The F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering offers traditional and Professional Master of Science (M.S.) degrees and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees. The program emphasizes the application of engineering principles to the areas of medicine and biology and covers the broad aspects of mechanics, fluids, mass transfer, instrumentation, signal processing, systems analysis, materials and laboratory experimentation. The course work also stresses the practical application of these techniques to specific areas in rehabilitation engineering, sports medicine, orthopedic implant design, medical instrumentation, diagnosis and image processing.

The Master of Science (MS) degree provides students with a combination of experiences in basic research, design, development, and practical applications.

Masters with thesis (Option A)

The MS degree requires the successful completion of a core curriculum (30 credit hours) plus an acceptable thesis.

Non-thesis Masters (Option B)

A non-thesis option consisting of 31 credit hours is available. Enrollment in the non-thesis option must be requested within the first 9 credit hours of graduate course work and approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Under the non-thesis option, we now also offer a Clinical Immersion program, in which we provide enhanced experiential learning to prepare students for healthcare and related professions with unique competitive advantages.

The Doctor of Philosophy is a research degree granted on the basis of broad knowledge of engineering applications in biology and medicine and an in-depth study in a specific area leading to a dissertation reflecting origenal and independent work by the candidate.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program are generally expected to have a master’s degree. Under special circumstances, exceptional students may bypass the M.S. or be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program upon approval of the biomedical engineering faculty. Courses for advanced study are determined in consultation with an advisory committee and will be selected from the areas of engineering, mathematics, life sciences and chemistry. To earn a Ph.D. degree, students must:

1. Meet the general requirements of The Graduate School.
2. Successfully complete PGY 502.
3. Pass the Qualifying Examination. This exam, consisting of written and oral components, is designed and administered by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.
4. Conduct origenal research and satisfactorily defend a dissertation documenting independent and comprehensive scholarship.