Skip to main content

Graduate Program

Diverse and flexible graduate training opportunities in the biological and biomedical sciences.

Comparative Biomedical Sciences

919.513.6357   |       Admissions Email

The Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program is a multidisciplinary graduate program with faculty who are employing state-of-the-art techniques to address interesting scientific problems in the basic and applied biomedical sciences. The Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program confers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.

The objectives of the CBS graduate program are:

  • To train students to conduct independent research in basic and/or applied biomedical sciences in their area of specialization, to have a fundamental and broad-based interdisciplinary knowledge of animal and human health related biomedical sciences, to develop critical thinking, oral and written communication, leadership as well as team skills, and to excel as teachers of biomedical science.
  • To prepare students for competitive careers at academic institutions, government and nonprofit agencies, or private industry.

Cutting-Edge Research

Most research faculty with whom students will study have laboratories in the main CVM building or the Biomedical Research Building. The 100,000-square-foot building is located directly across from the main college building and has a transgenic mouse facility for projects related to mouse and animal genomics.

The program is unique in its ability to offer extensive interdisciplinary training through highly effective liaisons with graduate faculty at other colleges of NC State University, as well as those of nearby Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Many of the program’s faculty are also members of other university-wide graduate training programs, such as biotechnology, genomics, immunology, physiology, toxicology, and zoology. This provides a large variety of course offerings that embrace a considerable range of subject areas.

Students also benefit from the active working relationships the college has with adjunct faculty from industries (such as GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis), research institutes (such as CIIT Centers for Health Research) and federal agencies (National Institute of Environmental Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Agency) within the nearby Research Triangle Park.

Students in the program select from one of seven concentration areas for their graduate research.

CBS Core Courses Required of all Students

CBS 565 Fundamentals of Comparative Biomedical Sciences (3 credits)

ST 511 Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences (3 credits)

CBS 662 Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit)

CBS 800 Seminar series (1 credit; minimum 3 credits total for doctoral students; minimum 2 credits total for master’s students)

Admission Requirements

Students are accepted into the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program based on their academic records (GPA) as undergraduates and/or as veterinary or medical students, letters of recommendation, and expression of interest in comparative biomedical research. GRE scores are not required, but students can choose to submit them with their application. Scores will be used only to support an application and will not be used to determine a student’s admission to the program. For the Ph.D. program, special consideration will be given to students who have had research experience (either an M.S. degree or other laboratory experience), especially in a biomedical discipline, or students who are completing strong clinical residency programs. Applications are due Dec. 1 for fall admission (some exceptions may apply; contact program for details).

  • Completed NC State Graduate School On-Line Application.
  • Meet all NC State Graduate School Admission Requirements.
  • Official transcripts to be uploaded with NC State Graduate School Application.
  • Recommended Curriculum Vitae to be uploaded with NC State Graduate School Application.
  • Expression of interest in comparative biomedical research (Personal Statement).
  • Letters of Recommendation.

To be admitted, a student should be a graduate of a major accredited biological science or medical science program. Students lacking appropriate courses may be considered for admission but will be required to make up certain undergraduate deficiencies without graduate credit.

Student Financial Support

Graduate assistantships are available to students in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences Program through the College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Sciences, affiliated departments, graduate training grants, and individual faculty members in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program.  Doctoral students are given priority for college-level graduate assistantships.

IMPORTANT LINKS