Program Overview

Certificate in Clinical & Translational Science

The Certificate in Clinical & Translational Science is a part-time, 11-month program that offers formal translational research training in an efficient format. This program is designed to build clinical research skills while managing professional or academic responsibilities.

Program Details

• Program Start: July
• Length: 11 months
• Tuition Cost: $1,666 per credit
• Format: On-campus (with hybrid accommodations for students at remote Tufts CTSI partners)

Why the Tufts Certificate in Clinical & Translational Science (CTS)?

• Efficient, Flexible Format: The certificate requires 16-16.5 credits, completed over one academic year. Courses are drawn directly from the MS program, ensuring academic rigor while accommodating a shorter timeline.
• Real-World Application: The Certificate program emphasizes applied research methods that go beyond the classroom. Students gain practical skills in study design, data analysis, and translational methods that directly inform clinical practice, public health, and policy.
• Integration with Tufts CTSI and NIH-Funded Infrastructure: As a Tufts CTS Certificate student, you’ll have access to the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI)—a nationally recognized NIH-funded research hub.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Our curriculum integrates biomedical, clinical, behavioral, quantitative, and social sciences. You’ll learn how to lead and contribute to team-based research that reflects the multifaceted nature of healthcare today.
• Career Readiness: Graduates of the CTS Certificate program gain a strong foundation in clinical and translational research methods, experience conducting and presenting mentored research, and preparation to pursue advanced training or strengthen their research credentials in academic or clinical careers.

Curriculum Highlights

The CTS Certificate shares coursework with the MS program, giving students exposure to rigorous training in:

• Study design and research methods
• Epidemiology and biostatistics
• Translational research practices

Mentored Research Experience

Students design a brief research project and work under faculty mentorship throughout the program. Completion includes presenting a poster at the Annual CTS Graduate Symposium, giving students experience in scientific dissemination.

Admissions & Financial Information

Financing Your CTS Certificate

Certificate students pay per credit. Over 11 months, students complete 16-16.5 credits, with tuition billed at $1,666 per credit, for a total estimated cost of approximately $26,664-$28,330 across the Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters.

Admissions

The Clinical & Translational Science Certificate program welcomes a diverse range of applicants, including:

• Clinical doctoral students (MD, DMD, DVM) who wish to take one year away from their training to earn a certificate
• Junior faculty of Tufts CTSI-affiliated institutions
• Fellows, and mid-career clinicians who are considering a career change
• The program accepts U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international applicants.

Multiple Entry Points

Tufts CTS programs offer flexible training options tailored to your career goals—whether you want comprehensive, research-intensive preparation or foundational skills without a long-term commitment.

• MS Program (2 years):
  • Provides foundational and applied training in translational research, designed for clinicians and scientists who want to enhance research skills, advance their careers, or prepare for doctoral-level study.
  • Includes a mentored MS thesis project and offers three specialization options: Clinical Discovery & Investigation, Clinical Effectiveness Research, and Practice to Policy Research.
• Certificate Program (11 months, part-time):
  • Offers core methods and applied research skills without formal concentrations, ideal for clinical doctoral students, junior faculty, fellows, and mid-career professionals seeking foundational training in translational science.
  • Includes a brief mentored project and a poster presentation at the Annual CTS Graduate Symposium.

Degree Programs

• Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology
• Immunology
• Molecular Microbiology
• Neuroscience
• Clinical & Translational Science
• MD/PhD - MSTP
• Biomedical Research
• Pharmacology & Drug Development

Non-Degree Options

• Certificate Programs
• Pathway to the PhD
• IRACDA Postdoc Program