University of the Sciences awards the nation’s only online master of science degree in biomedical writing. The program is 100% online with both synchronous and asynchronous course elements. Students will learn how to translate clinical data into prose, figures, and tables that can be readily understood by specific target audiences such as science and healthcare professionals in pharmaceutical companies, drug regulatory agencies and lay audiences. Medical writers work in medical research organizations, the pharmaceutical and device industries, medical and scientific publishing companies, medical education companies, nonprofit agencies and foundations, medical societies, and government agencies.
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Identify the key stages and milestones of drug/therapy development.
- Explain the basic regulatory environment of drug/therapy development.
- Create the appropriate documentation for the stages and milestones of therapeutic development using data input from diverse research and development resources.
- Abstract data and create secondary documents from the primary documentation in support of the information and marketing efforts for drugs and therapies.
- Research and write materials specific to such fields as continuing medical education (CME) or promotional communications for medical education companies or the pharmaceutical industry.
- Support academic, industry, and pharmaceutical research and communication.
- Create targeted content for print, live, and multimedia delivery.
Up to 12 completed credits with a grade of B- or higher acquired as a nonmatriculated or certificate student can be applied toward the MS degree if the student formally applies and is accepted into the MS program. The MS program requires 24 credits from core courses and 12 credits from electives.
Biomedical writing is an applied writing specialty; excellent writing skills are necessary to be accepted into and succeed in the program. The program focuses on teaching writers how to create content for specific target audiences, for a variety of documents such as medical journal articles, regulatory documents, and promotional and nonpromotional educational materials. Target audience and content skills are also employed in the creation of live and multimedia activities, such as meeting presentations (live and online), training, online content, blogs and other social media.
The above information is current as of the 2015 - 2016 academic year. To see descriptions and requirements from previous academic years, please go to the catalog for the academic year of interest.