DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

Master of Science Mission Statement

The Master of Science (MS) program at LMU is dedicated to providing advanced academic learning in the life sciences. This academic program seeks to enhance the learning of these mission-related graduate populations of students:

• Those seeking doctoral-level education in the health-related professions.
• Those seeking to utilize their skills in other health related fields.

Program Overview

This LMU degree program is a collaborative effort among the School of Mathematics and Sciences, the DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (DCOM), and the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Faculty from these areas work together to provide students with graduate courses and research opportunities.

The Master of Science (MS) program is a 30-35 graduate credit hour minimum full-time program of study for college graduates who want to pursue further studies in the realm of life science. With the normal academic credit load and no deficiency courses, this program may be completed in two or three semesters depending on the Degree. For students lacking pre-requisite courses (deficiencies) or for whom the MS Graduate Council determines their need to repeat specific courses (deficiencies), this program may require more than two semesters to complete. Students who gain acceptance into DCOM before finishing the MS program may need to complete additional graduate courses during their first year of medical school to fulfill the MS program degree requirements. Three majors are offered in LMU’s MS program:

• Anatomical Sciences
• Biomedical Sciences
• Life Science Research

Each of these majors within the degree program is focused to help you as a student make the most of your graduate education. The programs have experienced oversight which is maintained by the MS Program Director and the MS Graduate Council, consisting of faculty in the related departments. Courses for your program of study in the MS program are assigned by these entities on an individual student basis considering your academic record and performance in the MS program; to be most beneficial to the student regarding his or her future academic/career goals. In some cases, very specific deficiency courses are required and in other cases the student may have a choice. 

Anatomical Sciences (AS)

• The Anatomical Sciences (AS) major is designed to assist students who foresee a future that involves working in the anatomy discipline. This can include working alongside an anatomist, teaching anatomy related courses at a community college, or pursuing a medical degree. Students will also be prepared to pursue advanced graduate study in anatomy. Additional research and teaching opportunities are also available to students in this major.

Biomedical Sciences (BMS)

• The Biomedical Sciences (BMS) major is designed to offer students a structured route to future entry into professional school. Among the three MS majors, BMS offers the most tailored route for students whose aspirations include medical school, particularly LMU-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Life Science Research

• The Life Science Research (LSR) major is designed for students who wish to earn a PhD or enter the workforce as researchers. Throughout the program, students will work on a research project to complete their MS thesis. Core coursework includes Colloquial Principles of Life Science, Research Design & Analysis, and Scholarly Writing in the Life Sciences. Elective courses provide a selection of theory and technique courses to support student thesis research. A Supervisory Committee is appointed to guide the student through this thesis research and to advise on the course selections for the student who selects this major.

Admission Requirements and Standards

Generally, policies will follow existing LMU policies for master’s degree programs with any differences for this degree program noted in this catalog. Any specific differences among the three major tracks of this master’s degree are included below.

Former professional students who seek admission, must submit an additional letter of recommendation from a faculty member or administrator from that specific, professional program. These must be submitted through the Master of Science admissions process. Students who have been dismissed from a professional program are ineligible for Provisional Acceptance to the DCOM-DO program.

All application materials must be submitted through Postbac CAS, and a secondary application through LMU must be completed. Each applicant is evaluated holistically by considering each required element of the application package including video conference interview, science course GPA, cumulative GPA, letters of recommendation, and standardized test scores.

A. A completed bachelor’s degree from an institution with regional accreditation or equivalent verification in the case of international degrees. Degrees from foreign countries must follow LMU’s undergraduate policies for certifying international degrees and/or credit. Any transcripts from institutions located outside of the United States must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) prior to submission to Postbac CAS. Official transcripts from all Colleges or Universities where credits were attempted must be sent and verified by Postbac CAS and the secondary application must be completed before an interview is granted. International degrees may not be accepted by LMU-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine - Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) program. 

Minimum undergraduate course work in the natural sciences and mathematics:

• Mathematics six (6) credit hours at the College Algebra level or higher
• Biological Sciences eight (8) credit hours with labs
• Chemistry sixteen (16) credit hours, including Organic Chemistry with labs. Biochemistry may be substituted with approval.
• Physics eight (8) credit hours of algebra- or calculus-based with labs

Recommended undergraduate course work (these are pre-requisite courses for certain graduate courses):

• Probability & Statistics
• Molecular Genetics
• Physiology 

B. Standard Test Scores and Grades

Grade point averages are computed by including courses from all transcripts. All applicants must submit standardized test scores for their application file to be considered by the admissions committee for their selected program.

Scores from the following standardized tests will be considered for admission to the LMU Master of Science Program but it is the applicant’s responsibility to take the appropriate entrance exam and to achieve a competitive score for their target professional or graduate program.

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Dental Admission Test (DAT),
Optometry Admission Test (OAT), Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT)

A typical applicant who is accepted to the LMU Master of Science program meets or exceeds the following:

If English is not the applicant’s native language, the international student must submit her/his official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This score will also be considered holistically along with the other elements of the application package. The applicant must also display proficiency in spoken English during the telephone/video conference interview.

C. Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation from the applicant’s instructors. At least one letter must be from a science instructor. One committee letter from a health professions advisory committee can also be submitted.

D. Video Conference Interview

The video conference interview will allow admissions committee members to assess your fit for your selected program.

E. Personal Statement

The personal statement should professionally articulate how the Master of Science program will benefit your educational and career goals.

F. Transfer credit

With approval from the MS Program Director and Graduate Council, a maximum of six (6) relevant graduate credit hours from an external institution or a maximum of twelve (12) relevant graduate credit hours within LMU graduate programs may be granted. Requests for transfer credit will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and exceptions to the number of transfer credits accepted may be made at the discretion of the Program Director.

G. Secondary Application 

Both verified Postbac CAS application and secondary application must be completed before the application moves on to be reviewed. Secondary application link will be emailed after receipt of verified Postbac CAS application.

Program Acceptance

When reviewing application files, the committee looks at numerous applicant criteria including standardized test score(s), undergraduate coursework, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and any other pertinent materials that may be included with the file. Upon acceptance into the Master of Science program, applicants will receive an official packet of materials including an acceptance letter, and any other items that may be deemed necessary. Deadlines regarding program deposits, residential life, immunization records, etc. will be included in the acceptance packet.

Acceptance Deposits

In order to secure your seat in the program, you must submit a deposit. For students living off campus a non-refundable deposit of $250 is required. For students who opt to live in university housing an additional deposit of $500 is required.

• If you choose to live in LMU housing, you are responsible for the submission of an LMU Housing Application and for timely communication with LMU Residence Life Staff.

Deposits may be submitted online via the link sent in the student's acceptance email or by calling the Student Accounts Office 423.869.6336.
Students may also submit their deposit via mail at the following address:

Lincoln Memorial University - Master of Science Program
6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway
Harrogate, TN 37752

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the Master of Science (MS) programs can be found at Graduate Tuition & Fees | LMU Financial Services Overview. Students previously enrolled in the Master of Science degree program who become new OMS-1 DCOM students may complete MS courses toward the MS degree at no additional tuition charge above tuition paid for their OMS-1 year as long as the total credits in courses for both programs do not exceed the maximum number in the typical OMS-1 schedule. Master of Science students who return to complete the degree will be charged the tuition rate in force when they return to complete the required courses for the degree. Students desiring to complete the MS degree in OMS-2 or later will be charged the tuition rate in force when taking the courses.

Course Load

Full-time status of a Master of Science graduate student is a minimum of nine (9) graduate credits in a Fall or Spring semester or six (6) during a Summer semester. Many Master of Science program students enroll in a total course credit load of 12-19 credits which may include deficiency courses. In order to complete the program in 2 semesters, a course load of 15-19 credit hours each semester is required.

Orientation

As an MS student you will be required to attend orientation. The MS Orientation will include program familiarization, establishing your schedule, finalizing your financial aid, and completing the registration process. 

Academic Standards

Students who do not maintain a 3.0 GPA in their first semester, Fall or Spring, will be placed on Academic Probation. A minimum 3.0 GPA is required to fulfill MS graduation requirements.
 

Deficiency Courses

Required undergraduate deficiency coursework is determined by the Director of Admissions and MS Graduate Council at the time of admission. This coursework will include courses in order to complete any deficiencies or pre-requisites. Key science courses in which the student previously earned grades of C- or below are required to be repeated in order to improve the academic portfolio of the student and to provide a foundation for the subsequent courses in the MS curriculum. Completing required deficiency courses will extend the time required to complete the MS degree. The student may complete deficiency courses prior to beginning the MS program as long as transcripts are submitted, which demonstrate the deficiency has been filled.

Potential Deficiency Coursework that can be taken at LMU
BIOL 315 Molecular Genetics three (3) credit hours
BIOL 441 Biochemistry four (4) credit hours
MATH 270 Probability & Statistics three (3) credit hours
PHYS 211 General Physics I and lab four (4) credit hours
PHYS 212 General Physics II and lab four (4) credit hours
CHEM 221 Organic Chemistry 1 and lab four (4) credit hours
CHEM 222 Organic Chemistry II and lab four (4) credit hours   

Employment while a Graduate Student

The curriculum of the MS at LMU is designed to enhance a student’s academic qualifications. All classes are preparatory coursework for professional school and other post-graduate goals. It is strongly recommended that students are not employed during the duration of the program. This ensures that they will be able to focus 100% upon their studies.

Grading Scale for Master of Science Courses

A = 89.5 – 100%; expected student learning outcomes were demonstrated by superior quality student work in all aspects of the course
B = 79.5 – 89.4%; expected student learning outcomes were demonstrated by better than average quality of student work in the course
C = 69.5 – 79.4%; expected student learning outcomes were demonstrated in student work
F = Below 69.5 %, expected student learning outcomes were not demonstrated in student work

MS General Policies and Standards 

Students must earn and maintain a cumulative grade point average (cumGPA) of 3.0 or more. Failing to reach this standard will result in academic probation and financial aid warning. Successful completion of the degree program requires a 3.0 GPA. The MS Program Director will provide official notification in such cases.

For more information regarding MS Policies and Standards refer to the MS Student Handbook. 

Change of Major

At the end of the first semester after admission to the Master of Science degree program, a student may apply to change their major within the degree program. The student needs to recognize and understand that such a change may require additional course work and thus time to complete the degree. Changes at other points in the program must first be discussed with the Program Director.

Process:

• Submit a Master of Science Change of Major form to the Director of Admissions and Student Services for the MS program.
• The Master of Science Program Director will review the academic record and stated reasoning of the student applying to change their major. The Program Director will make a decision to either accept the student into the major or not. Capacity is limited in certain majors so this may be competitive.
• The Director of Admissions and Student Services for the MS program will assist the student in any changes to their planned course of student and/or registration for the Spring semester.
• If the change of major is not approved, the student will receive notification and explanation and should continue their course of study or seek other educational programs that will better meet their needs.

Dual MS Major

Although atypical, a student may desire to earn more than one major in the Master of Science program. To earn the second major, the MS student must complete an additional 15 graduate credit hours not duplicating any required courses for the first major. These additional credit hours must include all additional required courses for the second major plus any non-duplicative elective courses. Applications must be made before the first day of classes of the second semester in the MS program. Students already in medical school may not select the dual major option as insufficient time is available to complete the additional courses.

Course Repetition

A course in which the student earns a failing grade may be repeated only one time. Courses that have not been failed, but are being repeated, are the financial responsibility of the student. The Program Director or designee will review the request, make a decision, and may forward the request to the department offering the course. The department offering the course will determine capacity in making its final decision. The purpose of repeating a course is to replace the previously earned grade in calculation of the cumulative GPA in order to remove the probationary status and/or determine graduation eligibility. An indication that the course was repeated will be noted on the student's official transcript. Students who become ineligible to retake a required course (earned a failing grade) will be dismissed from the program. The original grade will be reported on the official transcript and should also be reported by the student to avoid the consequences of false reporting to any other educational institution.

General Graduation Requirements 

A minimum of 35 credit hours of graduate course work for the AS and BMS degrees or a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate course work for the LSR degree and satisfactory completion of all core courses is required for graduation with the Master of Science degree. The student must complete the degree program with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA to be awarded the degree unless otherwise required to be higher. 

Students in the Life Science Research major must present their work at a regional professional meeting at a minimum. Publication or presentation in a national or international meeting is encouraged.

The student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or be placed on academic probation. Failure to meet or exceed this standard of academic progress in the subsequent semester will result in dismissal from the program. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be obtained to meet the MS graduation requirements. 

Students are also required to complete all program and University assessments and surveys and financial requirements. 

Maximum Timeframe for Program Completion

Students who enter the Master of Science program in the Anatomical Sciences and Biomedical Sciences majors must complete their studies for the graduate degree within two (2) years after initial registration. Students in the Life Science Research major must complete all requirements within three (3) years of full-time enrollment or five (5) years part-time enrollment after initial registration. A request for an extension requires the approval of the Master of Science Graduate Council and the Program Director.