The MS Bioinformatics, offered by the Department of Computer Science , features an interdisciplinary curriculum in bioinformatics, biology, computer science, and mathematics. Questions in many areas of biology, including genomics, molecular biology, neuroscience, physiology, microbiology, ecology, and evolution, must now be answered using mathematical and computational methods. New techniques allow the acquisition of many thousands or millions of biological measurements, and the field of bioinformatics has developed to address this need. The MS Bioinformatics program will provide students with an understanding of biological questions, a background in mathematics, and the computational skills necessary to address complex problems in the biological sciences. Students will also gain experience utilizing these skills to answer biological questions, including those with biomedical applications. The goal of the MS in Bioinformatics program is to prepare students for careers in the growing field of bioinformatics both in academia and in the biotechnology industry.
For more information, please visit www.sjsu.edu/cs/programs/ms-bioinformatics/.
Admissions Requirements
University Admission
Candidates must apply through the CSU admissions portal, Cal State Apply, and meet all university admissions requirements. Applicants from countries in which the native language is not English or from countries with multiple native languages including English, must submit TOEFL scores. Minimum TOEFL scores acceptable for admission are 250 (Computer Based), 100 (Internet Based). Additional information about the TOEFL is given on the university webpage: Graduate Program Test Requirement.
Admission to the Program
Candidates must meet all the university admission requirements . Students can be admitted in either classified or conditionally classified standing. To be admitted to classified standing, applicants must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the biological or computational sciences or in engineering, a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and completion of all program prerequisites listed on the admission requirements webpage. Two letters of recommendation from academic instructors or advisors are also required. Currently, GRE exam results are not required.
Students who meet the minimum university admission requirements can be conditionally classified if there is sufficient space in the program to accommodate them. Conditionally classified students will be required to complete undergraduate course work and prerequisite coursework (listed in "Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing"), as directed by the graduate coordinators.
Requirements for Admission to Classified Standing
To enter this program with classified standing, a student must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 units of required degree course work and have completed each of the following courses with a grade of "C" or better:

