Program graduates will become productive team members in laboratories making intensive use of computing for biological discovery. They will be able to interpret and understand biological questions, and independently acquire, use, or develop software tools to address them. Examples of specific skills include: 

  • an understanding of basic molecular biology
  • proficiency in the use of major genomic tools and databases;
  • the ability to perform statistical analyses and to correctly interpret and report the results;
  • proficiency in software development on unix work stations -- e.g., perl scripting, relational database construction, and web-enabled application development;
  • competence in key high-throughput technologies, including microarrays, polymerase chain reaction, and proteomics technologies
  • the ability to read and critically evaluate research literature

The MHS in bioinformatics requires two years of enrollment, 64 credit units, a final, culminating project, and a web portfolio. In the first two terms of the program, students take core courses in biostatistics (140.651-652), biology (120.602-603), and computing (140.636-637) as well as introductory bioinformatics (ME440.714). Students who have not taken these courses prior to being admitted to the program will typically earn approximately 36 credits from coursework in the first two term. In the second two terms, students may choose from a broader range of electives, including at least nine units per term from core electives. Students will also have the option of earning credit for supervised work towards their culminating project. Students will remain enrolled for a second academic year, during which they will complete their culminating projects and take a laboratory course in molecular techniques. Students will have the option of developing their culminating project as part of an internship in one of the laboratories affiliated with the program. Completion requires developing and posting a "web portfolio" -- that is, a student website including links to one or more software development projects demonstrating proficiency in bioinformatics. It will typically include the culminating project as well as coursework.

Academic Ethics

Students in the Bloomberg School of Public Health are expected to abide by the highest levels of academic and research integrity.   The Johns Hopkins Academic Ethics Code can be found at:  http://www.jhsph.edu/schoolpolicies/policy_academic_ethics.html

All students must complete an online module to familiarize themselves with this code. (See http://apps1.jhsph.edu/academicethics/).

As stated in the Academic Ethics Code, "violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to: cheating; plagiarism; knowingly furnishing false information to any agent of the University for inclusion in the academic record; violation of the rights and welfare of animal or human subjects in research; and misconduct as a member of either School or University committees or recognized groups or organizations."

For a Department of Biostatistics student, abiding by the Academic Ethics code includes:

  • Completing work on one's own when an individual assignment or examination is given in a course.

  • Providing proper attribution to others' work by providing citations with quotations and giving proper references for all data analysis projects, research proposals and dissertations and theses.