Graduate Study in Biomedical Engineering

Master of Science

Requirements for Admission: (click here)

Thirty-six (36) units of academic credit are required for the M.S. degree. This requirement will be met, in part, by the Graduate Biomedical Engineering Core (described below) of 22 units. The remaining (14 units) academic credits will be achieved through elective courses chosen by the student.

Plan I: Thesis
A thesis option is available to students who prefer to conduct a focused research project. Students selecting this option must select a thesis advisor and complete an original research investigation including a written thesis, and obtain approval of the thesis by an thesis committee. A maximum of 8 M.S. research units (i.e. ECE 296) may be applied toward the 36 unit requirement.

Plan II: Comprehensive Examination Option
Alternatively, students may select a comprehensive exam option in which they must successfully complete 36 units of study and pass a comprehensive exam.

Doctor of Philosophy

Requirements for Admission: (click here)

The Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering requires the achievement of an original and significant body of research that advances the discipline, and which culminates in the oral and written presentation of a dissertation. Students may enter the Ph.D. program with a B.S. degree in engineering, biological science, or physical sciences from either UCI or another university. However, core skills in engineering mathematics must be demonstrated through previous graduate level coursework, or by taking a set of graduate courses at UCI that will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Graduate Committee. Each student will be matched with a faculty advisor (from the list of Core and Affiliated faculty) and an individual program of study will be designed by the student and a faculty advisory committee. No additional graduate-level courses are required beyond that of the M.S. degree. Four milestones are required for the Ph.D.:

1. successful completion of 36 units of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree, at least 28 of which must be at the 200 level including the 22 units of Core Course requirement;
2. successful completion of a preliminary exam at the Ph.D. competency level;
3. formal advancement to candidacy by successfully passing a qualifying exam; and,
4. completion of a significant body of original research and the submission of a written and an oral defense of an acceptable dissertation.

Advancement to candidacy must be completed between the 9th and 12th quarters of enrollment, usually the third academic year of the student. The qualifying exam is described in greater detail below. Special exceptions can be made, but a formal request with justification must be supplied in writing to the Director. The qualifying exam will consist of an oral and written presentation of original work completed thus far, and a coherent plan for completing a body of original research. The qualifying exam will be presented to the student's graduate advisory committee. The graduate advisory committee will be selected by the student and faculty advisor and must have a minimum of five faculty members (including the faculty advisor). Of these five (5) faculty members, three (3) must be core biomedical engineering faculty. In addition, one (1) faculty member must have his/her primary appointment outside the department of biomedical engineering and the fifth member must have his/her primary appointment outside of the School of Engineering. The qualifying exam will follow campus and Henry Samueli School of Engineering guidelines.

The Ph.D. will be awarded upon submission of a written and an oral defense of an acceptable dissertation. The degree will be granted upon the recommendation of the graduate advisory committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Completion of the Ph.D is expected in the fifth year following completion of the B.S. degree, although a maximum of seven years (28 academic quarters) is allowed.

M.D. / Ph.D.

A combined M.D./Ph.D. degree is offered in conjunction with the UCI College of Medicine. The program combines clinical training and research experience. Students who complete this program will be awarded both an M.D. degree from the College of Medicine and a Ph.D. degree from the school of engineering. More information is available on the UCI Medical Scientist Training Program web page. Applications should be made to the UCI Medical Scientist Training Program and applicants should state that their chosen graduate department is Biomedical Engineering.

Biomedical Engineering Core Courses

As part of the course requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, all students will be required to take a set of core courses which total 22 units. A successful biomedical engineer is able to describe and analyze biomedical and biological systems in a quantitative fashion. Thus, at a minimum, a biomedical engineer must demonstrate competence in quantitative analysis, biological and biomedical structure and function, and an awareness of the clinical environment. Hence, the core courses cover the basics of cell and tissue (BME210) and sensory motor physiology (BME220) and organ transport physiology (BME221) and engineering mathematics (BME230A & 230B), and an introduction to clinical medicine (BME240). The core courses and descriptions are as follows:

1. BME 210: Cell & Tissue Engineering (4 units).
   Cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal physiology and anatomy including basic structural and physiological features from a systems engineering perspective. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
2. BME 220: Quantitative Physiology: Sensory Motor Systems (4 units).
   Neural and musculoskeletal systems, including basic structural and physiological features, from a systems engineering perspective. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent of instructor.
3. BME 221: Quantitative Physiology: Organ Transport Systems (4 units).
   A quantitative and systems approach to understanding physiological systems. Systems covered include the cardiopulmonary, circulatory, and renal systems. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Same as CBEMS204. Concurrent with BME121, CBEMS104. Formerly Engineering 210A.
4. BME 230A: Applied Engineering Mathematics I (4 units)
   Analytical techniques applied to engineering problems in transport phenomena, process dynamics and control and thermodynamics.
5. BME 230B: Applied Engineering Mathematics II (4 units)
   Advanced engineering mathematics for biomedical engineering. Will focus on biomedical system identification. Includes fundamental techniques of model building and testing such as formulation, solution of governing equations (emphasis on basic numerical techniques), sensitivity theory, identifiability theory, and uncertainty analysis.
6. BME 240: Clinical Medicine (Intro to Clinical Medicine for Biomedical Engineering (2 units)
   An introduction to clinical medicine for graduate students in biomedical engineering. Divided between lectures focused on applications of advanced technology to clinical problems and a series of four rotations through the operating room, ICU, interventional radiology/imaging, and endoscopy.
7. BME 298: Seminars in Biomedical Engineering (1 unit)
   Presentation of advanced topics and reports of current research efforts in biomedical engineering. Designed for graduate students in the biomedical engineering program.

Elective Courses

The remaining course units (14 units) necessary to fulfill the course requirements for the M.S. and Ph.D. degree will be comprised of elective courses offered within the School of Engineering, School of Biological Science, School of Physical Science, or College of Medicine. A minimum of eight (8) of the elective units must be taken from the School of Engineering. The group of elective courses must be approved by the BME Graduate Committee (see Important People and Contacts) in the case of the M.S. degree, or the student's graduate advisory committee in the case of the Ph.D. The courses will be chosen to meet the specific needs of the student. The electives must provide breadth in biomedical engineering, but also provide specific skills necessary to the specific research the student may undertake as part of the degree requirements. Potential elective courses are listed on our website. Additional courses (including upper division undergraduate courses) not listed may be selected upon approval by the student's advisory committee. Below is a select list of courses that are of particular interest.

BME 200: Introduction to Biomedical Engineering (Kassab) 2 units, Spring
BME 223: Advanced Cardiovascular Biomechanics (Kassab) 3 units, Spring
BME 261: Biomedical Microdevices I (Brody) 3 units, Fall
BME 262: Microfluidics (Jeon) 3 units, Winter
BME 263: Microsystem Technologies for Biomolecular Assays (A. Lee) 3 units, Winter
BME 295: Rendering Techniques for Biomedical Imaging (Meyer) 4 units, Winter
BME 295: Advanced Digital Image Processing (Meyer) 4 units, Spring
BME 295: Biomechanics (Kassab) 3 units, Fall
BME 295: Advanced Imaging (Chen) 3 units, Spring
BME 295: Advanced Biotechniques (Brody) 3 units, Winter
BME 295: Engineering Optics for Biomedical Applications (Tromberg) 3 units, Spring
BME 295: Biophotonics (Venugopalan) 3 units, Fall

Special Courses

Besides the formal lecture oriented courses that comprise the core and elective requirements, there are a series of special courses for which you will enroll in at various times during your study (see description below). These special course titles are listed below.

BME 295: Special Topics in Engineering (4-12 units – F, W, S Qtrs).
Individual research or investigation conducted in preparation for the thesis required for the M.S. degree in Engineering. May be repeated for credit.

BME 297: Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Research (4-12 units – F, W, S Qtrs).
Individual research or investigation conducted in preparation for the dissertation required for the Ph.D. in Engineering. May be repeated for credit.

BME 298: Seminar in Biomedical Engineering (1 unit – F, W, S Qtr).
Presentation of advanced topics and reports of current research efforts in biomedical engineering. Required of all graduate students in the biomedical engineering program.

BME 299: Individual Research (1-12 units – F, W, S Qtr).
Individual research or investigation under the direction of an individual faculty member. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (The course number will vary depending on which instructor you enroll with).

Once You Are Admitted

Please read the Graduate Student handbook. This handbook provides helpful information to assist you in making a smooth transition as a new graduate student.