BME

Curriculum

MS Curricula

The department offers two types of Master of Science degrees. The first is the Plan A or thesis masters and the second is the Plan B or coursework masters. The primary goal of the Plan A masters is for a student to successfully execute and communicate an in-depth research project. In Plan A, courses are taken both in support of the research project and to broaden the student's educational experience. The primary goal of the Plan B masters is for a student to develop and demonstrate their advanced understanding of biomedical engineering principles. Courses are selected to provide depth in an area of the student's interest and to develop an understanding of the breadth of applications in biomedical engineering. Plan B Master’s degree terminate with an exit exam (see the graduate handbook), while the Plan A Master’s degree requires a thesis defense.

PhD Curriculum

The goal of the PhD program is to train scientists and engineers whose careers in academia or industry are marked by professionalism, leadership, and notable contributions to their field. We expect our graduates will be people who can identify important problems in biology and medicine, devise and execute unique solutions, and explain both the problem and solution in the clearest terms.

Features

A BME core sequence that occurs mostly in the 1^st year and includes

• BME 502 – Foundations in BME (4 credits, first semester of enrollment)
• IND 501 – Ethics (1 credit)
• BME 593 – Laboratory Rotations (2 credits)
• BME Intensives (8 credits)
  • BME 418 – Introduction to Neuroengineering (4 credits)
  • BME 428 – Physiological Control Systems (4 credits)
  • BME 442 – Cell Motility and Molecular Machines (2 credits)
  • BME 451 – Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
  • BME 452 – Medical Imaging (4 credits)
  • BME 453 – Advanced Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
  • BME 454 – Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (4 credits)
  • BME 460 – Biological Systems Fundamentals (4 credits)
  • BME 462 – Cell and Tissue Engineering (4 credits)
  • BME 466 – Microhydrodynamics (4 credits)
  • BME 470 – Biomedical Microscopy (4 credits)
  • BME 483 – Biosolids (4 credits)
  • BME 485 – Membrane Mechanics (2 credits)
  • BME 513 – MR Imaging: Spins to Brains (3 credits)
  • BME 515 – Neural Control of Movement (2 credits)
  • BCS 448 – Principles of Eye Design (4 credits)
  • BCS 521 – Audition (3 credits)
• A preliminary exam between the 1^st and 2^nd years
• BME 589 – a Proposals Writing course taken at the end of the 2^nd year (2 credits)

A 2^nd year that facilitates transition to the research thesis through more specialized coursework, the proposals writing course, and between 6 and 14 credits of laboratory research.

Requirements

• BME Core courses (minimum 16 credits)
  • BME 502 – Foundations in BME (4 credits, first semester of enrollment)
  • IND 501 – Ethics (1 credit)
  • BME 593 – Laboratory Rotations (2 credits)
  • BME Intensives (8 credits)
    • BME 418 – Introduction to Neuroengineering (4 credits)
    • BME 428 – Physiological Control Systems (4 credits)
    • BME 442 – Cell Motility and Molecular Machines (2 credits)
    • BME 451 – Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
    • BME 452 – Medical Imaging (4 credits)
    • BME 453 – Advanced Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
    • BME 454 – Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (4 credits)
    • BME 460 – Biological Systems Fundamentals (4 credits)
    • BME 462 – Cell and Tissue Engineering (4 credits)
    • BME 466 – Microhydrodynamics (4 credits)
    • BME 470 – Biomedical Microscopy (4 credits)
    • BME 483 – Biosolids (4 credits)
    • BME 485 – Membrane Mechanics (2 credits)
    • BME 513 – MR Imaging: Spins to Brains (3 credits)
    • BME 515 – Neural Control of Movement (2 credits)
    • BCS 448 – Principles of Eye Design (4 credits)
    • BCS 521 – Audition (3 credits)
  • A preliminary exam between the 1^st and 2^nd years
  • BME 589 – a Proposals Writing course taken at the end of the 2^nd year (2 credits)
• Approved Biology courses (minimum 11 credits)

  These courses are drawn from a list of select courses in the life sciences that have been approved for the program by the graduate committee.

  • Basic courses
    • BME 511 – Cell and Molec Foundations (4 credits)
    • IND 408 – Biochemistry (4 credits)
    • IND 409 – Cell Biology (4 credits)
    • IND 410 – Molecular Biology (4 credits)
    • MBI 414/514 – Mech of Microbial Pathogenesis (4 credits)
    • PHP 403 – Cell and Molecular Physiology (3 credits)
    • PHP 404 – Principles of Pharmacology (4 credits)
    • PTH 507 – Cancer Biology (3 credits)
    • PTH 509 – Pathways to Human Disease (4 credits)
    • PTH 510 – Pathways to Human Disease (4 credits)
  • Advanced courses
    • ANA 531 – Integrative Neuroscience (6 credits)
    • BIO 419 – Nuc Structure and Function (4 credits)
    • BIO 426 – Developmental Biology (4 credits)
    • BIO 428 – Lab in Cell and Dev Biology (4 credits)
    • CVS 401 – Cardiovascular Bio and Desease (3 credits)
    • GEN 508 – Advanced Genetics (4 credits)
    • GEN 508 – Genes, Devel and Disease (4 credits)
    • IND 407 – Cytoplasmic Structures and Functions (4 credits)
    • IND 411 – Methods in Structural Biology (4 credits)
    • IND 443 – Eukaryotic Genome I (4 credits)
    • IND 447 – Signal Transduction (4 credits)
    • IND 520 – Mitochondrial Medicine (2 credits)
    • IND 525 – Cell and Membrane Biophysics (4 credits)
    • MBI 473 – Immunology (3 credits)
    • NSC 512 – Cellular Neuroscience (6 credits)
    • PHP 440 – Topics in Vascular Biology (2 credits)
    • PTH 593 – Molecular Mechanisms of Human Disease (4 credits)
• Approved Engineering courses (minimum 8 credits)

  These courses will drawn from a list of engineering courses reviewed and approved for graduate-level engineering content. The BME Intensives can also be used to satisfy the Approved Engineering requirement, but the same course cannot be applied to both the Engineering and the BME Intensive requirement.

  • CHE
    • CHE 411 – Intro to Prob. for Chem. Engrs.
    • CHE 413 – Molecular Self-Assembly
    • CHE 421 – Thin Film Processing
    • CHE 441 – Advanced Fluid Dynamics
    • CHE 447 – Optics & Liquid Crystals for Chemical Engineers
    • CHE 454 – Interfacial Engineering
    • CHE 460 – Biochem & Tech Clinic Diagnosis
    • CHE 480 – Chemistry of Advanced Materials
    • CHE 482 – Processing Microelectronic
    • CHE 486 – Polymer Science & Technology
  • ME
    • ME 401 – Methods of Applied Math
    • ME 402 – Partial Differential Equations
    • ME 406 – Dynamical Systems
    • ME 411 – Mechanical Properties of Polymers
    • ME 424 – Introduction to Robust Design & Quality Engineering
    • ME 437 – Incompressible Flow
    • ME 440 – Mechanics of Structures
    • ME 441 – Finite Elements
    • ME 443 – Mechanical Vibrations
    • ME 444 – Continuum Mechanics
    • ME 449 – Elasticity
    • ME 458 – Nonlinear Finite Elements Analysis
    • ME 459 – Applied Finite Elements
    • ME 461 – Fracture and Adhesion
    • ME 463 – Microstructures
    • ME 481 – Mechanical Properties
  • OPT
    • OPT 411 – Math/Theoretic
    • OPT 421 – Opt Properties of Semi-con
    • OPT 425 – Radiation & Detectors
    • OPT 428 – Opt. Commun. Systm
    • OPT 441 – Geometrical Optics
    • OPT 442 – Instrumental Optics
    • OPT 443 – Opt Fabrication & Testing
    • OPT 444 – Lens Design
    • OPT 452 – Medical Imaging: Theory & Prac.
    • OPT 461 – Physical Optics
    • OPT 462 – Physical Optics II
    • OPT 465 – Laser Systems
    • OPT 476 – Biomedical Optics
    • OPT 492 – Opt Interf. Coating
    • OPT 551 – Intro to Quantum
    • OPT 552 – Quant. Opt. Of Electromag. Field
    • OPT 553 – Quant. Opt Atom-Field
    • OPT 563 – Statistical Optics
    • OPT 564 – Electr Imaging Sys.
    • OPT 568 – Waveguide Opto-elect. Devices
    • OPT 592 – Nano-Optics
  • ECE
    • ECE 401 – Advanced Computer Architecture
    • ECE 404 – High Performance Microprocessor-Based Systems
    • ECE 423 – Semiconductor Devices
    • ECE 425 – Superconductivity & Josephson Effect
    • ECE 431 – Microwaves & Wireless
    • ECE 432 – Acoustic Waves
    • ECE 435 – Intro to Optoelectronics
    • ECE 437 – Wireless Communications
    • ECE 440 – Introduction to Random Processes
    • ECE 441 – Detection & Estimation Theory
    • ECE 444 – Digital Communications
    • ECE 446 – Digital Signal Processing
    • ECE 447 – Digital Image Process
    • ECE 450 – Information Theory
    • ECE 452 – Medical Imaging - Theory & Implementation
    • ECE 461 – Digital Integrated Circuit Design
    • ECE 461 – Digital Integrated Circuit Design Lab
    • ECE 462 – VLSI Design Project
    • ECE 465 – Issues in VLSL/IC Design
    • ECE 466 – RF Integrated Circuits
    • ECE 585 – Phy of Adv Opto-Electronics
• Electives (4 credits)

  This is free but should be relevant to a career in BME and must be approved by the preliminary exam committee

• 90 total credits with most coming from BME 595 – Research in Biomedical Engineering

MD/PhD

The department has the same objectives for PhDs training in the MD/PhD program as students pursuing the PhD alone. Unless explicitly stated in the graduate handbook, all requirements and definitions for the PhD in BME apply to students in the MD/PhD program. Because of courses taken during medical school training the curricular requirements for the PhD degree are modified. Thus the following summarizes the curricular requirements for BME PhDs in the MD/PhD program.

Requirements

• BME Intensives (4 credits)
  • BME 418 – Introduction to Neuroengineering (4 credits)
  • BME 428 – Physiological Control Systems (4 credits)
  • BME 442 – Cell Motility and Molecular Machines (2 credits)
  • BME 451 – Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
  • BME 452 – Medical Imaging (4 credits)
  • BME 453 – Advanced Biomedical Ultrasound (4 credits)
  • BME 454 – Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (4 credits)
  • BME 460 – Biological Systems Fundamentals (4 credits)
  • BME 462 – Cell and Tissue Engineering (4 credits)
  • BME 466 – Microhydrodynamics (4 credits)
  • BME 470 – Biomedical Microscopy (4 credits)
  • BME 483 – Biosolids (4 credits)
  • BME 485 – Membrane Mechanics (2 credits)
  • BME 513 – MR Imaging: Spins to Brains (3 credits)
  • BME 515 – Neural Control of Movement (2 credits)
  • BCS 448 – Principles of Eye Design (4 credits)
  • BCS 521 – Audition (3 credits)
• Approved Engineering courses (12 credits)
  • CHE
    • CHE 411 – Intro to Prob. for Chem. Engrs.
    • CHE 413 – Molecular Self-Assembly
    • CHE 421 – Thin Film Processing
    • CHE 441 – Advanced Fluid Dynamics
    • CHE 447 – Optics & Liquid Crystals for Chemical Engineers
    • CHE 454 – Interfacial Engineering
    • CHE 460 – Biochem & Tech Clinic Diagnosis
    • CHE 480 – Chemistry of Advanced Materials
    • CHE 482 – Processing Microelectronic
    • CHE 486 – Polymer Science & Technology
  • ME
    • ME 401 – Methods of Applied Math
    • ME 402 – Partial Differential Equations
    • ME 406 – Dynamical Systems
    • ME 411 – Mechanical Properties of Polymers
    • ME 424 – Introduction to Robust Design & Quality Engineering
    • ME 437 – Incompressible Flow
    • ME 440 – Mechanics of Structures
    • ME 441 – Finite Elements
    • ME 443 – Mechanical Vibrations
    • ME 444 – Continuum Mechanics
    • ME 449 – Elasticity
    • ME 458 – Nonlinear Finite Elements Analysis
    • ME 459 – Applied Finite Elements
    • ME 461 – Fracture and Adhesion
    • ME 463 – Microstructures
    • ME 481 – Mechanical Properties
  • OPT
    • OPT 411 – Math/Theoretic
    • OPT 421 – Opt Properties of Semi-con
    • OPT 425 – Radiation & Detectors
    • OPT 428 – Opt. Commun. Systm
    • OPT 441 – Geometrical Optics
    • OPT 442 – Instrumental Optics
    • OPT 443 – Opt Fabrication & Testing
    • OPT 444 – Lens Design
    • OPT 452 – Medical Imaging: Theory & Prac.
    • OPT 461 – Physical Optics
    • OPT 462 – Physical Optics II
    • OPT 465 – Laser Systems
    • OPT 476 – Biomedical Optics
    • OPT 492 – Opt Interf. Coating
    • OPT 551 – Intro to Quantum
    • OPT 552 – Quant. Opt. Of Electromag. Field
    • OPT 553 – Quant. Opt Atom-Field
    • OPT 563 – Statistical Optics
    • OPT 564 – Electr Imaging Sys.
    • OPT 568 – Waveguide Opto-elect. Devices
    • OPT 592 – Nano-Optics
  • ECE
    • ECE 401 – Advanced Computer Architecture
    • ECE 404 – High Performance Microprocessor-Based Systems
    • ECE 423 – Semiconductor Devices
    • ECE 425 – Superconductivity & Josephson Effect
    • ECE 431 – Microwaves & Wireless
    • ECE 432 – Acoustic Waves
    • ECE 435 – Intro to Optoelectronics
    • ECE 437 – Wireless Communications
    • ECE 440 – Introduction to Random Processes
    • ECE 441 – Detection & Estimation Theory
    • ECE 444 – Digital Communications
    • ECE 446 – Digital Signal Processing
    • ECE 447 – Digital Image Process
    • ECE 450 – Information Theory
    • ECE 452 – Medical Imaging - Theory & Implementation
    • ECE 461 – Digital Integrated Circuit Design
    • ECE 461 – Digital Integrated Circuit Design Lab
    • ECE 462 – VLSI Design Project
    • ECE 465 – Issues in VLSL/IC Design
    • ECE 466 – RF Integrated Circuits
    • ECE 585 – Phy of Adv Opto-Electronics
• BME 502 – Analytic Foundations in BME (4 credits)
• BME 589 – Writing Proposals in BME (2 credits)
• IND 501 – Research Ethics (1 credit)