The application process for Fall 2025 is now open.
Application deadline - August 5, 2025 (or until the program is filled)
General Information
How many students are in your program each year?
Class size varies year to year, a typical class will range from 10 to 16 students. We keep the class size small to maintain a more personal relationship between the faculty and the students and among the students.
Do you offer an online option?
Currently we are an in-person program only.
Are most of your students planning on continuing to Med School eventually?
Yes. Many of our students are pre-med, but students have also gone on to PhD programs, genetic counseling programs, dental school and even law school after completing our program. They have also found employment in research labs, pharmaceutical companies, forensic labs and biomedical technology companies.
Click for a list of where some of our students go after they complete our program.
It varies from year to year, and there are some students that we lost track of, but from the information we have, we estimate that approximately 90% of the students who apply to Medical School or a School of Osteopathy have been accepted within a few years of completing our program.
Tulane Medical School knows and respects our MS program, but there is no linkage. Students apply to Tulane Medical School like everyone else, but with the advantage of improved credentials and a noted connection to and knowledge of Tulane and the city of New Orleans. Our professors write letters of recommendation that can help a student’s application to Tulane and other medical schools.
Application & Acceptance
Is there a minimum GPA, MCAT, or GRE requirement?
There is no minimum, but we rarely accept students with a GPA below a 3.0. MCATs and GREs are no longer required, however they can be provided if they could enhance a student’s application. For example, a good MCAT or GRE score may help offset a lower GPA.
How many people who apply to the program are accepted?
It varies from year to year, but we get somewhere between 50 and 70 applications and accept approximately 2/3 of those that apply. We have found that a third to a half of the people we accept actually matriculate.
Do I need to pay a deposit once I am accepted and decide to attend your program?
Yes. Upon acceptance, a $500 deposit is required to hold your spot. This will be applied to your tuition. A refund can be requested if a student is accepted to an accredited MD/DO/Dental program subsequent to beginning our program.
Do you allow "conditional acceptances"?
No. We require all of the application materials to be submitted before an admissions decision is made. If you are currently taking classes or planning on taking classes after you apply, be sure to send us updated transcripts as they become available. An official transcript showing a degree was conferred is required before matriculation.
Do you accept foreign students?
Yes. All application materials must be submitted in English and transcripts from any non-US school must go through a formal international transcript evaluation (such as provided by the WES.) For students who graduated from a university that did not teach courses in English, TOEFL or IELTS scores are required [TOEFL minimum 80 or IELTS minimum 7.0].
Are there any scholarships, teaching, or research opportunities available with this program?
No. There are no scholarships or assistantships available for this program.
How much does the program cost?
Full time tuition for the 2024-25 year is projected to be $24,000 for 30 credit hours.
Other estimated University fees per semester:
$400 - Academic Support Services
$120 - Student Activities
$210 - Recreation Center
$339 - Health Service Fee - (this fee is not a health insurance premium) *
$1069 - Total Semester Fees
*Students are also required to have Health Insurance, which can be bought through Tulane. If you have your own, you have to provide that information.
Yes. For every Master's program that you apply to, you will need to submit a separate application. You must submit your personal statement, resume/cv and list your recommenders in all your applications even if they are the same people.
Letters of Recommendation: When applying, you must list your references for EACH application you create. Put their email in for one of the applications so they will get the invitation to send the Letter of Recommendation. For the other applications, you can put their names and the BMS@tulane.edu email. Once you see through the application portal that the LOR’s are in, you can email bms@tulane.edu and request they be shared among the other applications.
Curriculum
A list of courses is provided here or under Curriculum in the right navigation column. All students take the same courses covering all aspects of Human Genetics.
Yes, it is a 20 to 30 page literature review on a topic of your choice (has to be related to genetics). Each student has a faculty mentor to provide guidance in the writing of the paper and who will be the one who decides the grade for the paper. It is not a formal “thesis paper”, as it does not require original research.
How does your advising system work?
We are a small program with a small faculty. If you have any problems with classes, you can speak directly to the professor. Dr. Weissbecker provides counseling related to applying to medical school, other employment options, and help with dealing with “life issues.” The Biomedical Science office also has an Academic and Career Advisor for graduate students, Weiwei Xu. Tulane University provides mental health support through the Tulane Counseling Center located inside the Health Center: 127 Elk Place, Room 261.
