Anatomy

Saint Louis University offers two options for a master's degree in anatomy: thesis and project. Students receive instruction from a diverse team of award-winning clinical anatomists dedicated to teaching and training.

Teaching faculty and mentors are drawn from a select group of scientists and clinicians at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine. The faculty are united by their extensive experience teaching and training young scientists, medical students, and physicians-in-training.

Students also can pursue research projects with dedicated scientific support staff to assist them. Many students present their research at local and national scientific conferences.

Curriculum Overview
Thesis Option: The thesis option provides advanced training in anatomy for individuals interested in teaching fundamental courses in anatomy and serves as an introduction to biomedical research. It is also appropriate for those whose primary interests are in related fields such as medicine or the allied health professions. A total of 30 credits, including six credits of thesis research, are required for graduation.

Project Option: The project option provides training in anatomy with a capstone project and is appropriate for students who want to fulfill a professional aspiration to teach human anatomy structure and function. It is also suitable for students who are undecided about a career in the health professions and want to improve their academic background before applying to professional schools such as medicine, dentistry or allied health professions. A total of 30 credits is necessary to complete the degree.

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in general knowledge of the core anatomical subjects (human gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy, neuroanatomy, embryology and physiology).
2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency:
   1. in written communication skills with respect to clarity, use of appropriate grammar, syntax and vocabulary to effectively present information including the use of figures, tables and citations.
   2. in oral communication skills with respect to content, organization, presentation and delivery, use of visual aids, and ability to answer audience questions.
3. Thesis Track
   1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in the ability to apply common laboratory techniques, analytical approaches, experimental design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, problem-solving skills, and critical evaluation of scientific literature used to test hypothesis-driven experiments in the anatomical sciences.
   2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in the ability, with oversight, to utilize technical skills and analytical approaches to gather pertinent data identifying a gap in knowledge, devise an experimental approach to research the problem, conduct studies and analyze the resultant data and describe finings in a hypothesis-driven research project.
4. Project Track
   1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in the ability to apply analytical approaches, problem-solving skills, critical evaluation of scientific literature and teaching techniques used in the anatomical sciences.
   2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate competency in the ability, with oversight, to identify gaps of knowledge and formulate, implement and present a scholarly and/or research-based project that results in a tangible product that contributes to and enhances the anatomical sciences.