The Master of Science in Clinical Research Program accepts applications from December 15 through February 28 each year. In order to guarantee that you are considered for admission, we must receive your application and all component parts by February 28. Students will be notified via email of admission decisions approximately 1-2 months following the close of the application cycle.
Applicants must meet the following requirements before filling out an online application.
Begin your application by clicking here.
Our application will ask for basic demographic information.
You will be asked to list all undergraduate and graduate degrees earned, non-degree coursework completed and dates of enrollment. We will also ask for a list of honors and/or awards.
Our application will require information about citizenship, visa status, and Pennsylvania residency.
The one-page personal statement should describe your research interests and how the program will benefit your career in clinical research. We also require an updated CV or biosketch.
If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following: TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or USMLE & ECFMG (see below).
In order to be eligible for the ICRE degree programs, applicants must have 75% protected time during the first two months of the program. The program recommends that all trainees have at least 50% protected time for coursework for the duration of their degree. All applicants must list their division chief, chair or department head in our application so that we can verify that applicants have the necessary protected time to complete the degree.
The online application will require two references to be listed. Applicants provide their reference’s contact information and they are contacted via email. References are asked to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter of recommendation.
Applicants will be asked to identify a research mentor and provide their contact information. Mentors will receive an email prompting them to complete a short evaluation and upload a letter of recommendation.
In addition to completing the online application, applicants must also submit:
Official transcripts from all academic institutions attended (undergraduate, graduate and medical school)
Official transcripts can be sent to the following address:
Institute for Clinical Research Education
Degree Granting Programs in Clinical Research
University of Pittsburgh
200 Meyran Avenue, Suite 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Digital transcripts should be sent to icre@pitt.edu.
English Language Proficiency Test Scores (when required)
If you are a citizen of a country in which English is not the official language or if you are a citizen of the province of Quebec in Canada, you are required to show evidence of English language proficiency by submitting the official results from one of the following:
If you have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution in the United States, you are exempt from submitting English language proficiency test results.
After reviewing and screening the applications, the ICRE admissions committee will determine which of the applicants have the appropriate qualifications and the potential to conduct high-quality clinical research. If additional information is required from an applicant, the committee will arrange to interview the applicant.
Admission decisions will be based on the total record of academic accomplishments of each applicant. Preferences will be given to the following:
Application Cycle
December 15 – February 28