Curriculum
MCGSBS curriculum consists of a combination of instructional practices, learning experiences, and educational technologies, in addition to the content itself. MCGSBS curriculum is designed to provide everyone in the learning environment (faculty, students, leaders, staff, other stakeholders) with structure and expected outcomes.
At Mayo Clinic, there are institutional domains that help to guide educational programs and inform the curriculum. These domains are Knowledge, Research, Professionalism, Patient Care, Systems Based Practice Approach, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, Practice Based Learning & Improvement, Interprofessional Collaboration, Personal & Professional Development, Leadership, IDARE.
The Graduate School further interprets these domains into school-level competencies. The components are further distilled down to be more specific and detailed. The school-level competencies include:
- Core Science Knowledge
- Specialty Science Knowledge
- Critical Thinking
- Scientific Method
- Experimental Design
- Data Interpretation and Analytics
- Ethical Conduct of Research
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Implementation of Your Research
- Discovery to Health (Translational Spectrum)
- Written Communication Skills
- Oral Communication Skills
- Proficiency in Research
- Team Science
- Mentorship
- Lifelong Learning
- Professional Development
- Leadership and Management
Registration
Mayo courses are intended for individuals appointed to the degree programs of MCGSBS. Others may enroll if they show appropriate prerequisites and secure the course director’s approval. Tracks may have differing course enrollment criteria. Enrollment in some courses may be very limited and degree candidates are given preference for these courses. Registration for MCGSBS courses is accomplished through the Registrar’s Office and must be made online before the applicable deadline (see Academic Calendar on previous pages). *An individual must have an active Mayo employment or education role to be eligible for MCGSBS courses.
Grading System
MCGSBS uses two grading systems:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A | Outstanding |
| A- | Excellent |
| B+ | Very Good |
| B | Acceptable |
| B- | Marginal/below standards expected |
| C+ | Below standards |
| C | Poor/lowest performance to receive credit |
| F | Unsatisfactory |
| S | Satisfactory |
| N | Not satisfactory |
| P | Pass |
| F | Fail |
The Grade Point Average (GPA) is based on:
| Grade | GPA |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 |
| B+ | 3.3 |
| B | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 |
| C+ | 2.3 |
| C | 2.0 |
| F | 0.0 |
The grading system to be used is determined by the course director at the time the course is established. A grade of “S”, “P”, or “N” is not considered in determination of GPA. A grade of “F” is considered in determination of the GPA if the course is assigned the standard letter grading scale. The GPA, which is recorded on the official transcript, is calculated by dividing the sum of all grade points earned by the sum of all credits assigned grade points. Students do not receive credits for courses in which they received an “F” grade. In addition to the grades, the transcripts show the following, if applicable (see list below). Students have a maximum of one year to make up any deficiency. If the deficiency is not corrected within the year, the transcript will show an “F” or “N” for the course.
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CRX | Credit by examination |
| I | Incomplete |
| PD | Proficiency demonstrated and transfer credits awarded |
| R | Indicates a student registered for a course, did not attend, and did not officially withdraw |
| W | Withdrawn |
| WVD | Course waived |
| T | Transfer course |
| X | Continuous registration/multi-term. A course that is continued over more than one quarter is given an “X” until the final quarter, when a grade is assigned. Credits are counted in the quarter the grade is entered. |
| Z | Repeated course |
Students may retake a course one time to improve their grade with the permission of their program director and the course director. The higher grade will appear on the transcript and will be used in computation of the GPA.
Definition of Credit Hour
Credit hours are determined by the number of contact hours in a course. A contact hour is instructional time with the subject matter expert (instructor). For example, a one credit, didactic course will have 12 contact hours in a given quarter.
Per the U.S. Department of Education, an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
- One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
MCGSBS Transcript
Current learners and alumni employed by Mayo Clinic may request a transcript online through EdLink, the student portal. To request an official copy of your transcript, click on Student Records from the home menu. Directions on how to print an unofficial academic transcript are found on the MCGSBS Policies and Procedures intranet site.
Graduation
Students are granted degrees four times a year: February, May, August, and November. The May date involves a formal ceremony as part of the Mayo Clinic graduation exercises in conjunction with MCASOM. No ceremony is held in February, August, and November, but students who graduate at one of these times are encouraged to participate in the May ceremony. MD-PhD students are awarded their Ph.D. diploma concurrently with the M.D. diploma. The student is invited to participate in a commencement ceremony in May of their last year of medical school training, held jointly between MCGSBS and MCASOM.
Students are allowed no more than 30 days to complete all requirements after a successful thesis defense/final project presentation. Students should consider this 30 days within their program end date when scheduling the thesis defense.
| For degree conferral in: | Defend by: | All Post-Defense Requirements completed by: |
|---|---|---|
| February | January 1 | February 1 |
| May | April 1 | May 1 |
| August | July 1 | August 1 |
| November | October 1 | November 1 |
Confidentiality of Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) afford students certain rights with respect to their education records. The FERPA policy is available on the MCGSBS Policies and Procedures intranet site.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science upholds all federal and state laws that preclude discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities, or veteran status.