Biomedicine and Business MS

Major: Biomedicine and Business
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Semester
Minimum Required Credits: 36.0
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 26.9999
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-1021

About the Program

Mission Statement

The online MS in Biomedicine and Business degree program provides comprehensive training in fundamental aspects of scientific discovery, technology commercialization and business. The program prepares graduates for management positions in scientifically oriented organizations in the public or private sector (e.g., biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, academics, government and nonprofit organizations). Students develop broad, core knowledge in biological sciences and biomedical technology development and commercialization plus finance, economics and organizational leadership. 

Curriculum

This is an interdisciplinary program offered by the College of Medicine. The science courses are taught by faculty from Drexel University College of Medicine. Faculty from Drexel University's LeBow College of Business teach the business courses. 

  • Non-thesis program (36.0 semester credits are needed to graduate)
  • Required and elective courses in each discipline
  • Flexible internship elective (experiential learning)
  • Customizable plan of study

Format

  • Online (select courses in both disciplines are offered face to face on campus)
  • New students admitted each fall and spring semesters
  • Classes taught throughout the year (fall, spring and summer)
  • Accelerated: 1-year MS (full-time) or 1.5 years (part-time)

Full-Time and Part-Time Options

Students may meet the degree requirements on either a full-time (at least 9.0 credits per semester) or part-time basis. Full-time students generally complete the program in one year. Part-time students must complete the program within four years. Students must enroll in at least 4.5 semester credits of College of Medicine courses to qualify for financial aid. For information regarding financial aid, please visit Drexel Central

Additional Information

For questions about the curriculum and program goals, please email Program Director Sujata Bhatia, MD, PhD, at skb322@drexel.edu.

For questions about how to apply to the program, please contact an enrollment counselor at duonline@drexel.edu or visit the Drexel University Online MS in Biomedicine and Business web page.

For information regarding financial aid, please visit Drexel Central

Admission Requirements

New students are admitted every fall and spring semester.

Post-college applicants must have completed a four-year degree program. An undergraduate degree in science is preferred but not required. A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is strongly preferred.

Applicants must also fulfill the following requirements for consideration:

  • Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
  • Essay/personal statement
  • Resume
  • References from at least three instructors or professionals

Official test scores from graduate and professional admission exams, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), or Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), are optional but highly desirable.

Three letters of recommendation are required. If you received your degree within the last five years, it is strongly recommended that at least one letter of recommendation be provided by someone familiar with your academic qualifications and potential (e.g., your undergraduate advisor, a course instructor, or your research mentor). If you are requesting a letter from someone at your place of employment, the recommendation should be provided by a supervisor (or another more senior manager) with direct knowledge of your work and should address your scientific aptitude as well as your work ethic.

International applicants (non-United States citizens) must meet the same requirements for admission as students from the United States. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate the ability to speak, write, and understand the English language by submitting an acceptable score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). IELTS scores may be submitted in lieu of TOEFL scores. 

  • TOEFL score needs to be at least 90 with at least a 27 in both the reading and writing sections
  • IELTS score needs to be above 7

An evaluation by World Education Services (WES) is required for transcripts from institutions outside the United States. 

Certain visa types do not permit individuals to enroll in online or hybrid programs. Foreign applicants should check with their visa sponsors for eligibility. Drexel University cannot sponsor F-1 or J1 visas for individuals interested in online, hybrid, or part-time programs.

Online applications are accepted all year round for consideration for either fall or spring admission. Students may defer admission by one year. All admission decisions are made at the College of Medicine.

Additional Information

For more information, please email Program Director Dr. Sujata Bhatia at skb322@drexel.edu.

Degree Requirements

Science courses are offered by Drexel University College of Medicine and are taught in semester terms (fall, spring and summer). Business courses are offered by LeBow College of Business and are taught face to face in quarter terms (fall and winter quarters only).  

Three (3.0) credit quarter courses confer the equivalent of 2.0 semester credits. The program requires the completion of 36.0 semester credits for graduation. Semesters and quarters overlap sufficiently to allow full-time students to meet the degree requirements for this program in two years. 

There are several ways to customize the internship or experiential learning component (2.0 - 6.0 semester credits) so that it satisfies both the degree requirements and, especially, the student’s own personal needs and career aspirations. The duration of the internship may vary. Shorter rotations may require that the student enrolls in elective courses to meet the semester credit requirements for the degree.

Required Courses
Science Requirements (Semester credits)13.0
Biomedical Ethics
Responsible Conduct of Research
Foundations of Applied Biomedicine *
Commercialization of Biomedical Technology **
Biomedical Innovation Development and Management
Business (Credits shown have been converted to semester and courses will be listed on the transcript as RCIP versions) ***4.0
Measuring and Maximizing Financial Performance
Essentials of Economics
Elective Courses - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits shown are semester19.0
Students must complete at least one Program-Specific Science elective and at least two business electives, as well as additional electives. The overall number of electives depends on other courses selected.
Science, Program-Specific (Choose at least 1, but more than 1 is recommended)
Applied Statistics for Biomedical Sciences
Biostatistics I
Biomedicine Seminar
Experiential Learning
Biomedical Career Explorations
Special Topics in Microbiology & Immunology
Science, Clinical Research
Emerging Trends in Medical Device Regulation
The History of Misconduct in Biomedical Research
Business Processes and Contemporary Concerns in Pharmaceutical R & D
World Wide Regulatory Submissions
Intro to Clinical Trials
Scientific Writing and Medical Literature
Current Federal Regulatory Issues in Biomedical Research
Pharmaceutical Law
Compliance & Monitoring Issues
Designing the Clinical Trial
Science, Basic Science & Research
Biotechniques I: Molecular and Genomic Methods
Biotechniques II: Immunological Methods
Immunology, Immunopathology and Infectious Diseases
Fundamentals of Molecular Medicine I
Concepts in Biomedicine I
Fundamentals of Molecular Medicine II
Concepts in Biomedicine II
Molecular Medicine Journal Club II
Molecular Medicine Journal Club I
Viruses and Viral Infections
Bacteria and Bacterial Infections
Mycology and Fungal Infections
Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases
Introduction to Infectious Diseases
Microbiology and Immunology Seminar
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Clinical Correlations in Infectious Disease
Business (Choose at least 2, but more are recommended) ***
Managerial Accounting
Legal Issues in New Ventures
Special Topics in BUSN
Managerial Economics
Business & Economic Strategy: Game Theory & Applications
Corporate Financial Management
International Business Management
Database Analysis and Design for Business
Business Problem Solving
Managing the Total Enterprise
New Venture Planning
Business Consulting
Marketing Strategy & Planning
New Product Planning, Strategy, and Development
Corporate Brand & Reputation Management
Leading in Dynamic Environments: A Personal, Relational, and Strategic Approach
Leadership and Professional Development
Negotiations for Leaders
Operations Management
Business Statistics
Datamining for Managers
Entrepreneurship ***
Pitch It!
Social and Sustainable Innovation
Learning from Failure
Innovation & Ideation
Innovation in Established Companies
Life After Launch
The Startup Way: How to Drive Innovation in Entrepreneurial Companies
Total Credits36.0
*

 Substitutions: MIIM 515S AND MIIM 516S OR MIIM 530S OR MIIM 531S

**

 Substitutions: MIIM 525S and MIIM 536S

***

Credits shown for Drexel University College of Medicine courses are semester credits. Credits shown for the LeBow School of Business and Close School of Entrepreneurship have been to converted to semester credits (3.0 quarter credits = 2.0 semester credits). Fall quarter courses may be taken in the Fall semester, and Winter quarter courses may be taken in the Spring semester, as semesters and quarters overlap. This program requires a minimum of 36.0 semester credits to meet the degree requirements. If a minor is added to the curriculum, the required number of credits to complete the program is 42.0 semester credits.

To qualify for financial aid, each semester students must enroll in ≥4.5 semester credits per term.

Quarter courses will be listed on the transcript as RCIP versions.

Additional Information

For more information, please email Program Director Dr. Sujata Bhatia at skb322@drexel.edu.

Sample Plans of Study

Credits shown for Drexel University College of Medicine courses are semester credits. Credits shown for the LeBow School of Business and Close School of Entrepreneurship have been converted to semester credits (3.0 quarter credits = 2.0 semester credits). Fall quarter courses may be taken in the Fall semester, and Winter quarter courses may be taken in the Spring semester, as semesters and quarters overlap. This program requires a minimum of 36.0 semester credits to meet the degree requirements. If a minor is added to the curriculum, the required number of credits to complete the program is 42.0 semester credits.

To qualify for financial aid, each semester students must enroll in ≥4.5 semester credits per term.

Full-Time, Fall Start

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
MIIM 518S (Semester Course)3.0MIIM 503S (Semester Course)2.0Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester9.0
BUSN 501 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0MIIM 519S (Semester Course)3.0 
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0BUSN 502 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0 
 Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0 
 8 10 9
Second Year
FallCredits  
MIIM 631S (Semester Course)5.0  
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester4.0  
 9  
Total Credits 36

Full-Time, Spring Start

To qualify for financial aid, each semester students must enroll in ≥4.5 semester credits per term.

Full-time, Summer
First Year
  SummerCredits
  MIIM 518S (Semester Course)3.0
  Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester6.0
   9
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BUSN 501 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0BUSN 502 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0MIIM 631S (Semester Course)5.0
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester6.0MIIM 519S (Semester Course)3.0Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester4.0
 MIIM 503S (Semester Course)2.0 
 Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0 
 8 10 9
Total Credits 36

Part-Time, Fall Start

To qualify for financial aid, each semester students must enroll in ≥4.5 semester credits per term.

Part-Time, Spring Start
First Year (Part-Time)
 SpringCreditsSummerCredits
 MIIM 503S (Semester Course)2.0Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester7.0
 MIIM 519S (Semester Course)3.0 
 BUSN 502 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0 
  7 7
Second Year (Part-Time)
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BUSN 501 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester6.0MIIM 631S (Semester Course)5.0
MIIM 518S (Semester Course)3.0 Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0  
 8 6 8
Total Credits 36

 Part-Time, Summer Start

To qualify for financial aid, each semester students must enroll in ≥4.5 semester credits per term.

First Year (Part-Time)
  SummerCredits
  Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester7.0
   7
Second Year (Part-Time)
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BUSN 501 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0MIIM 503S (Semester Course)2.0Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester6.0
MIIM 518S (Semester Course)3.0MIIM 519S (Semester Course)3.0 
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0BUSN 502 (Quarter Course; Credits shown have been converted to semester.)2.0 
 8 7 6
Third Year (Part-Time)
FallCredits  
MIIM 631S (Semester Course)5.0  
Electives - Can be mix of Quarter and Semester courses, but credits are shown as semester3.0  
 8  
Total Credits 36

Additional Information

To learn more about part-time options, please contact Program Director Dr. Sujata Bhatia at skb322@drexel.edu.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the degree requirements of this program, students would have achieved the following program-level goals:

  • Develop core knowledge in biological sciences, technology development, and commercialization
  • Gain understanding of finance, economics, management, and organization leadership
  • ​Apply business expertise to evaluate the process of delivering biomedical products to market
  • Develop skills to identify and evaluate professional ethical dilemmas and appropriate solutions
  • Strengthen communication, leadership, and soft skills (e.g., teamwork, problem-solving, knowledge of career opportunities, and networking)

Drexel Student Learning Priorities (DSLPs)

In the course of meeting these program-level goals, students would have also made progress in all of Drexel’s Student Learning Priorities (DSLPs) to help them build their future:

Core Intellectual and Practical Skills:

  • Communication
  • Creative and critical thinking
  • Ethical reasoning
  • Information literacy
  • Self-directed learning

Experiential and Applied Learning:

  • Global competence
  • Leadership
  • Professional practice
  • Research, scholarship, and creative expression
  • Responsible citizenship

Additional Information

For questions about the curriculum and program goals, please email Program Director Dr. Sujata Bhatia at skb322@drexel.edu.

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