A certificate of specialization in bioinformatics from SILS is awarded in conjunction with either the MSLS or MSIS degree. To earn this certificate, a currently enrolled student must satisfy the following requirements:
- Successful completion of the MSIS or MSLS degree from SILS, requiring 48 hours of approved graduate coursework.
- Successful completion of a series of required graduate-level courses (38-40 credits). Most of these courses are already required as part of the master’s degree or would otherwise count for the master’s degree.
- Complete a significant project in the area of bioinformatics. This can be satisfied by either:
- successfully completing a master’s project/paper in the area of bioinformatics;
- working on a research project in an academic environment (research rotation, project course, etc.); or
- acquiring experience in a commercial setting, for instance a summer internship with a company, or presenting evidence of previous work experience.
The work to satisfy the project requirement must be approved by the coordinator of the SILS bioinformatics certificate program. Training projects are expected to be about 10 hours per week for one semester or one summer.
Current training program projects include:
- research rotations with UNC faculty members participating in the UNC bioinformatics curriculum
- internships with the Health Sciences Library
- internships with pharmaceutical companies in the Research Triangle Park
For more information, contact Dr. Brad Hemminger at (919) 966-2998 or bmh@ils.unc.edu.