Clinical Science Graduate Program (CLSC)

The goal of this program is to prepare clinician/clinical translational scientists by providing a formal and structured educational program in clinical and translational sciences, including formal mentoring with interdisciplinary faculty. Graduates are trained to conduct rigorous, credible and relevant patient-based research within ethical and regulatory guidelines and translate the evidence for community application.

We are dedicated to working with trainees, faculty, and staff from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds.

Mission

The mission of the Clinical Science Graduate Program is to prepare and train nationally competitive clinician/clinical translational scientists.

Vision

To provide a comprehensive knowledge of translational research methods and techniques in clinical science in order to train and further prepare clinician scientists.

In our program, training occurs across many disciplines to achieve proficiency in the areas of clinical science, clinical investigation and translation, including:

Critical appraisal
Biostatistics
Clinical epidemiology
Study design
Outcomes selection and measurement
Study conduct
Ethics
Grant writing

MSCS Program

PhD Program

D&I Certificate

Schedules and Resources

Core Competencies

Adhere to legal, ethical and regulatory issues related to clinical research
Critically appraise existing literature and sources of information
Apply evidence-based practice principals
Accurately select, use and interpret commonly used statistics
Apply and use appropriate study designs and methods to address research questions/hypotheses
Identify and measure clinically relevant and meaningful outcomes
Design and conduct clinical and patient-oriented research studies
Publish research manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals
Prepare and submit grant proposals
Provide constructive reviews and feedback to colleagues
Demonstrate effective communication and leadership skills
Participate in interdisciplinary collaborative research

Where is the Graduate School located?
The Graduate School is located on the Anschutz Campus in Aurora, CO at 13001 E. 17th Place in Building 500, Room W5107.

Where is the Clinical Science Program Administrative Office located?
The Clinical Science Program Administrative office is located on the Anschutz Campus in Aurora, CO at 1890 N. Revere Ct. in the Anschutz Health Sciences Building, Room 6149.

Who do I contact if I have problems registering for a course or need a permission number for a course?
Please contact Galit Mankin, CLSC Program Administrator.

What forms do I need to complete for exams/graduation?
Please review the student handbook and contact Galit Mankin, Program Administrator, when you are ready to schedule your exam.

How can I verify that members of my committee have current Graduate Faculty appointments?
See the Graduate Faculty Directory for a list of faculty with current or expired appointments. If a faculty member's appointment is not listed on the website, contact Galit Mankin, CLSC Program Administrator for assistance.

What is the maximum number of credits I can transfer?
Master's degree students can transfer in up to 12 semester hours. PhD degree students can transfer in up to 30 semester hours. Credits must meet the transfer credit requirements and be approved for transfer by the program and the Graduate School.

Is financial support available for international students?
No student financial support [for either educational costs (e.g., tuition) and/or stipend support] is available through the Clinical Science Program. As part of the application materials required, all international applicants must document that adequate financial support will be available for the entire period of study. For additional information, please review the International Student Requirements for Graduate School admissions.

Who might I contact for a CLSC course billing-related question?
For billing questions, contact the CU Anschutz Campus Bursar's Office

I have questions about in-state/out-of-state tuition. Who should I contact?
Residency requirements and forms can be found on the CU Anschutz Campus Registrar's Office website.

Master's Program

This program provides learning in several fields of knowledge and acquisition of skills in clinical research to prepare graduates for careers in clinical and translational sciences. Didactic course work and a mentored research project provide a strong foundation in:

Critical Appraisal
Biostatistics and computational tools
Clinical epidemiology
Research study design
Outcomes selection and measurement
Biomedical ethics and regulatory compliance

Degree Requirements

a minimum of 30 credit hours, of which no less than 4 and no more than 6 must be research hours
defense/final exam of a publishable paper
students have 7-9 elective credit hours to allow for tailoring of coursework

Course Code	Course Title	Credits	Notes
BIOS 6601	Applied Biostatistics I	3
BIOS 6602	Applied Biostatistics II	3
BIOS 6648 or EPID 6626 or BIOS 6623 or EPID 6631	Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials OR Research Methods in Epidemiology (BIOS 6602 is a pre-requisite) OR Advanced Data Analysis OR Analytical Epidemiology	3
CLSC 6210	Research Seminars in Clinical Science	1	CLSC 6210 is taken over one year typically during the second year of the MSCS Program
CLSC 6270	Critical Appraisal Seminars in Clinical Science	1
CLSC 7101	Grant Writing I	2	Prerequisite classes: BIOS 6601 & EPID 6630
CLSC 7150 or CLSC 7152	Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research OR Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research in the Digital Age	1
EPID 6630	Epidemiology	3	Offered only in the fall semester
CLSC 6699	Masters Research Project: Publishable Paper	Var	Can be taken in the last 1-2 semesters in the program

Core course credits: 17
Research credits: 4-6
Elective course credits: 7-9
Total required credit hours for degree = 30

The Clinical Science master’s program is designed for those who already hold either a professional doctoral degree (e.g., MD, DO, DDS, PharmD, DPT) or a clinically related bachelor's or master's degree (e.g., nursing, pharmacy, speech language pathology). Additionally, those with previous clinical oriented research experience with a degree in life- or biomedical sciences may be qualified. Contact the program for more insight and to discuss the potential for a good fit.

Application Deadlines

February 1st to be considered for admission in following summer or fall semesters
May 1st for following fall semester
October 1st for following spring semester

The Bursar's Office can provide information regarding tuition costs.

Minimum Criteria for Admission

An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
An acceptable and verifiable GRE, MCAT or PCAT score. This requirement can be waived by an earned MS/MPH or PhD from an accredited US School
Clinically related bachelor's, master's or professional doctoral degree. Individuals without a clinically related degree but with an exceptional background and relevant clinical research experience are encouraged to contact Dr. Lisa Cicutto to discuss their interest further.

International Applicant Additional Admission Criteria

In addition to the general admission requirements listed above, international applicants must meet additional requirements dictated by the University. For additional information about these requirements, please review the International Student Requirements for Graduate School admissions.

Please note that the Clinical Science Program does not provide stipends to assist with tuition and/or room and board expenses. In addition we currently do not have any research or teaching assistantships to support the educational costs of international students.

Applying

The application package for the MSCS program is available electronically one month prior to the admission cycle deadline.

MSCS Application Package

The application package must include the following:

Upload A: CV- Include your CV that includes your education and training, awards, publications, presentations, grants, research experience and other scholarly activity.
Upload B: Personal Statement- Introduce yourself, describe your previous experience(s) in research, and non-academic, professional, and/or community experiences you consider important that highlight your contributions, growth and factors strengthen the likelihood of success in the program. Ensure that you provide a paragraph describing the general areas of research you anticipate conducting as part of your MSCS and name your mentor(s) that will support you. Include a description of how this program will enhance your career.
Three recommendation letters (Once you submit your application on-line, your references will receive an e-mail explaining how to upload their letters to the on-line application system). Your identified research mentor should be one of your letters of support.
Official transcripts from all domestic (US) higher education institutions (even if no degree was awarded). Students are not permitted to personally issue, send or deliver transcripts to program staff: All transcripts must be officially issued/sealed by and sent from the originating college/university institution. Therefore, when requesting an official transcript from your school, please instruct the school to send your transcript directly from their office to:
- Clinical Science Program
  ATTN: Amanda Whiting
  University of Colorado Anschutz Campus
  1890 N Revere Ct., Campus Box B141
  Anschutz Health Sciences Bldg, Room 6149
  Aurora, CO 80045
- Official electronic transcripts are encouraged and should be e-mailed to Amanda Whiting.

Transcripts from foreign (non-US) institutions: Applicants must order Course by Course transcript evaluation from either Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). These companies also offer certified translation services for transcripts when applicable. ECE evaluation reports can be uploaded to the University portal automatically by ECE. WES evaluations should be forwarded directly to the University (make sure to request that from WES at the time of ordering the report):
Electronic evaluations should be sent to: [email protected]
Hardcopy evaluations should be mailed (directly from WES) to:
Graduate School
Mail Stop C296
Fitzsimons Building, W5107
13001 E. 17th Place
Aurora, CO 80045

PhD Program

The Clinical Science PhD program is designed for qualified individuals who have already earned a health sciences related graduate or professional degree (i.e., physicians, public health professionals, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists) and have previous research experience.

Our program is designed to prepare you for independent and team research by developing a well-rounded academic foundation, supported by a mentored clinical research experience, to foster and inspire your leadership abilities in clinical and translational science. From the inception of pioneering therapeutics and conducting interventional trials to trailblazing outcomes research and implementation science, involving communities and populations on a broader scale, you will be prepared to tackle important health-related challenges confronting society.

All completed application materials for the PhD Program must be submitted by February 1st of each year to be considered for admission. There is only one application submission and review process per year. CLSC accepted applicants may start in the summer or fall term. Specific course offerings can be previewed at our Course Books and Schedules section of this page under Resources.

The Bursar's Office e can provide information regarding tuition costs (Graduate School - CLSC/PhD tuition costs and School of Public Health - HSR tuition costs).

Clinical Science PhD Program (HSR track)
Please complete the online Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) application and refer to the Colorado School of Public Health website for information about the program and admission requirements.

Clinical Science PhD Program (CI & HIT tracks)
Qualified clinicians who have already earned either a professional doctoral degree (e.g., MD, DO, DPT, DDS, PharmD) or a health-related master's degree (nursing, public health, epidemiology, psychology, biostatistics, etc.) are eligible to apply to the CLSC PhD Program.

Minimum Criteria for Admission
Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee admission.

An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
A masters, graduate or professional doctoral degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
A graduate degree that required course completion in study design and analytics/biostatistics.
An acceptable and verifiable GRE, MCAT or PCAT score. This requirement can be waived by an earned MS/MPH or PhD from an accredited US School
Previous clinical and translational research experience that involved working in clinical settings and/or with clinicians. Those without this clinical translational experience are encouraged to contact Dr. Lisa Cicutto to discuss the appropriateness and fit of the program.

You are encouraged to speak with CLSC staff and/or faculty before applying to the program.

Please note that the Clinical Science Program does not provide stipends to assist with tuition and/or room and board expenses. In addition, we currently do not have any research or teaching assistantships to support the educational costs of international students.

International Applicant Additional Admission Criteria
In addition to the general admission requirements listed above, international applicants must meet additional requirements dictated by the University. For additional information about these requirements, please review the International Student Requirements for Graduate School admissions.

Please note that the Clinical Science Program does not provide stipends to assist with tuition and/or room and board expenses. In addition we currently do not have any research or teaching assistantships to support the educational costs of international students.

Applying
The application package for the PhD program is available electronically.

For CI & HIT tracks - Please create an account and access the application and instructions (application will be available Jan 1).

The application package must include the following:

For Upload A please provide your CV listing Education and training, awards, publications, presentations, grants and research experience and other scholarly activity.
Additional Non-academic and professional experiences can be detailed in Upload B of the electronic application.
In your personal statement portion of the application (Upload C), you should identify your selected track of study, the focus for your dissertation and your research mentor. In addition, include a description of how this program will enhance your career.
Three recommendation letters. Your identified research mentor should be one of your letters of support.(Once you submit your application on-line, your references will receive an e-mail explaining how to upload their letters to the on-line application system)
Transcripts from all domestic (US) higher education institutions. Students are not permitted to personally issue, send or deliver transcripts to program staff: All transcripts must be officially issued/sealed by and sent from the originating college/university institution. Therefore, when requesting an official transcript from your school, please instruct the school to send your transcript directly from their office to:
Clinical Science Program
ATTN: Amanda Whiting
University of Colorado Anschutz Campus
1890 N Revere Ct., Campus Box B141
Anschutz Health Sciences Bldg, Room 6149
Aurora, CO 80045
Official electronic transcripts are encouraged and should be e-mailed to Amanda Whiting

Transcripts from foreign (non-US) institutions: Applicants must order Course by Course transcript evaluation from either Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) or World Education Services (WES). These companies also offer certified translation services for transcripts when applicable. ECE evaluation reports can be uploaded to the University portal automatically by ECE. WES evaluations should be forwarded directly to the University (make sure to request that from WES at the time of ordering the report):

Electronic evaluations should be sent to: [email protected]

Hardcopy evaluations should be mailed (directly from WES) to:

Graduate School
Mail Stop C296
Fitzsimons Building, W5107
13001 E. 17th Place
Aurora, CO 80045

Clinical investigation is the discipline by which physicians, clinicians and other health related disciplines translate knowledge gained in the basic sciences or the laboratory setting to develop interventions and strategies to improve health outcomes. It can also involve translating knowledge gained about the efficacy of successful strategies conducted in the academic clinical setting to the community setting to improve health related outcomes.

The mission of the Clinical Investigation Track is to train the next generation of clinician scientists who will pursue careers in clinical translational research. Clinical investigation is clearly a primary mission of academic medical and health centers, and properly trained clinicians and scientists are uniquely qualified to engage in investigative and translational studies.

Core Competencies

Apply relevant study design methods commonly used in clinical and translational studies
Develop a well-designed, successful research thesis project relevant to the clinical and translational sciences and fields

Clinical Investigation Curriculum
BIOS 6601	Applied Biostatistics I	3	Courses required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
BIOS 6602	Applied Biostatistics II	3	Courses required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
CLSC 7150 or CLSC 7152	Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research OR Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research in the Digital Age	1	Course required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
EPID 6630	Epidemiology	3	Course required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods). Offered only in the fall semester.
CLSC 6270	Critical Appraisal Seminars in Clinical Science	1	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202)
CLSC 7202	Clinical Outcomes and Applications	2	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202 or EPID 6623)
CLSC 7300	Scientific Grant Review Process: CCTSI Proposals - Doctoral	1
BIOS 6648 or EPID 6626 or BIOS 6623	Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials OR Research Methods in Epidemiology (BIOS 6602 is a pre-requisite) OR Advanced Data Analysis	3	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202)
EPID 6631	Analytical Epidemiology	3	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202)
CLSC 6210	Research Seminars in Clinical Science	1	CLSC 6210 is taken over 1 year typically during the second or third year of your PhD (after passing the Preliminary Examination but before completing the Comprehensive Examination).
CLSC 7101	Grant Writing I	2	Prerequisite courses: BIOS 6601 and EPID 6630
CLSC 8990	Doctoral Thesis	≥ 30

23 required clinical investigation course credits
7 elective course credits
Total required course hours for degree = 30

Provides a background in clinical informatics: the study of how medical data and knowledge can be stored, analyzed, and delivered to facilitate research and to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of care. Students will develop a fundamental understanding of the technical and organizational challenges particular to the field of health information technology and will train in evaluation and research methods. Graduates will be prepared for leadership roles in developing, implementing, and evaluating clinical informatics applications in academia, industry and clinical practice. Training occurs in the following disciplines:

Electronic health records
Decision support
Telehealth
Public health informatics
Research informatics
Standards and data integrity
Privacy and security

Core Competencies

Demonstrate understanding of relevant standards and terminologies for communication and representation of health data
Demonstrate understanding of major types of clinical and administrative information systems and how they are integrated
Demonstrate understanding of computerized provider order entry (CPOE) and clinical decision support systems (CDSS), including
- Success factors for implementation
- Methods of encoding rules/logic
Ability to assess and develop methods to protect privacy (e.g. HIPAA issues) and security (confidentiality, integrity, and availability) of health information
Design appropriate research and evaluation studies in HIT, with understanding of both experimental and quasi-experimental research designs
Ability to apply systems life cycle approach to HIT planning, analysis, design, implementation and evaluation, including translation of user needs into functional requirement
Apply database concepts to the design and implementation of databases for clinical, research, and public health applications

Health Information Technology Curriculum
BIOS 6601	Applied Biostatistics I	3	Courses required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
BIOS 6602	Applied Biostatistics II	3	Courses required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
CLSC 7150 or CLSC 7152	Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research OR Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research in the Digital Age	1	Course required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods).
EPID 6630	Epidemiology	3	Course required before Preliminary Exam (biostatistics, ethics, methods). Offered only in the fall semester.
CLSC 6270	Critical Appraisal Seminars in Clinical Science	1	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202)
CLSC 7202	Clinical Outcomes and Applications	2	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202)
HLTH 6071 or NURS 6286	Intro to Health Information Technology or Foundations of Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 6290	Information Systems Life Cycle	4
NURS 6293 or ISMG 6080	Database Management Systems (Informatics focus) or Database Management Systems (Information Systems focus)	3
BIOS 6648 or EPID 6626 or BIOS 6623 or EPID 6631	Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials OR Research Methods in Epidemiology (BIOS 6602 is a pre-requisite) OR Advanced Data Analysis OR Analytical Epidemiology	3	Course can be taken to fulfill the Methods requirements before Preliminary Exam (EPID 6626 or EPID 6631 or BIOS 6648 or CLSC 6270 or CLSC 7202 or EPID 6623)
CLSC 6210	Research Seminars in Clinical Science	1	CLSC 6210 is taken over 1 year typically during the second or third year of your PhD (after passing the Preliminary Examination but before completing the Comprehensive Examination).
CLSC 7101	Grant Writing I	2	Prerequisite courses: BIOS 6601 and EPID 6630
CLSC 8990	Doctoral Thesis	≥ 30

29 required Health Information Technology course credits
1 elective course credits
Total required course hours for degree = 30

CLSC PhD Handbook
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation
PhD Thesis Approval
PhD CLSC 7650 Guided Research Tutorial Course Syllabus Sample
PhD Comprehensive Exam Attendance Form
PhD Comprehensive Exam Report
PhD Dissertation Checklist
PhD Dissertation Thesis Defense Report
PhD Permission to Proceed to Defense Form
PhD Thesis Committee Report
PhD Thesis Committee Report (web form for Committee Chair use only)
Guidance for Thesis Proposal - Comprehensive Exam
CLSC Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines

HIT Program Resources

PhD Health Information Technology Curriculum (During or after Fall 2026)
PhD Health Information Technology Program Plan (During or after Fall 2026))

CI Program Resources

CLSC PhD Clinical Investigation Curriculum (During or After Fall 2026)
CLSC PhD Clinical Investigation Program Plan (During or After Fall 2026)

Resources

Contact Us

Staff

Galit Mankin, MSW
Program Administrator
303-724-1214
[email protected]

Amanda Whiting
Program Assistant
[email protected]

Faculty

Lisa Cicutto, PhD, APN, RN
Program Director
[email protected]
303-398-1538

Cathy Battaglia, PhD, MSHA, RN
Track Director, Health Services Research, Collaborative CSPH & CLSC
[email protected]
303-724-6387

Curtis Coughlin, PhD
Track Director, Clinical Investigation
curtis@[email protected]
303-724-3839

Heather Haugen, PhD
Track Director, Health Information Technology
[email protected]
303-594-2568

Richard Lindrooth, PhD
Track Director, Health Services Research Collaborative CSPH & CLSC
[email protected]
303-724-5165

Allan Prochazka, MD, MSc
Track Director, Clinical Investigation
[email protected]
303-399-8020, ext. 2144

Christina (Tina) Studts, PhD, MSPH, LCSW
D&I Certificate Program Director
[email protected]
303-724-2495

Matthew R.G. Taylor, MD, PhD
Track Director, Clinical Investigation
[email protected]
303-724-1400

Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI)

CU Anschutz

Anschutz Health Sciences Building

1890 N Revere Ct

Campus Box B141

Aurora, CO 80045

303-724-1222

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CTSA Grant UM1 TR004399, K12 TR004412, T32 TR004367, T32 TR004366

Tools & Resources

CU Campuses

CU Anschutz

Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

Clinical Science Graduate Program (CLSC)

Mission

Vision

MSCS Program

PhD Program

Schedules and Resources

Core Competencies

Master's Program

MSCS Application Package

PhD Program

Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Science Graduate Certificate Program

Resources

Contact Us

Staff

Faculty

Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI)

Clinical Science Graduate Program (CLSC)

Mission

Vision

MSCS Program

PhD Program

Schedules and Resources

Core Competencies

Frequently Asked Questions

Master's Program

Curriculum

Admissions

MSCS Resources

PhD Program

Admissions

Clinical Investigation (CI)

Health Information Technology (HIT)

Health Services Research (HSR)

PhD Resources

Dissemination and Implementation (D&I) Science Graduate Certificate Program

Resources

Course Books and Schedules

Academic Calendar

Graduate School Resources

Faculty Resources

Contact Us

Staff

Faculty

Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI)