Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

Certificate in Clinical & Translational Science

Build Core Research Skills in Just One Year

Join a part-time, 11-month program offering formal translational research training in an efficient format, designed to build clinical research skills while managing professional or academic responsibilities.

Apply Now

Build Core Research Skills in Just One Year

Join a part-time, 11-month program offering formal translational research training in an efficient format, designed to build clinical research skills while managing professional or academic responsibilities.

Apply Now
Program StartLengthTuition CostFormat

JULY

11 MONTHS

$1,666 

per credit

ON-CAMPUS*

*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. This condensed format ensures you build practical, applied skills that can immediately be put to use in clinical, academic, or industry settings.

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. Through Tufts CTSI, students benefit from T32 and K12 training opportunities, interdisciplinary mentorship, career development resources, and access to large-scale research networks.

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
  • Preparation to pursue advanced training (such as the CTS MS or PhD) 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
View CTS Curriculum

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. Details about tuition, fellowships, and financial aid are available through GSBS Admissions. 

Financing Your CTS Certificate

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. Applications are submitted through the GSBS online application system.

Apply to the CTS Certificate

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. Here’s how the MS and Certificate programs compare:

    • 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.