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Programs of Study

Biomedical Informatics is the scientific field that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing, and optimal use of biomedical information, data, and knowledge for problem solving and decision making. It touches on all basic and applied fields in biomedical science and is closely tied to modern information technologies, notably in the areas of computing and communication. Columbia offers two degree programs in Biomedical Informatics: a full-time, sequential M.A./M.Phil./Ph.D. program and a separate program, leading to the free-standing M.A. degree.  Ph.D. and postdoctoral students must enroll full-time.

M.A. students must earn two residence units before the degree can be conferred.  The M.A. in Biomedical Informatics is typically earned at the end of the second year of full-time study.  Students in the M.Phil. and Ph.D.program must earn six residence units total, inclusive of the two residence units earned for the M.A. degree, and must attend full-time.  The M.Phil. degree is usually obtained after the first three years of full-time study.  The Ph.D. is normally completed up to two years after completing the M.Phil. degree.

The program focuses on the theory and application of information science in biomedicine: human biology, physiology, patient care and public health. It trains students for academic careers as researchers and teachers, as well as for professional positions in health care information processing. The curriculum incorporates course work from computer science, engineering, public health, and biostatistics, with core courses and projects in Biomedical Informatics and Neurobiology and Behavior serving to integrate approaches and illustrate practical applications.

For the M.A. Degree and the Free-Standing M.A.

Course requirements: Students complete a minimum of 30 credits of Columbia courses at the 4000 level or higher, address any admission deficiencies, and complete two Residence Units. All students must take BINF G4001, BINF G4002, BINF G4003, BINF G4015, BINF G6002, BINF G4009 (all semesters) and one or more courses in computer science (two semesters), the ethical conduct of research (one sememster).Postdoctoral M.A. students must also serve as a teaching assistant for two courses and enroll in BINF G8010.

Research project: In their final semester, part-time students enroll in a project course (BINF G6001), under the direction of a faculty advisor, to gain experience in using medical informatics techniques to solve practical problems. Full-time students enroll in BINF G6001 during each semester of the two years of the program. Students gain experience in posing scientific hypotheses, conducting experiments, building information systems, and measuring impact.

Essay: In their final semester, full-time students write an original essay summarizing the achievements of the research project. This work is generally in the form of a paper suitable for publication in one of the medical informatics journals.

For the M.Phil. Degree

Advisory committee: The student must obtain the consent of at least three faculty members from the Biomedical Informatics Degree Program Committee to form an advisory committee to guide his or her study, with one faculty member acting as primary advisor, or chair. This committee normally advises the student until the completion of the Ph.D. degree. The committee must meet with the student at least once each semester to review the student’s progress.

Course requirements: Students complete a minimum of 60 credits of Columbia courses at the 4000 level or higher, address any admission deficiencies, and complete six Residence Units.  The core courses are: BINF G4001, BINF G4002, BINF G4003, BINF G4014, BINF G6002, BINF G4099, BINF G8010, CMBS G4010.  In addition, students must take (or place out of) courses in the following areas, which must be at the 4000 level or higher: computer science (two semesters), human biology or medicine (one semester), mathematics or statistics (one semester).  Students must also take two electives.

Teaching requirement: All M.Phil. students are expected to participate in the educational activities of the program for a minimum of one year, and must earn four credits of teaching experience through enrollment in BINF G8010.

Examinations: (1) The first exam assesses the ability of the student to apply knowledge acquired through course work to solving problems in medical informatics. The exam is usually taken at the end of the second year. The format of the exam is oral, administered by a committee, which enables customization of questions to the student’s background. (2) The second exam assesses the ability of the student to survey the literature in a given area, synthesize the achievements, and propose a new contribution. The format of the exam is oral, and it is usually taken at the end of the third year. The topic is assigned by the student’s advisory committee in the form of a mock request for proposal.  The student is given thirty days to complete the exam after the topic has been assigned.

For the Ph.D. Degree

After completing all course requirements and examinations, the student must obtain the approval of the advisory committee for admission into candidacy for the Ph.D. program, at which time the student begins the preparation of a dissertation. The dissertation defense committee is ultimately composed of five members.Three internal members must be from the department and hold a seat on the GSAS Faculty (or be specifically approved otherwise) and serve as either the Committee Chair, Ph.D. sponsor, or second reader.The two outside members, who are typically added later, serve as external readers and come from other GSAS departments and/or schools or universities.After a maximum of six months following receipt of the M.Phil. degree, the student must present a thesis proposal to the committee and obtain written approval to continue the research. When the internal committee deems the dissertation acceptable for a defense, a defense is scheduled and the dissertation is distributed to all five members. The dissertation for a defense, consists of a presentation open to the public, followed by a closed, formal session before the five-member dissertation committee.

Financial Aid

Ph.D. students are fully funded.