Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Certificate in Cancer Prevention

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

All students should have a sufficient educational background in the biological or biomedical sciences prior to admission to the program. It is expected that most students will have a health professional degree (e.g., M.D., D.D.S./DMD, DVM, or B.S. in nursing and/or allied health) or a B.S./B.A., M.S., or Ph.D. degree with emphasis in a health-related discipline. The following general requirements will be applied:

  • A medical, dental, master’s and/or baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution in the United States or an U.S. equivalent degree and training at a foreign institution as determined by an evaluation from the Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or the World Education Services, Inc. (WES) of the foreign transcripts.
  • A grade point average (GPA) no lower than B (3.00 in a 4.00 system) in the last 60 hours of coursework for a B.S./B.A. degree or a GPA of at least 3.0 for applicants with an MS degree.
  • A satisfactory score for the combined verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). A minimum of 300 for the combined scores on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE is required. Scores on GRE tests taken more than five years prior to the date of application will not be accepted. Applicants who have completed a graduate degree in a health-related discipline or a U.S. equivalent degree (if awarded from a foreign institution, in a health-related discipline) (M.D., D.D.S., RN, DVM, M.S., or Ph.D.) will be exempted from the requirement to complete the GRE.
  • A minimum score of 84 on the internet version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 6.5 on the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for applicants from countries where English is not the native language. Scores on TOEFL and IELTS (academic version) tests taken more than two years prior to the date of matriculation will not be accepted.

Applicant Documents Requirements

  1. Completed and submitted GSBS online application.

    GSBS deadlines (for submission of application and required documentation) for matriculation in a specific academic semester are listed below.

    Fall Semester: April 1
    Spring Semester: October 1

    Applicants will have the responsibility for the timely submission of application materials in order to meet the deadlines established by the GSBS for registration and course enrollment.
  2. Official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended.
  3. Course by Course Translation of foreign transcripts to include GPA and U.S. degree equivalency by the ECE or WES agencies.
  4. Official GRE scores taken within the past five (5) years.
  5. Official TOEFL or IELTS (academic version) scores taken within the past two (2) years for foreign national applicants.
  6. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation attesting to the applicant's readiness for graduate-level studies in cancer prevention science. These letters should be uploaded to the Recommendation Form by the individual recommenders who will receive an email from the online application system (EMBARK) with a link to the Recommendation Form.

    Students from a GSBS graduate program who have a Supervising Professor are required to submit one (1) of the three (3) letters from their Supervising Professor with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CCP educational activities.

    Residents or fellows in an approved UT Health San Antonio residency or fellowship program are required to submit one (1) of the three (3) letters from the departmental chair with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CCP educational activities.

    UT Health San Antonio faculty and staff are required to submit one of the three (3) letters from their authorized supervisor with a statement indicating the availability and approval of release time for the completion of the CCP educational activities.
  7. A Statement of Purpose (a.k.a. Personal Statement) (1-2 pages) that includes a brief description of the applicant’s background, long-term research and/or career goals, and an indication of the basis for application into the CCP Program including how this program fits into the applicant’s career objectives. The Statement of Purpose should be submitted with the online application to the GSBS.
  8. A current curriculum vitae. This should be submitted with the online application to the GSBS.
  9. A copy of current visa for foreign national applicants.
  10. Copy of U.S. Medical License/Certificate for licensed health care professionals. Official test scores, transcripts, and foreign transcript translations, mentioned above, should be sent to:

    Registrar’s Office-Graduate Admissions
    MSC 7702
    UT Health San Antonio
    7703 Floyd Curl Drive
    San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900
    gsbs@uthscsa.edu
    Phone: 210-567-2667

All of the required information previously described must be submitted in order for an applicant to be considered by the MSCI-TS Student Admissions Committee. Requests for an exemption to any of these general admission requirements should be addressed to the CCP Program Director and sent directly to the CCP Program Coordinator at the address below.

Program Coordinator
CCP Program Room U619
CC /Office of the Director - MC 8026 UT Health San Antonio
7979 Wurzbach Rd.
San Antonio, Texas
78229-3900

Application Process

An online application for admission into the CCP Program must be processed through UT Health San Antonio Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS). This application is available online. As described in the on-line application for admission into the GSBS, official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended by the applicant are required; these must be submitted in sealed institutional envelopes. In addition, all transcripts from foreign institutions must be evaluated and submitted by one of the above mentioned approved foreign credentialing evaluation agencies. Official GRE and TOEFL or IELTS (academic version) test scores must also be submitted.

Deadlines

The CCP Program has an open application policy and will accept applications for admission at any time. However, GSBS deadlines (for submission of application and required documentation) for matriculation in a specific academic semester are listed below.

  • Fall Semester April 1
  • Spring Semester October 1

Applicants will have the responsibility for the timely submission of application materials in order to meet the deadlines established by the GSBS for registration and course enrollment.

Application Review

Operational processes used by the CCP Program are provided by the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation and Translational Science Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS). Thus, after receipt of the online application together with all of the required admission materials outlined above, the MSCI-TS Student Admissions Committee will review and provide a recommendation to the MSCI-TS COGS.

Each application will be individually reviewed to consider: the applicant’s undergraduate and graduate coursework and degree(s), scores on the GRE and TOEFL or IELTS (academic version), if applicable tests, research experience, and all other required documentation submitted with the online application. Research experience is not required but may be beneficial. The admission decision is based on the personal statement as well as a record of academic achievement, research experience, coursework, and letters of recommendation.

After sequential review by the MSCI-TS COGS, and the GSBS, applicants will be formally notified of the outcome by the Graduate Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The MSCI-TS COGS recommends admission to the most highly qualified applicants regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, nation of origin, or disability.

After acceptance, students may complete the requirements for certificate completion while enrolled as either a full-time or part-time student.

Graduate students who are enrolled in the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation and Translational Science Program or the Certificate in Translational Science (CTS) Program are ineligible to concurrently enroll in the CCP Program. However, coursework accomplished towards the Certificate in Cancer Prevention may be applied to the MSCI-TS degree or the CTS.