Master of Science in Clinical Investigation
Clinical Investigation Program
The O’Donnell School of Public Health offers the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) degree and the Certificate in Clinical Investigation to equip investigators with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to succeed in academic or industry careers in clinical and translational research.
Graduates will gain the expertise to plan and conduct their own clinical and translational research, disseminate their results, and apply for grant funding. This program is intended for individuals trained in the medical sciences or those who have relevant scientific backgrounds and experiences who are seeking to deepen their knowledge of research design and methodology.
Our Offerings
| Program | Credit Hours | Time to complete |
| Master of Science in Clinical Investigation | 36 semester credit hours | Part time: 18-36 months Full time: 18 months |
| Certificate in Clinical Investigation | 15 semester credit hours | 12-18 months |
How to Apply
You can apply for the MSCI program online. The application is free. Eligible candidates may include, but not limited to, physicians, nurses, dentists, medical students, residents, fellows, other health care professionals, research coordinators, and Ph.D. level scientists.
- A bachelor’s degree in a STEM-related field is required.
- The three letters of recommendation should come from mentors, professors, or supervisors who work in a STEM-related field.
- Provide a mentor training plan.
- Include a personal statement.
- There are no interviews in the application process.
- G.R.E. and M.C.A.T. scores are optional.
Tuition Reimbursement for UTSW Employees
UT Southwestern policy EMP-305 (requires VPN) indicates that funds may be available for tuition assistance for those employees who meet the minimum requirements. Please TuitionReimbursement@UTSouthwestern.edu us for inquiries.
"The overall program has reignited my research passions and urge to take on new areas of study. In particular, the biostatistics course is absolutely eye-opening. This has been truly 'oxygen' for me, as the program has made the transition to a new job easier."
"Though I have some prior clinical research experience, I never had any formal education until starting the program. The first-year classes have provided me with a much better understanding about how to develop a clear, concise research proposal that is competitive for external funding and how to manage my research team. These are skills we do not learn during our clinical training but are vital to success as a physician-scientist."
"As a current student in the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program at UT Southwestern, I have found the curriculum invaluable for building a strong foundation in clinical research. Core courses in research design, biostatistics, grant writing, and ethics have equipped me to develop my own research proposals. The elective courses have also been highly beneficial. I highly recommend this program to fellow engineers interested in transitioning into clinical research."
Core Competencies
Our program helps students develop strong research skills based on core competencies in:
- Ethics
- Study design
- Conduct of observational studies and randomized trials
- Clinical epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Scientific communication including manuscripts and grants
What You Will Learn
The Master of Science in Clinical Investigation program provides rigorous training in the skills and competencies necessary to plan, conduct, and interpret superior clinical and translational research. Our program provides a comprehensive, individualized, team-science based education in the principles and methods of research and in the skills and strategies required for the development of successful academic careers through a didactic and Socratic curriculum.
The goal of the master’s program is to prepare investigators for a successful career in clinical and translational research. The curriculum includes courses on research training, financial planning, leadership, ethics, and career development. Our program is designed to provide intense research training and career development opportunities in a multidisciplinary setting that culminates in the submission of a publishable manuscript and a completed research project. Trainees acquire competence in critical thinking, team science, leadership, biomedical statistics and informatics, and other disciplines. All program participants are mentored by faculty representing a variety of UT Southwestern departments with team science approaches that spans the spectrum of translational medicine.
Career-Focused Pathways
An important part of our program is its personally tailored approach. While the required foundational curriculum centers on core clinical research competencies, students have the option to choose their electives specific to individual career needs using career-focused pathways that support study in informatics, community engagement, and health disparities, including multiomics for biomarker and therapeutic discovery and traditional and alternative trial designs. The MSCI program provides the following career-focused pathways:
- Precision Medicine
- Interventional Studies
- Population Health
What You Will Gain
Research Skills
Those completing the MSCI program will be able to:
- Design, conduct, and analyze clinical and population wide investigations; studies that provide insights into the molecular pathophysiology of disease, therapeutic targets, or biomarkers; or studies using large health care databases
- Disseminate and implement research findings
- Navigate funding acquisition
Career Development
Students will become leaders in clinical investigation through their experiences:
- Join a UTSW community of learners who share experiences and resources
- Participate in weekly Socratic seminars for senior and peer-to-peer mentoring
- Receive mentorship from senior research leaders
Career Path
Upon graduating from this program, our students are well prepared to become independent investigators, pharmaceutical industry leaders, directors of research, or chief medical officers and to advance in clinical and translational science leadership.
Eligibility and Requirements
Students in the MSCI program complete a structured series of courses, seminars, and workshops related to the design, conduct, and analysis of clinical research. The core curriculum is enhanced with presentations by invited speakers, participation in journal clubs, research in progress seminars, research conferences, and extensive contact with their mentoring teams.
For the satisfactory completion of a thesis, students must design a research project, defend a formal proposal, perform the described study, and prepare a scholarly scientific paper on the principal study findings. The thesis must be relevant to the student’s career-focused pathway and written in the format of an article suitable for submission to a scientific journal. The initial thesis project and final draft of the research project must be approved by the student’s Thesis Committee. An oral presentation of the findings is required.
Master of Science of Clinical Investigation Curriculum
| Minimum hours required | |
| Didactic Curriculum | 21 |
| Socratic Curriculum | 2 |
| Research Practicum | 8-15 |
| Total Degree Plan | 36 |
This includes active participation and regular attendance at seminars, lectures, grand rounds, and visiting professorships.
| Fall Courses | Hours |
|---|---|
| Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics I OR | 1 |
| Responsible Conduct of Research | |
| Introduction to Principles & Methods of Clinical & Translational Research | 3 |
| Biostatistics I | 3 |
| Spring Courses | Hours |
| Professional, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics II OR | 1 |
| Ethics in Clinical Science | |
| Essentials of Management & Leadership | 2 |
| Practical Clinical & Translational Research Proposal Development | 2 |
| Biostatistics II | 3 |
| Epidemiology for the Clinical Investigator | 3 |
| Courses Offered in Multiple Semesters | Hours |
| Socratic Seminar/Clinical & Translational Science Forum | 2 |
| Grant Writing & Funding Strategies | 1 |
| Clinical & Translational Research from Proposal to Implementation | 1 |
| Research Practicum/Directed Research | 8-15 |
| Elective Coursework | 3-10 |
| Total Required Hours | 36 |
| Fall Courses | Hours |
|---|---|
| The U.S. Health Care System | 3 |
| Health Information Technology | 3 |
| Evidence-Based Medicine: Decision Support | 3 |
| Spring Courses | Hours |
| Data Analytics | 3 |
| Summer Courses | Hours |
| Manuscript Writing & Social Media | 1 |
| Courses Offered in Multiple Semesters | Hours |
| Independent Study | 1-3 |
| Special Topics | 1-3 |
Get More Information
If you have any questions or to learn more, please email MSCI Admin.
