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DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (MSBME) program requires:

  • A minimum of 30 earned semester credits (10 courses and one zero-credit seminar course) of graduate work. Course requirements are divided into four categories: a math requirement, two fundamental courses, area courses and breadth courses.
  • Students may elect to choose the thesis or non-thesis option. Before applying for the thesis option, students must complete ECE 9030 in preparation.
  • Full-time undergraduate students in the ECE, ME and CBE departments with a minimum GPA of 3.00 have the option of applying for admission into the five-year combined BS/MS program with a BS degree in their department and an MS degree in Biomedical Engineering.
  • Graduate students electing the non-thesis option may substitute three credits of independent study for an approved elective course.

Table 1 provides details on the course and credit distribution for the two options. Course requirements are broadly divided into four categories: a math requirement, two fundamentals' courses, area courses, and breadth courses. Course options in these areas are fleshed out in greater detail in table two.

Thesis Option

Non-thesis option with    independent study

Non-thesis option without independent study

3 area courses

3 area courses

3 area courses

1 math course

1 math course

1 math course

2 fundamentals courses

2 fundamentals courses

2 fundamentals courses

2 breadth courses

3 breadth courses

4 breadth courses

2 research courses (thesis)

1 research/independent study course

1 seminar course (no credit)

1 seminar course (no credit)

1 seminar course (no credit)

 

Total: 10 courses + seminar

Total: 10 courses + seminar

Total: 10 courses + seminar

Area courses: Based on the discipline/research area of interest.

Math course: Discipline-specific basic engineering math course.

Fundamentals courses: To cover fundamental topics and concepts in BME.

Breadth courses: To complement core area courses within and across concentrations and colleges.

Research courses: Independent study (IS) and/or Thesis research (for thesis option).

Seminar course (zero-credit): Inter-departmental seminars from VU faculty and graduate students, other guest speakers and experts covering current research topics in the BME field.


Table 2: Course options in each required Course type, BME Concentration:

Requirement

Concentration

Course Number – title

Area Courses (1)

 

Cell & Tissue Engineering

CHE 8586 - Biomaterials & Drug Delivery
CHE 8591 - Gene & Cell Therapy
CHE 8663 - Systems Biology
CHE 8592 - Protein Engineering
ME 7700 - Tran Phen in Bio Systems

Area Courses (2)

Biomechanics & Biomaterials

ME 7550 - Biomechanics of Hard Tissues
ME 7560 - Biomechanics of Soft Tissues
ME 7700 - Tran Phen in Bio Systems
ME 7270 - Polymer Engineering
ME 8103 - Advanced Fluid Mechanics
CHE 8586 - Biomaterials & Drug Delivery

Area Courses (3)

Biomedical Signals, Sensors & Imaging

ECE 7251 - Analysis of Biomedical Signals
ECE 8525 - Sensors
ECE 8487 - Advanced Machine Learning
ECE 8XXX -  3D Cell Cultures (Spring 24)
ECE 7XXX - Medical Imaging (Fall 25)
ECE 9000 - Wearable Biosensing (Fall 24)

Math Course (1)

All Concentrations

ME 7000 - Advanced Engineering Analysis
ECE 8001 - Engineering Math I

Fundamentals Courses (2)

All Concentrations

EGR 7XXX - Medical Sciences for Eng. (new-S24)
EGR 7XXX - Foundations of Biomed. Eng. (new F24)
Breadth Courses
(min:2, max:4)
2:Thesis option
3: Non-thesis w IS
4: Non-thesis w/o IS

 All Concentrations

All other Concentration/Dept. Area Courses
EGR 8301 - Control Systems Engineering
EGR 7014 - Innovation & Opportunity
EGR 8311 - Machine Learning for Engineers
ME 7040 - Finite Element Analysis
ME 7030 - Numerical Methods
ECE 8473 - UNIX and C Programming
CSC 8515 - Machine Learning
PHI 8420 - Healthcare Ethics
BIO 7960 - Adv Topics: C/M/D Biology
NUR 9014 - Adv Anat Phys IB
ME 7240 - Constructal Theory & Des.
BIO 7805 - Biostatistics & Exper. Design
STAT 7404 - Statistical Methods
NUR 9505 - Statistical Analysis I
PSY 8100 - Stat & Experimental Design
Research Courses
(min: 0, max: 2)
0: Non-thesis w/o IS
1: Non-thesis w IS
2: Thesis option

 All Concentrations & Depts

Independent study (IS) and/or Thesis research
(for thesis option)

Seminar Course (1)
(zero-credit)

All Concentrations & Depts

4-6 invited speakers a semester for both fall and spring, current research topics in BME

Explore MSBME concentrations:

The MSBME offers three concentration areas, as well as an option for a custom degree plan:

  • Biomechanics and Biomaterials
  • Cell and Tissue Engineering
  • Biomedical Signals, Sensors and Imaging