (Prerequisite: BIOL 198)
  • BIOL 226: Developmental Biology (Prerequisite: BIOL 198)
  • BIOL 250: Introduction to Biochemistry (Prerequisite: BIOL 110 or 112, BIOL 198 or 190 and CHEM 203/204)
  • MBI 220: Introduction to Microbiology (Prerequisite: BIOL 110/111, BIOL 198 and CHEM 203)
  • MBI 221W: Microbiology Lab (Prerequisite: BIOL 110/111, BIOL 198 and CHEM 203)

Population Sciences Electives

Choose only one from this group:

  • PHLT 116: Introduction to U.S. Health System
  • PHLT 236: Health Care and Law
  • PHLT 216: Peer Health Advocacy (Valid until spring 2022)
  • HIST 383W: Disease and Society
  • PM 412U: Survey Research (Prerequisite: PM 415)
  • PM 414U: History of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)
  • PM 418U or PM 418W: Cardiovascular Epidemiology (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)
  • PM 424U or PM 424W: Chronic Disease Epidemiology (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)
  • PM 451U or PM 451W: Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (Prerequisite: PHLT 103 or PM 415 and BST 463, or PM 401, or STAT 216 or equivalent)
  • PM 489U or PM 489W: Injury Epidemiology and Emergency Care Methods (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)
  • PHLT 394E: Emergency Medicine Internship (Prerequisite: PHLT 103)

Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Students will be required to register for two upper-level writing courses within this major, one of which is CTSC 299W: Research Seminar in Translational Sciences.

Courses designated with (W) have writing requirements that will satisfy the Rochester Curriculum’s upper-level writing requirement. Registration in any “W” BIO course requires permission of the instructor. For each Preventative Medicine PM (W) course there will be a cap of five students registering for the writing component.

See the upper-level writing requirement page for more information on which courses satisfy this requirement.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit must be approved before taking courses elsewhere. This includes biology and ancillary requirements. Use the transfer course/credit approval form to submit your request.

Major Declaration

Students must have completed at least three of the following courses: PHLT 103, STAT 180, CHEM 203, BIOL 198 (or BIOL 190), BIOL 204 and have an average major GPA of at least a 2.0 to be eligible to declare the CTS major.

See the advising page for information on how to declare your major, who your program advisor is, double majors, double degrees, petitioning for exceptions and more. Information regarding preparing for a medical or health profession can also be found on the advising page.

NOTE: Courses with S/F grades cannot apply to the CTS major. This includes biology and ancillary requirements.

Please use this link to access our departmental form to begin the major declaration process for the CTS major.

Contact the UPBM office by email at biodeptugoffice@ur.rochester.edu with any questions.