MBS-Scranton and online course descriptions
Course descriptions
Biochemistry (4)
This course has been designed to emphasize the key principles related to metabolic biochemistry. It lays the foundation for potential further study of human biochemistry or other related fields.
Cell Biology (4)
This course will emphasize the basics of cell structure and function, modern investigative techniques used in the cell biology laboratory and exposure to the practical application of cell biology concepts under normal physiological conditions and disease states.
Human Genetics (4)
This course introduces students to classical and molecular genetics. The emphasis is on inherited human disorders and the emerging model of the human genome. Major topics include Mendelian genetics, cytogenetics, multifactorial inheritance, developmental genetics, epigenetics, RNA biology, cancer genetics and genomics.
Physiology (4)
This course will introduce students to the physiological aspects of the human body by using a systems-based approach. The course emphasizes broad concepts that form the basic understanding of human physiology and the physiology of each organ system.
Professional Identity Formation for Healthcare Careers (2)
This course is designed to help students develop their professional skills and engage them in postgraduate career planning. The course will focus on professional identity formation, career planning, interpersonal skill development and reflection and self-directed lifelong learning.
Professional School Application Enhancement (Princeton Review) (3)
The professional school application enhancement (Princeton Review) course for preparing to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) can help improve your score.
Basic Immunology (2)
Basic immunology provides a fundamental knowledge of the role of the immune response in human health and disease. The tissues, cells and molecules that comprise the immune system will be examined and the principles of the immune response in the context of microbial infection and immunopathogenesis will be studied. Both immunologic and microbial features that influence host-microbe interactions and outcomes of infection will be highlighted. Students will also apply basic immunological principles to develop an understanding of various disease such as autoimmunity and cancer along with the immunotherapeutic approaches used to treat such diseases.
Foundations of Neuroscience (2)
Foundations of neuroscience serves as an introduction to human neurobiological systems. It will cover fundamentals of neurobiology, including the general structure of the human nervous system, the bases of excitable cells in the nervous system, modes of cell-to-cell communication, distinctions between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, sensory and motor systems. Methodology used in the understanding and investigation of the nervous system will be covered as well. The course will be taught through a combination of didactic presentations, podcasts, active learning in the form of team-based learning and topic presentations by student groups.
Introduction to Pharmacology (2)
This course will introduce the student to pharmacology, or the study of how drugs work. Students will learn an approach to the identification and application of essential drug information. Major topics include the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pharmacology of the major classes of drugs and specific drugs within the classes. The focus of the course will be on the mechanisms of action for pharmacologic agents, as well as their targets in the body, therapeutic uses and adverse effects.
Epidemiology (2)
This course provides a broad introduction to the principles and methods of epidemiology and the basics of biostatistics, with particular emphasis on the role of these core disciplines in public health practice and research. Students learn about the basic epidemiological and biostatistical concepts and tools applied in public health practice and population-based research. Students gain the knowledge required to appropriately interpret epidemiological and statistical data, to determine appropriate study design and methods for epidemiological and clinical studies and to critically review the clinical and public health research literature. The influence of socio-demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors on disease risk and mortality are also discussed.
Community health research (2)
Community health research is an elective course for students enrolled in the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) program. The class will meet once a week for two hours. In this course, students will get the opportunity to learn about community-based research methods. Students will learn about literature review, research proposal writing, survey design, data management and analysis, community engaged research, research ethics, qualitative research, field investigation and presentation skills. Students are also required to complete a group project which involves application of their knowledge of community health and epidemiological research methods in developing a research proposal and conducting secondary analysis of data or original research. At the end of the course, student groups will communicate and present their work in the form of a paper and a scholarly talk.
Health research methods (1)
Health research methods (HRM) is a required one-credit course designed to be taken by students in their first quarter of the Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) program. The course aims to provide students with the foundational skills, and knowledge to critically examine and conduct research in the health sciences. Students who take this course will learn key components of the research process, including framing a research question, reading empirical research studies, conducting a literature review, and using quantitative and qualitative approaches to investigate a hypothesis. HRM assignments include undergoing training to support research activities such as completing CITI certification and using information literacy and data science tools. Taking this course will introduce students to fundamental epidemiologic and statistical concepts that will be built upon in later courses in the program. HRM is a pre-requisite for the Epidemiology and Community Health Research courses in the MBS Program.
Healthcare workforce leadership (1)
This course is designed to examine leadership at a personal level in order to help the student discover their own leadership style. Topics include an overview of theories of leadership, personal development of leadership skills, women in leadership, uncovering and correcting fatal flaws in one’s leadership style(s). The course will consist of assigned readings, video assignments, discussion boards and reflection papers.
Biomedical research and debate (2)
This course will pose a biological or medical conundrum in which MBS students will engage in a debate style format to address in a scientific and logical exAMination of facts. At this stage in the MBS program, you’ve taken numerous classes that have increased your knowledge of the biological and medical sciences and have prepared you for a presentation of this information in your future career. This course will draw on your accumulated knowledge and presentation skills to engage in a debate style format concerning current topics in the biological and medical sciences.