Clinical Research (MS)

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Clinical Research (MS): Program Overview

Description of this program is located earlier in this catalog.

Educational Assistance Benefits (EAB) Funding

RUSH employees can qualify for tuition reimbursement through the Educational Assistance Benefits (EAB) program. Contact your department administrator for EAB benefit and qualification information.

Clinical Research (MS): Academic Policies

Academic Standing

Students must maintain a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average, earn a pass in courses with a pass/no pass option and meet the requirements of their program at the end of each term to remain in good academic standing. Any student who falls below this academic standard is academically deficient and not eligible for graduation. Failure to remediate deficiencies within one academic semester can result in dismissal by the Division of Translational Science. Students who earn a C or below in a core course must retake the course.

Program Time Limitations

Students in the Clinical Research Program are expected to meet all requirements for graduation within five semesters (if enrolled full-time) but must graduate within eight semesters (if enrolled part-time) in the Division of Translational Science. This period begins with the term in which the student formally matriculates into the program. Exceptions to the time limitation must be submitted to the Academic Standards Committee in writing. The request must identify the reasons for the extension and provide a written plan with reasonable deadlines for completion. This document will be co-signed by the student’s research adviser and program director. The head of the Division of Translational Science will make the final decision. If the extension is approved, the student is expected to complete all milestones and program requirements. A second request may be made by the student’s adviser and program director but may or may not be grated by the head of the Division of Translational Science by the recommendation of the divisional Advisory Committee. Following the second approved extension, the student must complete all requirements for the Master of Science degree or face dismissal.

Leave of Absence

The maximum length of accumulated Leave of Absence is 12 months. Requests for leave beyond the 12-month time limit must be submitted to the head of the Division through the Advisory Committee, in writing. The request must identify the reasons for the extent of leave and provide a written plan for return and revised deadlines for completion. This document will be co-signed by the student’s research adviser and program director. If approved, the student must return at the time indicated on the initial request.

A second request may be made by the student’s adviser and program director, but it may or may not be approved by the head of the Division of Translational Science. Students must complete the university process to formally request a leave of absence. Please refer to the leave of absence policy under the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog for additional information.

Division of Translational Science/Rush University Academic Policies

Academic policies specific to the Division of Translational Science are located earlier in this catalog. In addition, the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog contains Rush University Academic Policies.

Clinical Research (MS): Curriculum

Degree Requirements

The program consists of three components:

Minimum of 32 graduate credits
Clinical research thesis project culminating in a written thesis
A public presentation and a private defense of the thesis

Master of Science in Clinical Research curriculum:

Transfer credits from other Rush University Colleges or other institutions may be accepted dependent upon approval of the program director. Only coursework taken within the five years previous to program matriculation will be reviewed, but it is not guaranteed to be approved.

Required Coursework

CRE - 500 Clinical Research in Practice Credit(s): 3
CRE - 556 Clinical Research Design Credit(s): 4
CRE - 561 Introduction to Epidemiology Credit(s): 2
CRE - 562 Advanced Epidemiology Credit(s): 2
GCC - 546 Principles of Biostatistics I Credit(s): 2
GCC - 547 Principles of Biostatistics II Credit(s): 2
GCC - 548 Bioinformatics Credit(s): 1
GCC - 549 Bioinformatics II Credit(s): 1
GCC - 551 Ethics and IRB Credit(s): 2
CRE - 597 Thesis Research Credit(s): 1-9
Students taking GCC-594 will need a minimum of 11 credits of Thesis Research. Students approved to take CRE-560 will need a minimum of 10 credits of Thesis Research. Credits / Units: 10-11
GCC - 594 Introduction to Grant Writing Credit(s): 2
Or
CRE - 560 Health Care Outcomes Credit(s): 4
With permission, this course can be approved as a substitution for GCC-594. Faculty consent is required.

Thesis Research

Students complete a minimum of 10-11 credits of research, as outlined above. Students must enroll in CRE-597 from the summer term of the first year until graduation for two to nine credits per term, depending on their plan of study. While enrolled, students must complete thesis-related milestones and requirements that ensure the successful completion of the research project.

Students are required to complete and defend a data-driven thesis that provides a culminating experience and applies the principles and methods learned in the coursework to a real-life research project. The goal of the thesis is to demonstrate the student’s understanding of the clinical research process from both a theoretical and a practical point of view.

With the support of the program director, each student must identify a research mentor and form a thesis committee. The student works closely with their mentor to develop their research proposal while they are completing their coursework in the first year. The research project must involve the analysis and interpretation of data. Students are encouraged but are not required to conduct primary data collection.

The primary thesis adviser in conjunction with the thesis committee will be responsible for guiding the student on the research idea, its practicality, feasibility, application and timeline for completion. Students must meet with their mentor and full thesis committee, including the program director, at least once every six months to provide a progress update and receive recommendations for moving forward to completion. The mentor and thesis committee are also responsible for reviewing and approving the thesis. Once approved, the student defends the thesis.

All students will be required to submit the thesis to ProQuest to be eligible for graduation. Specific formatting guidelines are required as set forth by the Center for Academic Excellence. All students are encouraged to formulate their original research into a scientific journal article and submit the manuscript as a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Course of Study

The Master of Science in Clinical Research program can be completed either part-time or full-time depending on the goals of the student. Courses will take place in person in the late afternoons or early evenings, supplemented with asynchronous online components. The program is designed so that a full-time student may complete their coursework in one academic year. Thesis research components of the program should begin as soon as mentors have been identified during the first spring semester in the program. All students must at a minimum be enrolled part-time (five credits) during the first year of the program to maintain active status in the Division of Translational Science. After completion of didactic courses, students in Thesis Research must enroll in a minimum of two credits to maintain active status.