Our program focuses on anatomical studies combined with pedagogical components. The CIRTL (Center for Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning) program offers a certificate in college education with an emphasis in scholarly teaching, and educational research. Scholars may opt to take additional courses, qualifying for a CIRTL Associate Certificate, if they choose.

Lastly, our program includes two distinctive requirements/opportunities: a Teaching Practicum and Research Project. As part of the basic requirements, scholars will act as laboratory instructors (TAs) in the lab courses provided to medical, dental, and physical therapy students. However, during the Teaching Practicum, they will provide some lecture instruction to undergraduate anatomy students. 

In conjunction with a faculty mentor, scholars will develop a research topic in medical education research or other original anatomy research. Scholars will be expected to design projects with measurable outcomes and present the results oral presentation to the department, or a poster presented at departmental research sharing opportunities. Presentation of research findings at a national/regional meeting is preferable but not required.

MS in Anatomical Sciences Details

The Master of Science in Anatomy is an academic degree that requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits. A GPA of 3.0 is required at the time of graduation. Coursework includes Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CTRL) courses, which may be a combination of onsite courses as well as online. It is possible/optional to take sufficient courses to qualify for a CIRTL Associate Certificate.

Course Work

Required Courses: Education Core

• GRD 716  Developing a Teaching Portfolio (online)
• GRD 750  CIRTL Teaching & Learning Seminar I (online) 

Choose 4 of the following pedagogy courses:

• GRD 705 Teaching at the College Level (online)
• GRD 727 Writing and Reviewing Research (online)
• GRD 752 Introduction to Evidence-Based STEM Teaching (online)
• GRD 754 Advanced Evidence-Based STEM Teaching (online)
• GRD 751 Seminar in Teaching & Learning II (online)
• GRD 756 The College Classroom (online)

Required Courses: Anatomy Core

• ANSC 601/601L Human Gross Anatomy with Lab – Course provides a comprehensive survey of the gross anatomy of the human along with functional and applied anatomy as it relates to common clinical findings. It utilizes a lecture format and cadaveric dissection laboratory sessions. (Fall, on campus) 
• ANSC 602 Gross Anatomy Supplement – This course will provide students with the opportunity to study the educational literature and develop their research project. (Required Fall and Spring, on campus) 
• ANSC 618 Graduate Histology Course – This course will cover the specialized cell biology and microscopic anatomy for each of the mammalian organ systems, as well as consider current research with regard to each system. The objective is to understand how cells organize into tissues and organ systems and how these systems function in the body, as well as to appreciate the microscopic appearance of cells, tissues and organs. (Spring, on campus) 
• ANSC 655 Neuroendocrine – The course provides the student with a balanced basic science view of the structure and function of the nervous system. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the nervous system from molecular-to-behavioral levels. The inclusion of relevant clinical correlations is designed to facilitate the students' understanding of the function of the normal nervous system and to provide an overview of the clinical neurosciences. (Fall, on campus) 
• ANSC 656 Human Embryology – This course uses didactic lectures, lab exercises, and student presentations to help students gain an understanding of the major events in human development from gastrulation-to-birth. Individual units focus on the developmental processes of specific organ systems. The course uses an anatomical focus to describe the morphological characteristics of the developing embryo/fetus. The biochemical and molecular biology of development are only briefly discussed. Morphology and anatomy are also related to the clinical presentation of birth defects. (Spring, on campus)
• ANSC 657 Medical Imaging – This course is a modification of an existing SOM elective. In this course, students will learn to obtain and interpret ultrasound images by practicing techniques on classmates and reading existing ultrasound images. Other radiograph images (X-ray, MRI) will also be used to help students understand planar anatomy and its relationship to 3D anatomy. Students will learn the basics of the technology behind the different medical imaging modalities to provide a fuller understanding of image interpretation. (Summer, on campus)
• ANSC 695 Teaching Practicum – students will act as supplemental instructors in a variety of anatomy lab courses, complete their own (or in teams) whole-body prosection, and prepare and present 2-3 hours of new lecture content for undergraduate anatomy students. (Spring, on campus) 
• ANSC 696 Research Project – Students will develop an original research project primarily in medical education but other research areas such as clinical anatomy, histology, etc. can be pursued. Students will be evaluated on their ability to formulate an anatomically relevant research question, review the existing literature, and communicate their findings via a poster or oral presentation to department.(Spring and Summer, on campus)

Sample Timeline/Curriculum

Research

Beginning the first semester students will begin developing an original research project in medical education. Students will be evaluated on their ability to formulate an anatomically relevant research question, review the existing literature, and communicate their findings via a poster or oral presentation to department. Topic selection will be chosen with advice from the faculty mentor, but must include an IRB-exempt application and a survey. Students will be expected to design projects with measurable outcomes and present the results. Presentations will occur in the second summer of the program in the form of a poster at a departmental-sponsored research day. Presentation of research findings at a national/regional meeting of an anatomical society is strongly encouraged, but not required.

Please note: While the research project is only assigned credit hours in the final summer term, students will begin developing a research question in their first summer semester as part of enrollment in the basic pedagogy courses in CIRTL. Students will be expected to continue the literature review and research methods development during their first year in the MS program. In the final summer, the student will bring the previous year's work together into a publishable product to be delivered in an appropriate venue as described above.

Assessment

Students will be largely assessed by GPA, as assessed by examinations (written, practical, multiple-choice tests), and lab work, e.g., quality of prosections. The students must maintain an average of 3.0, with no more than one grade of ‘C’. 

Grades below ‘C’ will be grounds for probation, remediation, or termination as determined by the faculty. The other degree requirements, (teaching practicum and research capstone), will be assessed as described in the detailed syllabi of those courses. In addition, students will be assigned a faculty mentor at the beginning of the course, with whom they will meet on a regular basis to discuss progress and from whom they will receive frequent verbal feedback. At the end of each semester the student will receive narrative (written feedback) assessing their progress in all aspects of the course.