Team-based learning in Keck Graduate Institute's professional Master of Bioscience programme

Abstract

Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences (KGI) offers a 2-year professional masters degree programme designed to educate scientists and engineers for leadership positions in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries. Inquiry through team-based projects is a central feature throughout the Master of Bioscience (MBS) curriculum. This paper presents KGI's team-based pedagogy through examples of specific team projects in the MBS curriculum. The projects described begin with the initial projects given to entering students during orientation week and culminate with the Team Masters Projects, the capstone experience of the MBS curriculum. The rationale for KGI's use of team-based learning and the effectiveness of a team-based approach are discussed. The pedagogy described may serve as a useful model for other professional or applied science programmes.