It is the mission of the Graduate Medical Biochemistry Certificate Program to provide working professionals and post-baccalaureate students with an understanding of medical biochemistry, forensic biotechnology and underlying genetic deficiencies of common metabolic disorders. Our Program faculty provide students with individualized coaching, instruction and advising to assist them in understanding medical biochemistry concepts that will help them achieve their long-term goals.

The online Program is a post-baccalaureate study designed to:

• Provide the knowledge of biochemistry required in clinical, educational and professional settings.
• Foster the development of critical evaluation and analytical thinking skills.
• Develop written and oral communication skills.
• Advance proficiency in the ability to organize and integrate information obtained from a scientific literature search.

The School of Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences at the University of Mississippi Medical Center offers an online Certificate in Graduate Medical Biochemistry. The Certificate can be completed entirely online, with asynchronous courses and no campus visit requirements. This makes it convenient for pre-professional healthcare students or current working professionals interested in enhancing or transitioning into biochemistry-related careers to complete this Program. Our Program format includes (but is not limited to) video lectures, group discussions, projects, problem sets, case studies, quizzes, and exams, all conducted through the online learning platform Canvas.

University of Mississippi Medical Center is the state’s only academic health sciences center and, as such, provides excellent training for physicians, nurses, therapists, researchers and teachers. UMMC offers online degrees and certificates that allow adults already in the workforce to transition into healthcare or advance existing healthcare or scientific careers.

The Certificate in Graduate Medical Biochemistry is comprised of courses covering the fundamentals of medical biochemistry and delving into the biochemistry of selected diseases. We recommend completing more than the required 11 hours to enhance your health-profession school application and to diversify your medical biochemistry career prospects.

The online, asynchronous courses that make up our Certificate in Graduate Medical Biochemistry are designed to enhance your knowledge and skills within the medical biochemistry field and give you the foundational knowledge of biochemistry required in clinical, educational, and professional settings. Our Program offers the following courses:

1. CMB 705 Biochemistry I: Molecular Structure & Cellular Function* 
   Gain a fundamental overview of the chemistry, biosynthesis, and utilization of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.
    
2. CMB 706 Biochemistry II: Enzymology and Cellular Metabolism* 
   Analyze thermodynamics, pH and acid-base chemistry, metabolism, and metabolic regulation including glycolysis, TCA cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
    
3. CMB 707 Biochemistry III: Forensic Biotechnology 
   Study DNA fingerprinting, PCR, CRISPR, bioinformatics, and western blot technologies: all important biotechnology techniques currently used in forensic sciences.
    
4. CMB 708 Biochemistry IV: Genetics, Development and Disease 
   This project-based component will include studies in DNA repair mechanisms, the basis of selected genetic diseases and pedigree development, study of DNA mutations and treatment options for DNA-based diseases.
    
5. CMB 702 Cellular Biochemistry 
   Cellular Biochemistry is an online, asynchronous course with an emphasis on the structure, metabolism, and biochemical function of major macromolecules (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids).
    
6. CMB 703 Metabolic Enzymology 
   The online course offers a study of the functional and structural characteristics of metabolic pathway enzymes at the molecular level exploring fundamental protein chemistry that is relevant to understanding enzyme function within those pathways.

*The courses CMB 705 Biochemistry I: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and CMB 706 Biochemistry II: Enzymology and Cellular Metabolism are both required. CMB 705 must be successfully completed before you can enroll in CMB 706.

In addition to the two required courses (CMB 705 and CMB 706, 8 credit hours total), students must choose elective(s) that add up to a minimum of 11 hours to fulfill the Program requirements. Students that take three courses totaling 11 credit hours can complete their Graduate Certificate in just two semesters while working full time.

1. A completed application;
2. A bachelor’s degree in a science-related field or five semesters of completed courses in biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, or math;
3. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
4. Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended;
5. For graduates of foreign colleges/universities whose academic language is not English: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam is required to demonstrate competence in written and spoken English.  Minimum requirements can be found in the SGSHS general admission section of the UMMC Bulletin. This requirement may be waived for students who are currently enrolled at a college or university in the United States and/or who demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English following a personal interview.

Payments must be made by the due date. If your payment is not made by the due date, you risk losing access to your courses.

Tuition is $525 per credit hour plus fees* (see: estimated Cost of Attendance), and payment is required prior to class start date. The fees include:

• $150 online fee per semester
• $25 application fee

*All prices are subject to change without notice.

Based on 2023 Attendance and Tuition, the total minimum approximate cost for 11 hours is $6,100. This total includes the tuition, registration fee, and online fee for two semesters.

Additional costs for textbooks and computer needs are not included in this number, and fees are approximate. Please visit the School of the Graduate Studies in the Health Sciences’ Cost of Attendance page for more details on estimated costs. Certificate students are not eligible for federal financial aid but may be eligible for a private loan. Students’ employers may also offer tuition reimbursement programs.

Our online Graduate Medical Biochemistry Certificate Program is not eligible for federal financial aid. However, students may be eligible to apply for a private, non-federal alternative loan.

Private, non-federal alternative loans are typically offered by banks and lending institutions and require applicants to meet their credit requirements. The interest rate, terms, and conditions of these loans will vary among lenders.

To begin the process of finding a lender who offers private alternative loans, we suggest searching for “private student loans” on your preferred search engine and determining if the online Graduate Medical Biochemistry Certificate Program is eligible.