Biomedical Engineering, MS

Program Coordinator: Sunghan Kim (238 Slay Hall; 252-737-1750; kims@ecu.edu)

The goal of the Biomedical Engineering, MS program is to provide a foundation in biomedical engineering expertise and a trained workforce of leaders to support economic development, industry, and academia. ECU offers academic programs in engineering, medicine, dentistry, nursing, allied health, and business on one campus. Students will be engaged in multidisciplinary research focused on device and equipment design, and the application of innovative, advanced technologies to solve complex problems in the life sciences, medicine, and health care industry.

I. Degree Requirements

The courses in this program are designed to provide students with a solid foundation in research methods, life science, advanced mathematics, and biostatistics, and facilitate the preparation of a thesis proposal.

In addition to the course work each student must complete a research-based thesis, a comprehensive defense of thesis proposal, a seminar based on thesis research, and a thesis defense.

All students are required to take at least 14 s.h. of BIME courses. Courses must be chosen in consultation with the student’s research advisor.

The degree requires a minimum of 32 s.h. as follows:

A. Core - 8 s.h.

BIME 6000 - Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Research
BIME 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h. are required)

B. Required courses - a minimum of 24 s.h

1. Biomedical engineering courses (12 s.h.)

Select four of the following approved courses:

2. Life science course (3-5 s.h.)

Select one of the following approved courses:

3. Biostatistics course (3 s.h.)

Select one of the following approved courses:

4. Advanced mathematics course (3 s.h.)

Select one of the following approved courses:

5. Technical elective (3 s.h.)

Students are encouraged to select courses that combine to form a coherent program of study. Courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s research advisor.

Select one of the following approved technical electives:

II. Admission Requirements

Application for admission to the graduate program in biomedical engineering must meet the general requirements of admission set forth by the Graduate School. Advanced, highly motivated undergraduate students may apply to the Engineering, BS/Biomedical Engineering, MS accelerated program.

Applicants for study in biomedical engineering are expected to have a bachelor’s degree in engineering with a minimum 3.0/4.0 grade point average in the last two years of undergraduate study.

The following preparatory courses are recommended: biology (one semester); chemistry (one semester); engineering (at least one course in basic electrical engineering); engineering (an introductory course in three of the following five areas: biomaterials or materials science, instrumentation, mechanics or fluid mechanics, systems physiology, transport or heat and/or mass transfer); engineering research or design experience; mathematics (calculus through differential equations, probability and statistics); and physics (two semesters).

Applicants may be granted conditional admission if they do not qualify for regular admission. Students entering from disciplines other than engineering may find it necessary to take preparatory undergraduate and/or graduate level courses that serve as prerequisites. Preparatory courses that are for undergraduate credit only may not be applied toward credit hours required for a graduate degree.

III. Comprehensive Assessment Requirement

All ECU graduate programs require students to successfully complete a comprehensive assessment. The assessment for this program is the successful completion of a research-based thesis and thesis defense.