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Naked mole-rat ovary stained with a biomarker in red for oocytes

Curriculum

A foundation in science and a focus on discovery

The MS-FTRM is a full-time, research-based 21-month program spanning four semesters and one summer. The curriculum requires a minimum of 64 credits, including 42 credits of research. All students begin in Ithaca, combining a shared scientific foundation with electives aligned to their interests.

Year 1

Fall

Focus: Build your foundation

Experience: Study reproductive mechanisms, develop practical laboratory skills, and explore potential mentors. Begin statistics, ethics, and elective coursework.

Spring

Focus: Begin your research

Experience: Launch your thesis project, refine your experimental approach, and continue coursework and CoRe discussions.

Summer

Focus: Connect research and career exploration

Experience: Continue your research and undertake a summer externship in a relevant professional setting.

Year 2

Fall

Focus: Develop and share your findings

Experience: Advance your project and present research progress to program faculty and the incoming cohort.

Spring

Focus: Bring your work together

Experience: Complete your thesis and oral defense, and prepare applications for jobs or further study with career guidance.

Three tracks with a shared comparative approach

  • Human Reproduction — Explore human reproductive function and disease, from fertility and pregnancy to reproductive aging and disorders.
  • Animal Reproduction — Study reproductive physiology and technologies relevant to animal health, livestock production, and conservation.
  • Fundamental Discovery Science — Investigate reproductive mechanisms using animal models and other experimental systems.

In addition to core coursework, you must choose a track that aligns with your research interests and take at least two electives in that track. Which track you are in is primarily driven by the area of your research project. You will select your preferred track in your application, but this is not a final decision. You will be free to switch into another track during your first semester as you learn about the different research areas in each track. At the end of your first semester, you will be matched with a research advisor within your track for your independent research project.

Across all three tracks, comparing species helps you ask better questions and connect fundamental mechanisms to practical challenges. Visit the Coursework page to view the details of core courses and electives.

Complete your training

nurse cell

A graduate statistics course, a graduate ethics course, a science communication workshop, and two track-related electives support your development as a researcher. Electives are selected with advising and depend on course availability.

A unique emphasis on networking and developing your future career

We deliver a bespoke program that can be either tailored to your individual interests or simply allow you to explore careers in reproductive medicine through CoRe Seminar series invited speakers, externships, networking, and career resource sessions. 

Your research is the centerpiece

Spend approximately 18 months on an original project with a faculty mentor in the Graduate Field of Reproductive Medicine. Develop experiments, analyze data, and interpret findings with guidance from your advisory committee. . You will enroll in a total of 42 credits of research during these 18 months (12 during each academic semester and 6 in the summer). In your last semester, you will complete a written master’s thesis and oral defense, known at Cornell as the M-exam.