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Biological Data Science, M.S. - Advising
Accepting Admission Offer: Register Today
Secure your spot in the program by emailing NCGradAdmissions@asu.edu and informing your faculty mentor.
International Student Admits: Students from other countries (F-1 status) should read and complete next steps for securing a visa.
Deferring Admission Offer
If you are unable to enroll in the term that you originally applied for then please review your options to defer admission.
Declining Admission Offer
We understand that plans change. If you do not wish to attend this program please email NCGradAdmissions@asu.edu with your full name, ASU ID number (located on admissions letter), and your intention to decline the offer. This will help to ensure that ASU advisors do not reach out regarding next steps and registration.
Click here to review your program’s available courses within your semester of admission and select classes for enrollment.
Now What?
Prior to beginning your first course it is important that you read and understand the information available under “Current Students” on this advising website. This includes, but is not limited to, the Program Handbook, Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, and Graduate College Policies & Procedures. Students are responsible for information contained on this advising website, we recommend that you bookmark this page.
Login to MyASU and complete items listed in Priority Tasks.
Graduate College Field Guide to Grad School
ASU Graduate Admissions Next Steps
Financial Aid & Scholarship Services
Check your ASU email regularly
Current Students
Staff Academic Advising Questions
We are here to help! E-mail NCGradAdvising@asu.edu with questions related to policies and procedures to help you navigate graduate school successfully.
Many of the answers to your questions may be on this website and in the Program Handbook, please review both carefully.
Student Travel
The New College may provide up to $1,000 to support graduate student travel to academic and professional conferences. Students may also receive up to $950 for travel from GPSA.
Apply for BDS Research & Travel Funding from MNS
Graduate College Travel Funding
Important Student Support Resources
The MS Biological Data Science program requires 32 credit hours including 6 credit hours of culminating experience.
ASU Catalog and Degree Search: Biological Data Science, MS
What is the Interactive Plan of Study (iPOS)?
The Interactive Plan of Study (iPOS) functions as an agreement between the student, the academic unit, and the ASU Graduate College. It will support you as you make progress toward your degree requirements. (Learn More)
The iPOS allows you to plan for your course load, can guide registration each term, and provides an anticipated timeline for degree completion.
How do I select courses for my iPOS?
At the time of admission to a graduate program in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences students are provided with a sequence of courses for the first semester and then work closely with the staff and faculty advisors to determine a successful path to degree completion.
How to create an iPOS?
To access the iPOS: Login to My ASU. From the My Programs box, under the Programs tab, select iPOS. Select Graduate Interactive Plan of Study (iPOS). Note: Pop up blockers may need to be turned off. You will find instructions for submitting the iPOS in the downloadable how-to guide.
Individualized Instruction Form
Advanced students in the MSBDS program with specialized and well-developed topics may choose to take ACO, BIO, or MAT 580: Practicum, ACO, BIO, or MAT 590: Reading and Conference, or ACO, BIO, or MAT 592: Research as an individualized instruction course, working with a faculty member independently. Please refer to the MSBDS Program Handbook for additional policies.
After consulting with the faculty member with whom you want to work, please complete the Online Individualized Instruction Form. After completing the form, it may take several days to receive the line number to register.
Please submit the request to complete an individualized instruction course two weeks prior to the start of any academic semester.
Internships
If you are interested in completing an internship (584) for academic credit, please follow the below steps:
- Contact your graduate academic advisor at NCGradAdvising@asu.edu to confirm the internship meets your program’s degree requirements.
- Then, contact NCInternships@asu.edu to learn more about securing an internship and enrolling for graduate credit hours.
- After you have received the course permission override to enroll in the 584 course:
1) register for the class as soon as possible;
2) email NCGradAdvising@asu.edu to update the iPOS on your behalf (if the credits will be used toward your graduate degree requirements).
All students must work with their faculty advisors to complete an applied project or thesis proposal. The proposal must be approved by your iPOS Faculty Committee Chair/Advisor and the MSBDS Program Director. Students must submit the proposal form no later than 2 weeks prior to beginning the semester of the applied project or thesis.
Applied Project/Thesis Proposal Approval Process
To be eligible to enroll in 593 or 599, a student must:
- Have an up-to-date and approved iPOS on file
- Have completed the Core Course Requirements of 21 credit hours
- Download and complete the Applied Project Proposal form or the Thesis Proposal form.
- Upon entering your second semester of the program, you will have been sent an invitation to join the BDS Canvas Proposal organization.
- When you receive the invitation, please accept and proceed to upload the completed Applied Project or Thesis proposal into the BDS Canvas org
- The faculty chair and program director will review and approve the uploaded proposal in the canvas organization
- Graduate advising will process the course override for the approved proposal to allow you to register for the class.
- Please review the Applied Project and Thesis Requirements section of the MSBDS Program Handbook for more information.
Forming a relationship with a faculty advisor is one of the most important elements of graduate college. Your advisor can help you in selecting the proper courses, in developing your culminating experience, and, more generally, in understanding the complexities of graduate-level education. Each MS student must identify a primary faculty advisor who will help you identify other faculty members for your research thesis or applied project supervisory committee.
Below is a list of your program’s faculty who may potentially serve as your faculty chair/advisor.
Use the ASU iSearch feature to read more about each faculty’s expertise and research.
- Becky Ball
- Anthony Barley
- Jennifer Broatch
- Thomas Cahill
- Suzanne Dietrich
- Jennifer Hackney
- Steven Hart
- Chad Johnson
- Peter Jukurta
- Sree Kanthaswamy
- Max Leung
- Michelle Mancenido
- Pamela Marshall
- Joel Nishimura
- Jonathan Parrott
- Maria Sanin Perez
- Beth Polidoro
- Jan Schipper
- Dhara Shah
- Carl Wagner
- Feng Wang
- Haiyan Wang
- Karen Watanabe
- Lauren Weidner
- Kuai Xu
