# George Mason University, National Center for Biodefense -- Graduate Biodefense Degrees and Graduate Certificates 

George Mason University, National Center for Biodefense will begin
offering for the fall 2003 semester the nation's first biodefense
academic graduate programs: (1) a Certificate in Medical Biodefense, (2)
a Certificate in Biological Threat and Defense, (3) a Masters in
Biodefense, and (4) a Ph.D. in Biodefense. The proposed programs, the
first of its kind in the nation, will supply skilled professionals in
biodefense to the public and private sector. The main objective of the
graduate programs will be to train students in the area of biodefense in
academia, industry, and government. Students will emerge from the
programs with a background in the foundations of science and technology
of biodefense, threat analysis of biological weapons, and the
specialized areas of medical defense, including engineering defense,
non-proliferation in biodefense, an counter-terrorism/law-enforcement of
biodefense.

# GRADUATE CERTIFICATES IN BIODEFENSE

## Certificate in Medical Biodefense

Required courses (7 credits):

BIOD 604: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis I: Bacterial Agents
(3)

BIOD 605: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis II: Viral Agents
(3)

BIOD 702: Special Topics in Biodefense Seminar (1)

Eight Credits from the following list of courses:

BIOD 606: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis III: Agricultural
Biodefense (3)

BIOD 607: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis IV: Toxins (3)

BIOD 704: Principles of Toxicology (3)

BIOD 708: Epidemiology of a Bioterror Attack (3)

BIOD 710: Approaches to BW Medical Treatment and Response (3)

BIOD 711: Techniques in Immunology Lecture (1)

BIOD 712: Techniques in Immunology Laboratory (1)

BIOD 762: Into the Hot Zone: Working in a High Threat Environment (2)

BIOD 763: History of Genetically Engineered Bio-Weapons (2)

## Certificate in Biological Threat and Defense 

Required Courses (7 credits):

BIOD 604: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis I: Bacterial Agents
(3)

BIOD 605: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis II: Viral Agents
(3)

BIOD 702: Special Topics in Biodefense Seminar (2)

Eight credits from the following list of courses:

BIOD 706: History of Biological Agent Use and Treaties (2)

BIOD 709: Biodefense (2)

BIOD 721: Coordinated Response to a Bioterror Attack (2)

BIOD 722: Examining Terrorist Groups (3)

BIOD 723: Counter-Terrorism and Civil Rights (3)

BIOD 724: Incident Response IT (2)

BIOD 763: History of Genetically Engineered Bio-weapons (2)

## MASTER OF SCIENCE IN BIODEFENSE

Course Requirements:

The MS degree will have four core course requirements. These courses are
biology-intense courses. Also, the degree requires completion of two
seminar courses, thesis or project credits, and electives to a total of
30 credits.

The MS in Biodefense will have four concentrations. Requirements for
these concentrations coincide with requirements for the same four
concentrations within the Ph.D. program. Students must take elective
credits to fulfill the 30 credit hour requirement.

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Medical Biodefense --
    Requires that at least 12 hours of the following courses must be
    taken to fulfill the concentration requirements: Chem 663, 664; BIOL
    553, 669; and BIOD 704, 708, 710, 711, 712

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-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Engineering
    Defense/Countermeasures -- Requires that the following 9 hours must
    be taken: BIOD 705, 707, 724, and 761

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Non-Proliferation -- Requires
    that at least 9 hours of the following courses must be taken: BIOD
    706, 709, 723, and 763

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and
    Counter-Terrorism/Law-Enforcement -- Requires that at least 10 hours
    of the following courses must be taken: BIOD 721, 722, 723, 724

Core Courses for the MS degree (12 credits)

All students are required to take the following core courses: BIOD 604,
605, 606, and 607.

Seminars for the MS degree (2 credits)

All students are required to take BIOD 702 and BIOD 703 at least one
time.

Thesis or Project for the MS degree (1-6 credits)

Students may choose to do a thesis (3 to 6 credits of BIOL 700\*) or a
project (1 to 3 credits of BIOL 798\*).

## PH.D. IN BIODEFENSE 

Course Requirements:

The Ph.D. program has a set of biodefense core courses and four areas of
concentration:

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Medical Defense -- requires
    that at least 12 hours of the following courses must be taken to
    fulfill the concentration requirements: CHEM 663, 664; BIOL 553,
    669; BIOD 704, 708, 710, 711, 712

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Engineering
    Defense/Countermeasure -- Requires that the following 9 hours must
    be taken: BIOD 705, 707, 724, and 761

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and Non-Proliferation -- Requires
    that at least 9 hours of the following courses must be taken: BIOD
    706, 709, 723, and 763.

-   Biological Weapons Threat Analysis and
    Counter-Terrorism/Law-Enforcement -- Requires that at least 10 hours
    of the following courses must be taken: BIOD 721, 722, 723, 724.

Seminars for the Ph.D. degree (2 credits)

All Students are required to take BIOD 702 and BIOD 703 at least one
time.

All students are required to choose a concentration, take 72 credit
hours of course work (at least 3 hours from each concentration) and
conduct dissertation research in the chosen concentration for
successfully completing the program requirements.

For more information:

> Contact: Biodefense Graduate Program, MSN 4E3
>
> George Mason University
>
> 10900 University Blvd
>
> Manassas, Virginia 20110
>
> Phone: (703) 993-4263
>
> Fax: (703) 993-4288
>
> Email: <biodefense@gmu.edu>
>
> Additional Information:
> [www.gmu.edu/centers/biodefense/](http://www.gmu.edu/centers/biodefense/)
> and
> [www.gmu.edu/centers/biodefense/](http://www.gmu.edu/centers/biodefense/)
>
> Update: 8/27/03