MSBS Admissions Requirements

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Admissions Requirements

The MSBS admissions requirements are as follows:
  1. Letters of Recommendation;
  2. Prerequisite Coursework required for admission;
  3. Prerequisite Coursework and Requirements;
  4. Bachelor’s Degree;
  5. Admissions Process
Letters of Recommendation
  1. The application requires two (2) letters of recommendation. The letters should be from professors, advisors, teachers, or employers. The MSBS program prefers that one of these letters come from any science faculty member familiar with the student’s academics or research-related work.
  2. Letters from relatives, spouses, family friends, or the applicant’s family physician will not be accepted – authors should be as objective as possible.
  3. Letters will only be accepted through PostbacCAS. The MSBS program does not accept paper letters of recommendation, or letters sent directly from the evaluator or applicant via either mail or email. CHSU-CBHP reserves the right to refuse any letter that is not submitted on professional or college/university letterhead and signed by the evaluator.
  4. Applicants are responsible for submitting recommendation letters consistent with these requirements. CHSU-CBHP will not be responsible for receipt or processing of materials that do not conform to these guidelines.
  5. Application packets will be reviewed by Admissions only after all required letters are submitted to PostbacCAS.
Prerequisite Coursework Required for Admission
  1. Admission to the CBHP requires successful completion of the prerequisite courses identified in the chart below. Applicants may not use the same course to fulfill more than one prerequisite.
  2. When determining whether a course satisfies a prerequisite, the CBHP looks at a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the course description provided by the education institution where the course was completed.
  3. The number of units listed below for prerequisite requirements is the minimum number of units required in each subject area. Different education institutions use different systems for determining the number of units for similar courses. Generally, each semester unit is equivalent to 1.5 quarter units and applicants to the MSBS program must have completed either the number of quarter units or semester units stated in the chart. In special circumstances where a course does not fit the traditional quarter or semester system, the Admissions Team may review the course syllabus and course description to ensure the applicant has learned the necessary content for each subject area.
Prerequisite Course Semester Hours Quarter Hours
Behavioral Sciences* 3 4
Biology* 8 12
Inorganic or General Chemistry* 8 12
Organic Chemistry* 8 12
Physics* 8 12
English (e.g., Composition/Literature) 6 9

*AP Credits are accepted if specified on transcripts.

Prerequisite Coursework Requirements

The following requirements apply to all prerequisite coursework identified above. NOTE: The GAC recognizes that an applicant’s academic progress may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, applicants should understand that the CHSU’s COVID-impact guidelines apply to prerequisite coursework .

  1. Must Be Taken at Accredited College or University  
  • All prerequisites must be completed at an institution of higher education accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For international students, please see separate provisions in this policy applicable to international coursework.
  1. Deadline for Prerequisite Completion
  • Applicants must complete or plan to complete all prerequisites prior to August 1 preceding enrollment in the MSBS program unless an exception is approved by the program Director.
  1. Letter Grade of “C” or Better Required
  • Students must earn a minimum grade of “C” to satisfy completion of each prerequisite course. Grades of “C-”, pass/no pass, credit/no credit will not be accepted. CHSU-MSBS will accept a grade of PASS in a pass/no-pass grading system or CREDIT in a credit/no credit grading system, for courses taken during grading periods affected by COVID restrictions (beginning in Spring 2020).
  • Courses Must Be Taken Eight (8) Years or Less Prior to Enrollment Applicants must complete all prerequisites within eight (8) years of enrollment in the MSBS program. Applicants who have taken prerequisite courses more than eight (8) years prior to enrollment in the MSBS program may be required to repeat that coursework prior to matriculation.
  1. Bachelor’s Degree Required
  • All matriculants into MSBS program must have attained a bachelor’s degree (B.S. or B.A.), or equivalent. Any undergraduate major is considered but a strong science background is essential.
  1. Other Considerations
  • The ability to express oneself in both oral and written English is essential to the healthcare professionals and scientific researchers. Accordingly, the MSBS program requires that all students be able to clearly communicate both orally and in writing in English.

Admissions Process and Requirements

The following steps comprise the MSBS program’s admissions process:
  1. PostbacCAS Application Submission;
  2. Admissions Team Application Review;
  3. Candidate Interviews; Post-Interview Debrief by Admissions Team; 
  4. Recommendations to the Director; and 
  5. Director’s Decision.

Each of the above steps in the admissions process are described below.

PostbacCAS Application Submission
  1. The MBS program uses the Centralized Application Service for postbaccalaureate programs (“PostbacCAS”), which allows prospective students to complete one application that may be submitted to multiple schools. CHSU encourages all candidates to apply through PostbacCAS and accepts paper applications only on rare occasions. CHSU does not have a separate supplemental application. Applicants for admission to the MSBS program are required to submit an application with all of their enclosures through PostbacCAS at www.postbaccas.liaisoncas.org/students/. Applicants who need to complete paper applications for accommodation due to disability should contact the Office Admissions for more information.
  2. Applicants are required to submit all coursework taken through PostbacCAS (including all prerequisites taken), complete the transcript request forms, submit letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and an application fee. Applicants will also need to submit all final transcripts verifying all of their completed coursework. The application requires two (2) letters of recommendation. The letters may be from professors, advisors, teachers, or employers. CHSU prefers that one of these letters come from any faculty member familiar with the student’s academics or research-related work. The faculty member does not need to be a science faculty member.
Review of Application by Admissions Team

Once the MSBS program has received the applicant’s verified application from PostbacCAS, the application will be screened by the Office of Admissions to confirm that the application meets the minimum initial requirements, including all of the following:

  • Overall cumulative and science grade point average (GPA) of or higher (on a 4.0 scale).
    • GPA calculations are completed by PostbacCAS and will be based upon all courses completed at the time of application.
    • If a student has repeated a course multiple times, all grades received for that course will be accounted for in calculating cumulative GPA.

Any applications that require possible waiver of completion of minimum requirements, including but not limited to pre-requisite requirements, will be forwarded to the GAC for additional review. Similarly, all international student applications will be forwarded directly to the GAC for determination regarding whether minimum and/or pre-requisite requirements have been satisfied.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements will be notified of the deficiencies in their application by the Office of Admissions staff. At the discretion of the GAC/ Program Director, the applicant may be given the opportunity to provide additional information in response to these deficiencies. Applicants meeting the minimum requirements after providing additional information will proceed to the next stage in the admissions process.

Candidate Interview, Interviewer Recommendation, Graduate Admissions Committee Post-Interview Discussion, and Recommendation to the Director

The MSBS program admissions process includes an interview. Among other things, the purpose of the interview is to assess an applicant’s oral communication skills and professionalism. If an interview is offered, it will be completed in-person or remotely by one or more members of the faculty. Interviewers will receive relevant information about the candidate’s scores, grades, or experiences, as appropriate before the interview.

If an applicant is offered an interview, based on the availability, the applicant will be provided several interview dates and slots from which to choose a mutually convenient time. The applicant must arrange all travel and lodging arrangements for in-person interviews and have appropriate technology for remote interviews. All costs associated with an interview must be borne by the applicant.

Interviewers will score the applicant’s interview; results will be forwarded to the GAC. The GAC will review the admissions file with relevant information for each applicant and will make a recommendation to the Director for a final decision. The GAC’s recommendation will be to 1) admit; 2) place on the waiting list; or 3) decline.

Program Director’s Admission Decisions

The Director makes all final admission decisions. The Director will notify the accepted applicants to the MSBS program in writing. The Admissions staff will notify in writing those applicants who have been placed on the waiting list and those who have not been accepted in the current admissions cycle.

The Admissions staff will maintain a waiting list of highly competitive applicants who may be offered acceptance at a later date if a seat vacancy occurs in the admitted class. Applicants on the waiting list could be notified by the Admissions staff as late as the last day of MSBS Orientation for the new academic year.

Review of Application by Admissions Team

Once the MSBS program has received the applicant’s application from PostbacCAS, the application will be screened by the Office of Admissions to confirm that the application meets the minimum initial requirements, including all of the following:

  • Overall cumulative and science grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).

    • GPA calculations are completed by PostbacCAS and will be based upon all courses completed at the time of application.
    • If a student has repeated a course multiple times, all grades received for that course will be accounted for in calculating cumulative GPA.
Candidate Interview, Interviewer Recommendation, Graduate Admissions Committee Post-Interview Discussion, and Recommendations to the Director
  1. The MSBS program admissions process includes an interview. Among other things, the purpose of the interview is to assess an applicant’s oral communication skills and professionalism. If an interview is offered, it will be completed in-person or remotely by one or more members of the faculty. Interviewers will receive relevant information about the candidate’s scores, grades, experiences, or application as appropriate before the interview.
  2. If an applicant is offered an interview, the applicant will be provided several interview dates from which to choose a mutually convenient date. The applicant must arrange all travel and lodging arrangements for in person interviews and have appropriate connection/technology for remote interviews. All costs associated with an interview must be borne by the applicant.
  3. Interviewers will score the applicant’s interview; results will be forwarded to the GAC. The GAC will review the entire admissions file for each applicant and will make a recommendation regarding each applicant to the Director for a final decision. The GAC’s recommendation will be to: 1) admit; 2) place on the waiting list; or 3) decline.
Program Director’s Admission Decisions

The Director makes all final admission decisions. The Director will notify in writing those applicants to be accepted into the MSBS program. The Admissions staff will notify in writing those applicants who have been placed on the waiting list and those who have not been accepted in the current admissions cycle.

The Admissions staff will maintain a waiting list of highly competitive applicants who may be offered acceptance at a later date if a seat vacancy occurs in the admitted class. Applicants on the waiting list could be notified by the Admissions staff as late as the last day of MSBS Orientation for the new academic year.

Student Enrollment Agreement

Students who are accepted into the MSBS program will be presented with a Student Enrollment Agreement. The Student Enrollment Agreement must be completed and submitted to the CBHP in order to show the applicant’s intent to accept the offer of admission and enroll in the program. The Student Enrollment Agreement is a legally binding contract when it is signed by the applicant and accepted by the institution. In signing the Enrollment Agreement, the applicant acknowledges the catalog and student handbook have been made available to read and review. Applicants are also required to commit to abiding by all CHSU and CHSU-CBHP policies and procedures upon enrollment, including but not limited to policies regarding smoke-free and drug-free requirements.

Seat Deposit

Accepted students are required to pay a non-refundable seat deposit of $250 to secure their seat in the class. Both the Enrollment Agreement and seat deposit must be received before the offer deadline, or the seat will be forfeited. The signed Enrollment Agreement must be received before the seat deposit can be accepted. The deposit will be applied toward the student’s first year of tuition.

Right to Cancel

A student has the right to cancel their Enrollment Agreement through the first week of class attendance. Students who wish to cancel their Enrollment Agreement must notify the MSBS program Office of Admissions of the cancellation by email or mail. If a student obtains a loan to pay for an educational program, the student may be required to return all, or a portion of, their loan. If the student has received a disbursement as a result of a credit balance on their account, they will be responsible to repay the loan amount plus any accrued or accruing interest directly to the lending institution. Detailed information about cancelation is included in the Enrollment Agreement.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Recruiting a Diverse Student Body

​​​​​​​​​​​​In support of CHSU’s Mission, Vision, and Values, CHSU strives to enroll a student body that reflects the diversity of the California Central Valley, representing a wide range of life experiences and backgrounds, as set forth in the University’s Non-Discrimination Policy. CHSU seeks to attract a diverse pool of qualified applicants through formal and informal recruiting efforts with other institutions of higher education and with student associations and organizations which reflect underrepresented groups. The Admissions Office supports outreach programs to increase educational opportunities and preparedness for the health professions to local college and high school students.