StudyQA — Master: Oral Sciences — University of Illinois at Chicago

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry in conjunction with the Graduate College offers a program of study and research leading to the degree of Master of Science. The Master of Science in Oral Sciences prepares the next generation of dental clinicians and faculty who will serve as leaders in oral health care and within their respective dental specialties. Graduates of the program will be trained to think critically, enabling them to readily apply research skills and knowledge to improve health outcomes for patients. The Master of Science in Oral Sciences is intended primarily for students who have received a doctorate in dentistry (D.D.S./D.M.D.) or equivalent degree from a dental school and the program accepts only students who have already been accepted into one of the College of Dentistry’s postgraduate specialty programs. A research thesis and a final thesis defense are required.

MS in Oral Science candidates must complete a minimum of 32 credit hours of course work, of which at least 20 must be devoted to didactic course work. A student may apply up to 12 credit hours of research, additional research credit cannot be used toward fulfillment of requirements for the degree. Each student must satisfactorily complete an original research project and submit a defended, Graduate College approved thesis.

Core Courses

All MS in Oral Sciences candidates must complete four core courses totaling 8 of the 32 credit requirement. These courses are

OSCI 441 Statistics for Oral Sciences (3 credit hours)
OSCI 451 Research Methodology (1 credit hour)
OSCI 580 Advanced Oral Sciences I (2 credit hours)
OSCI 581 Advanced Oral Sciences II (2 credit hours)

Selectives

Selective courses should provide didactic content relevant to the student’s research thesis project and interests. Students should seek input from their thesis advisor and postgraduate program director to choose selective courses at the 400 or 500 level. 12 or more credit hours of selectives are required, 9 of which must be at the 500 level.

Non-Credit Courses

Students whose research projects involve human or animal subjects must complete all appropriate trainings prior to commencing work with their subjects.

Research

Candidates complete a Research Protocol approved at the college level before beginning MS Thesis Research. After completion of the protocol, students must complete a research project for their MS Thesis. Students register for OSCI 598 for up to two hours per semester with their thesis advisor as the instructor. To complete the MS degree, students must register for a minimum of four credit hours of OSCI 598 and may apply up to 12 credit hours of research. Note – 1 credit hour is equivalent to two 50-minute periods per week for 15 weeks.

Human Subjects Research

Investigator 101 (all research involving human subjects)
HIPAA (for research utilizing protected health information)

Animal Subjects Research

GC 470* Essentials for Animal Research *Note: This course is only offered during the fall semester.

Requirements

Applicants are considered on an individual basis. Transcripts of all undergraduate and postbaccalaureate work must be submitted. In addition to Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements:

Baccalaureate Field BS, BA, or equivalent degree. Prior academic course work should include biology, general chemistry, histology, and other related sciences.
Grade Point Average At least 3.00/4.00 for the final 60 semester (90 quarter) hours of undergraduate and all postgraduate study.
Tests Required The GRE General test is required of all applicants. Candidates are expected to score in the upper 50th percentile. DAT or National Dental Boards may be considered for those currently enrolled or candidates for the DMD or a clinical specialty program.
Minimum English Competency Test Score
- TOEFL 550 (paper-based); 80, with subscores of Reading 19, Listening 17, Speaking 20, and Writing 21 (iBT Internet-based), OR,
- IELTS 6.5, with subscores of 6.0 for all four subscores, OR,
- PTE-Academic 54, with subscores of Reading 51, Listening 47, Speaking 53, and Writing 56.
Letter of Endorsement from the advanced specialty program director.
Personal Statement Required. The statement should include a brief summary describing the applicant’s career goals, area of interest, purpose, and desired discipline of study. This statement along with a current resume is sent directly to the department in which an endorsement is being sought.
Note: Applicants for the master’s program must first obtain an endorsement from the program director of their specialty before filing an application. Endorsement is required but does not guarantee admission to the master’s program. Contact the graduate program in the College of Dentistry for additional guidelines and a list of department contacts.