Ph.D. & M.D./Ph.D.
The Ph.D. Degree
Through advanced coursework and intense research, the Ph.D. program prepares students for careers in academia or industry. Our program provides a customized, flexible educational experience tailored to meet your needs in your chosen sub-discipline within BME. Ideal candidates for a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering are individuals interested in specialized research. We provide opportunities for students to publish with their faculty adviser, to present research at professional conferences, and to explore their field in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary working environment. Graduates are prepared to pursue careers in academia, industry, or government. Professional interests most often are realized through research and technology development careers.
Your Advising Team includes your research adviser, another primary BME faculty member who serves as your departmental adviser, the Director of Graduate Studies, a five-member dissertation committee, and the chair of the department, will mentor you. This team helps guide your career progression from early coursework and experiences that develop breadth to the later years of research and leadership.
Our goal is to create an educational experience that takes into account your previous coursework and personal objectives. We have few prerequisites. From day-1, you will work with your mentors and your research group to select classes that will best prepare you for your career. Because our field is diverse and because we recruit only high quality students, we do not have a qualifying examination.
In our program, you will progress over time from introductory graduate classes to more specialized coursework. As you learn more, your focus will gradually shift from coursework to learning important leadership and research skills as you complete your thesis research. We encourage you to review the placement for our graduates.
The M.D. - Ph.D. Degree
The Medical Scientist Training Program is designed for students who are pursuing a career in the medical sciences, academic medicine, and research. Students admitted into the M.D.-Ph.D. program may complete their Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering making ample use of their experiences in the medical basic sciences in their research. You can obtain additional information at the Medical Student Training Program website.
Curricular Requirements
For PhD degree:
- Two semesters BME Seminar
- Life Science Course (3 units)
- Advanced Mathematic Course (3 units)
- Responsible conduct in research (12 contact hours)
- Total coursework, including transfer credit, is determined by you and your committee. The minimum requirement of coursework is 36 units. The math and life sciences courses and up to one BME 399 class may be used toward this requirement. Seminars do not count toward this requirement.
- Two semesters of teaching assistant experience
- Preliminary examination (Download Guidelines) (Download Rubric for Pre-Prelim Meeting or Proposal Presentation Exam)
- Dissertation examination Deadlines can be found here. (Download Rubric for Dissertation and Defense)