The Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences, Plan B, Reproductive Technology Specialization is a one-year, non-thesis study of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), culminating in writing a scholarly paper based on a research project or reproductive topic and the completion of an internship. It provides students with in-depth laboratory training in in vitro embryo production based on a bovine model, including techniques such as in vitro fertilization, embryo and semen cryopreservation and vitrification, embryo biopsy and micromanipulation, and basic maintenance of an assisted reproduction laboratory and all associated equipment. The curriculum prepares students for careers in applied reproduction, especially careers in human or bovine embryology, as well as application to professional or graduate school.
Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin. Visit the Department of Biomedical Sciences for more information.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this program, students will have proficiency in the following areas:
- Fundamental Principles and Knowledge: Students will gain a thorough understanding of biomedical science principles by integrating content from core courses in reproduction and physiology with laboratory experience.
- Laboratory Techniques: Students will acquire a comprehensive understanding of key protocols necessary for performing various assisted reproductive technologies (ART) techniques, as well as an in-depth comprehension of the underlying principles and rationale associated with ART. Students will also develop the skills necessary for effective laboratory management.
- Communication: Students will develop advanced communication skills, both written and verbal, enabling them to convey complex concepts in reproductive biology to diverse audiences through data recording, presentations, and scientific writing.
Effective Fall 2026
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| BMS 409 | Human and Animal Reproductive Biology (Regular Course) | 3 |
| BMS 500 | Mammalian Physiology I (Regular Course) | 4 |
| or BMS 501 | Mammalian Physiology II | |
| BMS 521 | Comparative Reproductive Physiology (Regular Course) | 3 |
| BMS 540 | Assisted Reproductive Technologies Lab I (Regular Course) | 3 |
| BMS 541 | Assisted Reproductive Technologies Lab II (Regular Course) | 3 |
| BMS 610A | Managing a Career in Science: Survival Skills for Coursework (M.S.) | 1 |
| or BMS 742 | Ethical Issues in Human Assisted Reproduction | |
| BMS 642 | Research Techniques for Gametes and Embryos (Regular Course) | 1 |
| BMS 792C | Seminar: Reproductive Physiology (Non Regular Course) | 1 |
| Selected Courses 1 | ||
| A maximum of 12 credits may be at the 300/400 level, while the remaining credits must be 500 level or higher. 1 | ||
| ANEQ 300A | Topics in Animal Sciences: Livestock Handling | 1 |
| ANEQ 300E | Topics in Animal Sciences: Family Ranching | 1 |
| ANEQ 300L | Topics in Animal Sciences: Quality Assurance | 2 |
| ANEQ 300R | Topics in Animal Sciences: Ruminant Parturition and Neonatal Care | 2 |
| ANEQ 303 | Equine Digital Photography | 3 |
| ANEQ 305 | Functional Large Animal Physiology | 3 |
| ANEQ 310 | Animal Reproduction | 3 |
| ANEQ 313 | Prevention and Control of Livestock Diseases | 3 |
| ANEQ 315 | Equine Behavior | 2 |
| ANEQ 320 | Principles of Animal Nutrition | 3 |
| ANEQ 321 | Principles of Applied Animal Nutrition | 1 |
| ANEQ 322 | Pet Nutrition | 2 |
| ANEQ 323 | Zoo Nutrition | 2 |
| ANEQ 324 | Principles of Applied Equine Nutrition | 1 |
| ANEQ 328 | Foundations in Animal Genetics | 3 |
| ANEQ 330 | Principles of Animal Breeding | 3 |
| ANEQ 334 | Principles of Equine Genetics | 3 |
| ANEQ 344 | Principles of Equine Reproduction | 3 |
| ANEQ 345 | Principles of Nutrition: Equine Applications | 3 |
| ANEQ 346 | Equine Disease Management | 4 |
| ANEQ 410 | Applied Food Animal Behavior | 3 |
| ANEQ 440 | Equine Industry and Issues | 3 |
| ANEQ 445 | Foaling Management | 2 |
| ANEQ 510 | Bovine Reproduction Management | 4 |
| ANEQ 522 | Animal Metabolism | 3 |
| ANEQ 551 | Field Necropsy | 2 |
| ANEQ 565 | Interpreting Animal Science Research | 3 |
| ANEQ 610 | Hormonal Regulation of Growth | 2 |
| ANTH 333 | Anthropology of Sex and Reproduction | 3 |
| ANTH 338 | Gender and Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 340 | Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTH 372 | Human Osteology | 3 |
| ANTH 373 | Human Evolution | 3 |
| ANTH 379 | Evolutionary Medicine and Human Health | 3 |
| ANTH 472 | Human Biology | 3 |
| ANTH 474 | Human Skeleton Analysis | 3 |
| ANTH 520 | Women, Health, and Culture | 3 |
| ANTH 540 | Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| BC 351 | Principles of Biochemistry | 4 |
| BC 353 | Pre-Health Genetics | 4 |
| BC 463 | Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BC 464 | Molecular Genetics Recitation | 1 |
| BC 465 | Molecular Regulation of Cell Function | 3 |
| BC 563 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
| BC 565 | Molecular Regulation of Cell Function | 4 |
| BIOM 550 | STEM Communication | 1 |
| BMS 300 | Principles of Human Physiology | 4 |
| BMS 301 | Human Gross Anatomy | 5 |
| BMS 302 | Laboratory in Principles of Physiology | 2 |
| BMS 305 | Domestic Animal Gross Anatomy | 4 |
| BMS 310 | Anatomy for the Health Professions | 4 |
| BMS 320 | Virtual Laboratory in Physiology | 2 |
| BMS 325 | Cellular Neurobiology | 3 |
| BMS 330 | Microscopic Anatomy | 4 |
| BMS 345 | Functional Neuroanatomy | 4 |
| BMS 360 | Fundamentals of Physiology | 4 |
| BMS 400 | Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Case Studies | 1 |
| BMS 405 | Nerve and Muscle-Toxins, Trauma and Disease | 3 |
| BMS 420 | Cardiopulmonary Physiology | 3 |
| BMS 421 | Perspectives in Cardiopulmonary Diseases | 2 |
| BMS 425 | Introduction to Systems Neurobiology | 3 |
| BMS 430 | Endocrinology | 3 |
| BMS 450 | Pharmacology | 3 |
| BMS 501 | Mammalian Physiology II | 4 |
| BMS 503/NB 503 | Developmental Neurobiology | 3 |
| BMS 505/NB 505 | Neuronal Circuits, Systems and Behavior | 3 |
| BMS 531 | Domestic Animal Dissection | 3 |
| BMS 545 | Neuroanatomy | 5 |
| BMS 575 | Human Anatomy Dissection | 4 |
| BMS 610A | Managing a Career in Science: Survival Skills for Coursework (M.S.) | 1 |
| BMS 610B | Managing a Career in Research: Survival Skills for Research (M.S. and Ph.D.) | 1 |
| BMS 619 | Advanced Human Gross Anatomy | 2 |
| BMS 631 | Mechanisms of Hormone Action | 2 |
| BMS 632 | Metabolic Endocrinology | 2 |
| BMS 633 | Domestic Animal Anatomy-Case Discussions | 2 |
| BMS 643 | Applied Andrology | 2 |
| BMS 792A | Seminar: Biomedical Sciences | 1-5 |
| BMS 795E | Independent Study: Reproductive Physiology 1 | 1-18 |
| BMS 796C | Group Study: Reproductive Physiology | 1-18 |
| BZ 300 | Animal Behavior | 3 |
| BZ 310 | Cell Biology | 4 |
| BZ 311 | Developmental Biology | 4 |
| BZ 350 | Molecular and General Genetics | 4 |
| BZ 401 | Comparative Animal Physiology | 3 |
| BZ 415 | Marine Biology | 4 |
| BZ 418 | Ecology of Infectious Diseases | 4 |
| BZ 420 | Evolutionary Medicine | 3 |
| BZ 430 | Animal Behavior and Conservation | 3 |
| BZ 455 | Human Heredity and Birth Defects | 3 |
| BZ 478/VS 478 | Biology and Behavior of Cats | 3 |
| BZ 479/VS 479 | Biology and Behavior of Dogs | 3 |
| BZ 515 | Physiological Ecology of Marine Vertebrates | 3 |
| BZ 541 | Hemp Biology | 3 |
| ERHS 502 | Fundamentals of Toxicology | 3 |
| ERHS 521 | Toxicological Pathology | 3 |
| FSHN 350 | Human Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 444 | Nutrition and Aging | 1 |
| FSHN 450 | Medical Nutrition Therapy | 3 |
| FSHN 451 | Community Nutrition | 3 |
| FSHN 455 | Food Systems--Impact on Health/Food Security | 2 |
| FSHN 459 | Nutrition in the Life Cycle | 3 |
| FSHN 660 | Women's Nutrition Issues in the Lifecycle | 2 |
| FW 310 | Mapping Diverse Perspectives in Conservation | 3 |
| FW 455 | Principles of Conservation Biology | 3 |
| FW 465 | Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence | 3 |
| FW 469 | Conservation and Management of Large Mammals | 3 |
| FW 472 | Issues in Animal Conservation and Management | 3 |
| FW 555 | Conservation Biology | 3 |
| FW 556 | Wildlife Conservation Ethics | 3 |
| FW 564 | Science of Managing Human-Wildlife Conflicts | 3 |
| FW 572 | Wildlife Conservation Communications | 3 |
| FW 579 | Wildlife Conservation Policy--Current Events | 3 |
| GRAD 544 | Ethical Conduct of Research | 1 |
| HDFS 334 | Family and Parenthood Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| HDFS 404 | Child Life Theory and Practice | 3 |
| LSPA 340A | Animal Health Spanish: Routines and Preventive Care | 3 |
| LSPA 340B | Animal Health Spanish: Health and Handling | 3 |
| LSPA 346A | Medical Spanish: An Overview | 3 |
| LSPA 346B | Medical Spanish: Clinical Tasks | 3 |
| LSPA 348 | Spanish Professional Terminology in Context | 3 |
| MIP 300 | General Microbiology | 3 |
| MIP 302 | General Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| MIP 315 | Pathology of Human and Animal Disease | 3 |
| MIP 334 | Food Microbiology | 3 |
| MIP 342 | Immunology | 4 |
| MIP 343 | Immunology Laboratory | 2 |
| MIP 351 | Medical Bacteriology | 3 |
| MIP 352 | Medical Bacteriology Laboratory | 3 |
| MIP 410 | Foundations of Modern Biotechnology | 2 |
| MIP 420 | Medical and Molecular Virology | 4 |
| MIP 425 | Virology and Cell Culture Laboratory | 2 |
| MIP 555 | Principles and Mechanisms of Disease | 3 |
| NB 501 | Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology | 2 |
| NB 502 | Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology | 2 |
| NB 506 | Neuroscience of Disease | 2 |
| PHIL 322 | Biomedical Ethics | 3 |
| PHIL 326 | Philosophy of Biology | 3 |
| PSY 300 | Positive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 315 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 325 | Psychology of Personality | 3 |
| PSY 327 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| PSY 328 | Psychology of Human Sexuality | 3 |
| PSY 437 | Psychology of Gender | 3 |
| PSY 515 | Women's Health | 3 |
| SOCR 330 | Principles of Genetics | 3 |
| VS 333 | Domestic Animal Anatomy | 4 |
| VS 644 | Principles of Theriogenology | 2 |
| Total Program Credits | 30 | |
A minimum of 30 credits are required to complete this program, as well as a reproduction related internship2 and a literature review paper.3
- 1
Students may have a reason to take courses outside this list that will contribute to their profession. They will work with their advisor and graduate committee to select the most appropriate electives, which will be subsequently approved by the committee.
- 2
Students are required to complete an approved internship in reproductive technology that applies or builds upon the knowledge and skills acquired during the program. Course credit may be earned for the internship (maximum of 4 credits); however, it is not mandatory. Students may choose to take additional elective courses instead.
- 3
Students must complete a Literature Review Paper on an approved reproductive topic.
For more information, please visit Requirements for All Graduate Degrees in the Graduate and Professional Bulletin.
Summary of Procedures for the Master's and Doctoral Degrees
NOTE: Each semester the Graduate School publishes a schedule of deadlines. Deadlines are available on the Graduate School website. Students should consult this schedule whenever they approach important steps in their careers.
Forms are available online.
| Step | Due Date |
|---|---|
| 1. Application for admission (online) | Six months before first registration |
| 2. Diagnostic examination when required | Before first registration |
| 3. Appointment of advisor | Before first registration |
| 4. Selection of graduate committee | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 5. Filing of program of study (GS Form 6) | Before the time of fourth regular semester registration |
| 6. Preliminary examination (Ph.D. and PD) | Two terms prior to final examination |
| 7. Report of preliminary examination (GS Form 16) - (Ph.D. and PD) | Within two working days after results are known |
| 8. Changes in committee (GS Form 9A) | When change is made |
| 9. Application for Graduation (GS Form 25) | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 9a. Reapplication for Graduation (online) | Failure to graduate requires Reapplication for Graduation (online) for the next time term for which you are applying |
| 10. Submit thesis or dissertation to committee | At least two weeks prior to the examination or at the discretion of the graduate committee |
| 11. Final examination | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School Website |
| 12. Report of final examination (GS Form 24) | Within two working days after results are known; refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 13. Submit a signed Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form (GS Form 30) to the Graduate School and Submit the Survey of Earned Doctorates (Ph.D. only) prior to submitting the electronic thesis/dissertation | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website. |
| 14. Submit the thesis/dissertation electronically | Refer to published deadlines from the Graduate School website |
| 15. Graduation | Ceremony information is available from the Graduate School website |