Master of Infectious Disease at Drexel University

Drexel University

United States of America, Philadelphia

University Rank:#711

The Infectious Disease at Drexel University is a Master program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered on campus at the university's main campus in Philadelphia, United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 2 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on September 26, 2027.

About Master of Infectious Disease

Mission Statement

The Master of Science in Infectious Disease program, offered by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and by the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease (IMMID), provides graduate-level training in the area of infectious disease. Classroom activities, online learning, and research experiences cover fundamentals of molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology, as well as basic science, translational, and clinical aspects of diseases caused by important infectious pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2, HIV, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), malarial parasites, and influenza virus. Elective courses offer highly focused studies of topics relevant to infectious disease, including: vaccines and vaccine development; viral, bacterial, parasitic, and fungal pathogens; emerging pathogens; principles of biocontainment; and emerging biomedical interventions for infectious diseases.

The program is designed to prepare students for careers in infectious disease in government, industry, and academic settings. The program is ideally suited for enhancing the scientific credentials of recent college graduates, early career scientists, premedical students, employees in industry, and clinical laboratory technicians.

Curriculum

This non-thesis degree program comprises numerous required and elective graduate courses, as well as an elective research internship that can be completed during the course of the training program. Although most learners will complete the program in two years (four semesters) as full-time students, many opt to enroll on a part-time basis, taking three or more years to complete the degree program. Elective courses available to students in the program provide additional knowledge and expertise in areas relevant to infectious disease research, such as emerging infectious diseases, vaccines effective against infectious pathogens, biotechniques and laboratory research, and principles of biocontainment. Graduate courses in the curriculum will involve completion of examinations and other assessments, participation in seminars and journal clubs, and (if applicable) performance in the experiential learning component. The degree is conferred upon successful completion of a minimum of 36.0 credits of course work.

Learning Options

The Master of Science in Infectious Disease Program is available in two learning formats. Students can enroll in the face-to-face/hybrid program and attend classes on the Center City and Queen Lane campuses of the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. Most classes are held in the late afternoon/early evening to facilitate participation of working professionals. Required and elective courses are offered both live (face-to-face) and online, providing the student the flexibility to formulate a hybrid plan of study that includes a mix of traditional, face-to-face courses and online courses.

The online degree program, which is offered through Drexel University Online, features the same curriculum as the face-to-face/hybrid program, including the experiential research internship. Online courses are designed with activities that maximize interactions among students and faculty, including live web sessions with faculty and guest speakers.

These different program formats provide students with maximum flexibility to meet their schedule demands and accommodate their learning preferences.

Experiential Learning

A signature element of the Program is the Research Internship in Infectious Disease. The internship encompasses one of three specific areas of research in the field of infectious disease:

basic science discovery involving infectious bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic pathogens that cause human disease;
translational research focused on the development of new approaches to diagnose, prevent, or treat infectious diseases; and
clinical infectious disease research focused on infectious diseases in humans.

Many students choose to engage in a hands-on research internship consisting of a 16-week research project in a laboratory at an academic institution or at a biotechnology or biopharmaceutical company. Students in the face-to-face program can choose to work in a laboratory at Drexel University or at other locations in the Greater Philadelphia area. Students in the online program can make arrangements with academic institutions or biotechnology companies at their own locations. Alternatively, traditional and online students may choose to engage in independent research projects with the approval and supervision of the Program Director.

Because the Research Internship in Infectious Disease is an elective course, students can instead choose to earn all 12 elective credits by completing lecture-based elective courses offered as part of the curriculum.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of Infectious Disease at Drexel University

Entry Requirements

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent directly to Drexel from all of the colleges and universities that you have attended. Please note that transcripts are required regardless of number of credits taken or if the credits were transferred to another school. An admission decision may be delayed if you do not send transcripts from all colleges and universities that you have attended.

Transcripts must show course-by-course grades and degree conferrals. If your school does not notate degree conferrals on the official transcripts, you must provide copies of any graduate or degree certificates.

If your school issues only one transcript for life, you are required to have a course-by-course evaluation completed by an approved transcript evaluation agency.

Precise, word-for-word English translations of all non-English language documents are required along with official documents in the original language. All translations must be completed by the issuing institution or an ATA-certified translator. Visit the American Translators Association website to search for an ATA-certified translator.

International students: If you have already graduated from your previous institution at the time of your application, please email your graduation certificate(s) attached as PDF or Microsoft Word documents to [email protected]. Note: Any international applicant, regardless of program, may be required to provide a transcript evaluation should the Admissions Committee determine it is needed for the application to be reviewed. If your transcripts are selected for a course-by-course evaluation by an external agency, you will be responsible for supplying all necessary documentation and paying all necessary fees to have your transcripts evaluated.

If you have questions regarding what documents you must submit to fulfill the transcript requirements, contact the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Standardized Test Scores

GRE test scores are not required.

Test of English as a Foreign Language

International applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency by submitting scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL minimum scores: 80/550/213), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Pearson Test of English (PTE minimum score: 53) unless they meet the criteria for a waiver.

Essay

Please write an essay describing your career goals, including specific research and scholarly interests. Please be sure to indicate how your interests coincide with those of particular School of Education Faculty members.

Submit your essay with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.

Résumé

Upload your résumé as part of your admission application or through the Discover Drexel Portal after you submit your application.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required. To electronically request recommendations, you must list your recommenders and their contact information on your application. We advise that you follow up with your recommenders to ensure they received your recommendation request — they may need to check their junk mail folder. Additionally, it is your responsibility to confirm that your recommenders will submit letters by your application deadline and follow up with recommenders who have not completed their recommendations.

Request recommendations with your application or through the Discover Drexel portal after you submit your application.

Alternatively, you may submit your recommendation letters by mail. Letters must include the address, phone number, and signature of the recommender. The recommendation envelope must be submitted unopened to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Recommenders should be able to speak to your academic performance.

Interview

Virtual, in-person, or telephone interview required for qualified applicants.

Academic Experience

Admission to this program requires a minimum 3.25 GPA (a 3.5 is preferred).

Writing Sample

Please submit a sample of scholarly writing, including but not limited to published articles, theses, or term papers, by mail or email as an attachment to [email protected].

Mailing Addresses

By Postal Mail

Drexel University
Application Processing
PO Box 34789
Philadelphia, PA 19101-4789

By Express Courier

(DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.)
Drexel University
Application Processing
3141 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2876

English Requirements

PTEMin 53
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of Infectious Disease at Drexel University

Application Fee 65

How to Apply for Master of Infectious Disease at Drexel University

1. Review Your Program's Requirements and Application Deadlines

It is your responsibility to ensure that all materials required for the evaluation of your application are received by the Office of Admissions before the deadline. If your application is not complete by your program's deadline date, it may not be evaluated for the term requested.

Individual programs have specific deadlines and requirements. Please review your program's requirements and deadlines before beginning your application.

If you are a returning student who has previously enrolled in graduate coursework at Drexel University, please refer to the readmission instructions for requirements. Non-matriculated applicants should refer to the graduate application process.

2. Read the Application Instructions

Please review the graduate application process, and be sure to submit all required materials before your application deadline.

3. Complete Your Application

Applicants may only apply to one program. All documents submitted by you or on your behalf in support of this application for admission to Drexel University become the property of the University, and will under no circumstances be released to you or any other party.

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4. Submit Your Supplemental Materials

Refer to the program requirements and deadlines for program-specific requirements.

5. Apply for Financial Assistance

Visit Drexel Central to learn how to apply for financial assistance. Drexel's Federal School Code is 003256.

6. Check Your Application Status

After your admission application has been processed, you will receive an email that gives you access to the Discover Drexel portal to check the status of your application.

6. تحقق من حالة التطبيق الخاص بك

Master of Infectious Disease at Drexel University

Drexel University

United States of America, Philadelphia