Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences

Welcome to Keck Graduate Institute.By every measure, Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) is in a league of its own. Our faculty is world class. Our students are poised to become international leaders in their fields. Our programs are literally without peer—we remain, nearly two decades after our founding, the only professional graduate school dedicated to education and research in the life sciences. Yet, what truly distinguishes KGI is a relentless focus on impact: a commitment to scientific innovation capable of strengthening communities and improving lives.

Our mission is “To enrich society with breakthrough approaches to education and translational research in the life sciences.”

With their native talent and the training they receive here, KGI students and alumni work at the intersection of science and business to harness such transformative possibilities as engineering solutions to global health challenges, bringing breakthrough drugs to market, and innovating approaches to reaching the underserved. At KGI, we leverage strategic thinking to expand our capacity for visionary change.

Our unique programs blaze an extraordinary trail. Students in our signature Master of Business and Science (MBS)program develop the tools they will need to take discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace, integrating bioengineering with management, finance, and bioethics. Our innovative School of Pharmacy gives students a platform for active learning through hands-on, team-based classes and key access to industry stakeholders. KGI PhD candidates hone their expertise in research areas relevant to applied bioscience, empowering them to advance exciting new applications with broad social benefit.

Our Postbaccalaureate Premedical Certificate program (PPC) continues to solidify its exceptional track record for graduate placement: 81 percent of students completing the PPC gained admission to at least one medical school in the last year.Scientists and engineers in our Postdoctoral Professional Master's (PPM) program acquire the necessary business and management skills to pursue senior leadership positions within the life science industry or to launch entrepreneurial ventures geared toward commercializing new technologies. Through a new Master of Engineering Program (MEng) program that begin in Fall 2016, students deepen their understanding of molecular biology, biotechnology, and chemistry and how these subjects can be combined with creative, application-centered engineering.

Also in Fall 2016, we announced two important developments that signal the growth and success of KGI. The campus housing project was approved by the Claremont Architectural Commission and we expect the housing to open in Fall 2018. We also announced that an Amgen gift of $1.5 million will fund a Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling (MSGC) program that will enroll its first students in the 2018-2019 academic year. Additionally, we have added a Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics (MSGDA) program that will also enroll students in the fall of 2018.

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) was founded in 1997 as the first higher education institution in the United States dedicated exclusively to education and research related to the applied life sciences. Now in its 20th year, KGI offers innovative postgraduate degrees and certificates that integrate life and health sciences, business, pharmacy, and genetics, with a focus on industry projects, hands-on industry experiences, and team collaboration.

A member of The Claremont Colleges, KGI employs an entrepreneurial approach and industry connections that provide pathways for students to become leaders in applied life sciences and healthcare. KGI consists of three schools: School of Applied Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, and the Minerva Schools at KGI.We encourage our prospective students to learn more about our academic programs, discovering new passions that will take them into leadership roles within the applied life sciences or healthcare industries.
 
In early 2002 these statements of Keck Graduate Institute's unique mission, its innovative culture, and the core values that underpin both were developed collaboratively by essentially all faculty, staff, and students then at KGI.We seek to embody these objectives and principles in both KGI's strategy and its every-day operations. As we gain experience, the statements will evolve and be further refined.

KGI is committed to enriching society with breakthrough approaches to education and translational research. Diversity of backgrounds, cultures, disciplines, identities, and thought within our community serves as a catalyst for collaboration and excellence in all of our pursuits. KGI’s welcoming, diverse environment provides the opportunity for our students to think creatively and critically, communicate and interact effectively, and act ethically and respectfully. The active and open-minded engagement of every member of our community is vital to achieving the goals of the institution.

KGI is focused on the success of our students. We aim to provide hands-on, team-based education with co-curricular opportunities and robust student support services to assist students through challenges they may face while enrolled in our programs. Our aim is to ensure that our graduates are prepared to become innovators and leaders and attain a steep trajectory in advancing their careers. After more than a decade of placing our alumni into leading life sciences and health-care companies as well as regulatory, research, and consulting firms, KGI has proven that we have a recipe for success.

The Claremont Colleges were formally established in 1925 under the direction of James Blaisdell, then President of Pomona College. In their constitution was a commitment to “found and develop new colleges and educational institutions or programs” as needs were identified and resources were made available.

Seventy-two years later, it was Henry E. Riggs, then President of Harvey Mudd College, who identified the need that would lead to the founding of Keck Graduate Institute, the seventh and newest member of The Claremont Colleges. The need was a simple one: we need scientists and engineers who can help translate basic scientific discoveries into practical applications that will improve the health of people.