Graduate Course Catalog

BME Graduate Courses

42-620 Engineering Molecular Cell Biology | 12 Units | Fall
Cells are not only basic units of living organisms but also fascinating engineering systems that exhibit amazing functionality, adaptability, and complexity. Applying engineering perspectives and approaches to study molecular mechanisms of cellular processes plays a critical role in the development of contemporary biology. At the same time, understanding the principles that govern biological systems provides critical insights into the development of engineering systems, especially in the micro- and nano-technology. The goal of this course is to provide basic molecular cell biology for engineering students with little or no background in cell biology, with particular emphasis on the application of quantitative and system perspectives to basic cellular processes. Course topics include the fundamentals of molecular biology, the structural and functional organization of the cell, the cytoskeleton and cell motility, the mechanics of cell division, and cell-cell interactions. 
Pre-requisite: Differential Equations. knowledge of modern biology is suggested but not required.

42-622/06-622 Bioprocess Design | 9 units | Spring, intermittent
This course is designed to link concepts of cell culture, bioseparations, formulation and delivery together for the commercial production and use of biologically-based pharmaceuticals; products considered include proteins, nucleic acids, and fermentation-derived fine chemicals. Associated regulatory issues and biotech industry case studies are also included. The format of the course is a mixture of equal parts lecture, open discussion and participant presentation. Course work consists of team-oriented problem sets of an open ended nature and individual-oriented industry case studies. The goals of the course are to build an integrated, technical knowledge base of the manufacture of biologically based pharmaceuticals and the US biotechnology industry. Working knowledge of basic cell and modern biology, biochemistry, and differential equations/partial differential equations is assumed.
Pre-requisite: A fair knowledge of cell culture and fermentation operations is assumed. Useful but not required; Biochemistry.

42-624 Biological Transport | 9 units | Spring, intermittent
Analysis of transport phenomena in life processes on the molecular, cellular, organ and organism levels. Material covered: Fick's Laws; electrolyte diffusion; coupled diffusion and chemical reaction; membrane transport mechanisms; osmosis; Donnan equilibrium; receptor-mediated binding; ultrafiltration and nephron function; blood flow; pharmacokinetic modeling.
Pre-requisites: Differential Equations.

42-640/24-658 Computational Bio-Modeling and Visualization | 12 units | Spring
Biomedical modeling and visualization play an important role in mathematical modeling and computer simulation of real/artificial life for improved medical diagnosis and treatment. This course integrates mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, and mathematics together. Topics to be studied include medical imaging, image processing, geometric modeling, visualization, computational mechanics, and biomedical applications. The techniques introduced are applied to examples of multi-scale biomodeling and simulations at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ level scales.
Pre-requisite: None.

42-645/24-655 Cellular Biomechanics | 9 units | Spring, every other year
This course discusses how mechanical quantities and processes such as force, motion, and deformation influence cell behavior and function, with a focus on the connection between mechanics and biochemistry. Specific topics include: (1) the role of stresses in the cytoskeleton dynamics as related to cell growth, spreading, motility, and adhesion; (2) the generation of force and motion by moot molecules; (3) stretch-activated ion channels; (4) protein and DNA deformation; (5) mechanochemical coupling in signal transduction. If time permits, we will also cover protein trafficking and secretion and the effects of mechanical forces on gene expression. Emphasis is placed on the biomechanics issues at the cellular and molecular levels; their clinical and engineering implications are elucidated. 3 hours lecture.
Pre-requisite: None.

42-646 Molecular Biomechanics | 9 units | Spring, every other year
This class is designed to present concepts of molecular biology, cellular biology and biophysics at the molecular level together with applications. Emphasis will be placed both on the biology of the system and on the fundamental physics, chemistry and mechanics which describe the molecular level phenomena within context. In addition to studying the structure, mechanics and energetics of biological systems at the nano-scale, we will also study and conceptually design biomimetic molecules and structures. Fundamentals of DNA, globular and structured proteins, lipids and assemblies thereof will be covered.
Pre-requisite: Thermodynamics or instructor permission.

42-660 Surgery for Engineers | 9 units | Fall and Spring
This course explores the impact of engineering on surgery. Students will interact with clinical practitioners and investigate the technological challenges that face these practitioners. In addition to weekly seminars, all students must sign up for one of the three accompanying practicums: Clinical Neuroscience, Clinical Cardiovascular, or Clinical Orthopedic. Students will complete a final report on the practicum that will describe an important clinical problem that can be solved with a new technology or a significant optimization of an existing technology.
1. Clinical Neuroscience Practicum involves on-site experiences with a variety of neuroscience faculty: neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuro-interventionalists, neuro-radiologists, clinical neuro-physiologists, neuro-otologists and neuro-ophthalmologists. Direct contact will be at least 3 hours a week.
2. Clinical Cardiovascular Practicum involves on-site experiences with cardiology and cardiovascular surgery faculty: cardiac surgeons, thoracic surgeons, cardiologists, interventional cardiologists, cardiac perfusionists, and cardiac radiologists. Direct contact will be at least 3 hours a week.
3. Clinical Orthopedic Practicum This practicum involves on-site experiences with orthopedic faculty: shoulder surgeons, hip surgeons, knee surgeons, hand surgeons, sports medicine surgeons, and physiatrists. Direct contact will be at least 3 hours a week.
The final report of the practicums will involve the most interesting, innovative, important problem uncovered which in the view of the team can be solved with a technology or a significant optimization of a technology. The report form will be the NIH R21. Opportunities to collaborate with engineering students from an outside institution will be sought.
The Primary Instructor is Jim Burgess, MD, Department of Neruosurgery, Allegheny General Hospital. This course meets once a week for 3 hours in addition to the practicum held at the Allegheny General Hospital, transport provided.
Pre-requisite: Physiology.

42-702 Advanced Physiology | 12 units | Spring
This course is an introduction to human physiology and includes units on all major organ systems.  Particular emphasis is given to the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, excretory, and endocrine systems.  Modules on molecular physiology, tissue engineering, and physiological modeling are also included.  Due to the close relationship between structure and function in biological systems, each functional topic will be introduced through a brief exploration of anatomical structures.  Basic physical laws and principles will be explored as they relate to physiologic function.  
Pre-requisite: Graduate standing. Modern Biology or permission of instructor.

42-703 Special Topics: Wavelets and Multiresolution Techniques in Bioimaging | 12 units | Spring
The goal of this course is to expose students to multiresolution signal processing methods and their use in biomedical imaging applications as well as to guide students through the steps of a research process.  The course is roughly divided in two parts.  The first part introduces the necessary mathematical tools with a great emphasis on intuitive understanding of how they operate on real-life signals.  The second part is project-based, where, through a biomedical-imaging project, students will learn how to choose a research area, formulate a problem, research previous work, propose solutions, carry out experiments and interpret results. The focus is on training students to become a researcher.  To that end, students will write papers in a typical conference format, rehearse presentations with feedback both from the instructor and other students in the class. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Explain the importance and use of signal representations in building sophisticated signal processing tools such as wavelets;
2. Describe how Fourier theory fits in a bigger picture of signal representations;
3. Use basic multirate building blocks, such as a two-channel filter bank and characterize the discrete wavelet transform and its variations;
4. Construct a time-frequency decomposition to fit the signal provided;
5. Apply these concepts to solve a practical problem through an independent project.
2 hours  lecture, 2 hours recitation/lab.
Pre-requisite: Digital Signal Processing.

42-707 Special Topics: Readings in Bioimage Informatics | 9 units | Fall
Imaging experiments have become one of the main sources of data for researchers to test and validate hypothesis in biology, medicine, and related fields. Computational methods for automated interpretation and information extraction from biological images have augmented the impact of imaging experiments and are quickly becoming a valuable extension of imaging devices (microscopes, MR scanners, etc.). The course will consist of readings covering automated image analysis and interpretation methods centered around key modern biological problems. Representative topics include: location proteomics, multiresolution analysis, deformable models, and graphical models. Course work will consist of critical readings, presentations, as well as student reports on current representative papers in each topic. Course website: 42-707 Rohde
Pre-requisites: Prior exposure to image analysis and cell biology or permission of the instructor.

42-709 Special Topics: Biofluid Mechanics | 12 units | Fall
This course is designed to equip students with the fluid dynamics tools in order to design and perform research in physiological and biofluid mechanics. Computational and experimental techniques (CFD, flow visualization, PIV, LDV, POD, confocal microscopy) are studied with hands on contemporary research projects. Applied topics include bio inspired fluid dynamic systems, cardiovascular fluid dynamics, multi-phase microcirculation, aquatic locomotion and propulsion in cellular (planktons, bacteria) larger scale systems (avian, fish, squid, insects), flocks/school dynamics. Biological optimization, energetic and biomimetic approaches will be emphasized. Governing equations, flow control, vortex dynamics, compliant walls, unsteady, creeping, internal and external flow concepts will be reviewed.
Pre-requisites: Permission of the instructor.

42-711/27-711 Advanced Polymeric Biomaterials | 12 units | Spring
This course addresses basic and applied concepts of polymers as biomaterials. The students will be exposed to both fundamental synthetic mechanisms of polymers and their physical and chemical properties. Specific emphasis will be placed on biodegradation mechanisms, mechanical properties and surface chemistry of polymeric materials. Cellular interactions with various surfaces and immunological responses will be covered. Applications of biomaterials to be discussed include tissue engineering and artificial organs.
Pre-requisites: Graduate standing. Introduction to Modern Chemistry is useful but not required.

42-721 Biotechnology & Environmental Processes | 12 units | Fall, intermittent
This course presents the theory of microbiological processes relevant to environmental systems. Fundamental microbiology, kinetics of suspended-growth and fixed film systems, and processes in environmental biotechnology are the major topics. The microbiological theory presented is applicable to biological processes in engineered and natural systems. The major applications discussed in this course focus on pollution prevention and waste water treatment including: activated sludge, biofilm process, tertiary nutrient removal and menthanogenesis.
Pre-requisites: Modern Biology or Biochemistry or permission of instructor.

42-731/18-795 Bioimage Informatics | 12 units | Spring
The goals of this course are to provide students with the following: the ability to use mathematical techniques such as linear algebra. Fourier theory and sampling in more advanced signal processing settings; fundamentals of multiresolution and wavelet techniques; and in-depth coverage of some bioimaging applications such as compression and denoising. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain the importance and use of signal representations in building more sophisticated signal processing tools, such as wavelets; think in basic time-frequency terms; describe how Fourier theory fits in a bigger picture of signal representations; use basic multirate building blocks, such as a two-channel filter bank; characterize the discrete wavelet transform and its variations; construct a time-frequency decomposition to fit a given signal; explain how these tools are used in various applications; and apply these concepts to solve a practical bioimaging problem through an independent project.
Pre-requisite: Digital Image Processing, or permission of instructor.

42-735/16-725 Medical Image Analysis | 12 units | intermittent
The fundamentals of computational medical image analysis will be explored, leading to current research in applying geometry and statistics to segmentation, registration, visualization, and image understanding. Student will develop practical experience through projects using the National Library of Medicine Insight Toolkit (ITK), a new software library developed by a consortium of institutions including CMU. In addition to image analysis, the course will describe the major medical imaging modalities and include interactions with practicing radiologists at UPMC. See Class Web Site.
Pre-requisites: Knowledge of C++, vector calculus and basic probability.

42-744 Medical Devices | 12 units | Fall
This course is an introduction to the engineering, clinical, legal and regulatory aspects of medical device performance and failure. Topics covered include a broad survey of the thousands of successful medical devices in clinical use, as well as historical case studies of devices that were withdrawn from the market. In-depth study of specific medical devices will include: cardiovascular medicine (pacemakers, heart valves, vascular grafts, heart-assist pumps..), orthopedics (fixation devices, prostheses…), and general medicine (defibrillators, blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes…) We will study the principles of operation (with hands-on examples), design evolution, and modes of failure. Additional lectures will provide basic information concerning biomaterials used for implantable medical devices (metals, polymers, ceramics) and their biocompatibility, mechanisms of failure (wear, corrosion, fatigue, fretting, etc.). Guest lectures will be provided by practicing engineers from regional medical device companies to provide real-world perspective of the development process.
In addition to a mid-term and final exam covering topics presented in class, students will prepare a written report that critically investigates a particular medical device that has been recalled by the FDA, of the student’s choosing. The report will include the design history, engineering analysis, and recommendations for future improvements (re-design). [Students enrolled in 42-744 will also be required to produce a lo-fi prototype, which they will present in class at the end of the semester.]
The ultimate objectives of this course are to (1) provide students with a broad understanding of the medical device industry, (2) stimulate critical analysis of medical device design, and (3) convey practical knowledge and skills that are valuable for a future career in the medical device industry.
Pre-requisites: Graduate standing.

42-745/24-715 Microfluidics | 12 units | intermittent
This course offers an introduction to the emerging field of microfluidics with an emphasis on chemical and life sciences applications. During this course students will examine the fluid dynamical phenomena underlying key components of "lab on a chip" devices. Students will have the opportunity to learn practical aspects of microfluidic device operation through hands-on laboratory experience, computer simulations of microscale flows, and reviews of recent literature in the field. Throughout the course, students will consider ways of optimizing device performance based on knowledge of the fundamental fluid mechanics. Students will explore selected topics in more detail through a semester project. Major course topics include pressure-driven and electrokinetically-driven flows in microchannels, surface effects, micro-fabrication methods, micro/nanoparticles for biotechnology, biochemical reactions and assays, mixing and separation, two-phase flows, and integration and design of microfluidic chips. Students are assumed to have an undergraduate level of knowledge in fluid mechanics (comparable to 24-231). Compared to the undergraduate course, graduate students will conduct an additional project, more extensive homework and attend an extra hour of recitation. 3 hours lecture, 1 hour recitation.
Pre-requisites: Instructor permission.

42-747 Rehabilitation Engineering | 12 units | Fall
Rehabilitation Engineering involves the application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt and apply assistive technologies to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas, such as mobility, communications, hearing, vision, and cognition, and in activities associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration into the community. It differs from classical biomedical engineering by its focus on improving the quality of people's lives, rather than improving their medical treatment. This course will require participation in simulations of disabilities and projects to develop new technologies.
Pre-requisite: Graduate standing. Physiology is useful but not required.

42-752 Introduction to Biomechanics | 12 units | Spring
This course provides a general survey of the application of continuum mechanics (fluid and solid mechanics) to the study of the human cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Both analytic and experimental results are presented through readings from reports in recent journals and the relevance of these results to the solution of unsolved problems is highlighted. The mechanical properties and behavior of heart, blood vessel, bone, muscle, blood, and connective tissues are discussed. The development of appropriate constitutive models for particular problems is also considered.
Pre-requisites: Differential Equations, or permission of instructor.

42-760 Graduate Surgery for Engineer Seminar | 3 units | Fall and Spring
This seminar course explores the impact of engineering on surgery. Students will interact with clinical practitioners and investigate the technological challenges that face these practitioners.  A comprehensive version of this course, with surgical practicum, is listed as 42-660.
This course meets 3 hours weekly in the CMU campus for seminars and discussions, as part of the course 42-660 Surgery for Enginerrs. Students are encouraged to take the complete course with practicum 42-660, however those with a more peripheral interest may take this course as an option.
Primary Instructor: Jim Burgess, MD, Department of Neruosurgery, Allegheny General Hospital.
Pre-requisites: Graduate standing. Physiology.

BME Advanced Undergraduate/Graduate Special Topics Courses

42-509 Special Topics: Stem Cell Engineering | 9 units | Spring
This course will give an overview over milestones of stem cell research and will expose students to current topics at the frontier of this field. It will introduce students to the different types of stem cells as well as environmental factors and signals that are implicated in regulating stem cell fate. The course will highlight techniques for engineering of stem cells and their micro-environment. It will evaluate the use of stem cells for tissue engineering and therapies. Emphasis will be placed on discussions of current research areas and papers in this rapidly evolving field. Students will pick a class-related topic of interest, perform a thorough literature search, and present their findings as a written report as well as a paper review and a lecture. Lectures and discussions will be complemented by practical lab sessions, including: stem cell harvesting and culture, neural stem cell transfection, differentiation assays, and immunostaining, polymeric microcapsules as advanced culture systems, and stem cell integration in mouse brain tissue. The class is designed for graduate students and upper undergraduates with a strong interest in stem cell biology, and the desire to actively contribute to discussions in the class.
Pre-requisites: None.

42-511 Introduction to Biomaterials | 9 units | Spring, intermittent
This introductory course will address basic and applied concepts of both inorganic and organic/polymeric biomaterials. The students will be exposed to fundamental properties, characterization, applications, interactions with host tissues, and degradation.
Pre-requisite: None.

42-512 Special Topics: Basic Statistics for Biomedical Research | 9 units | Fall
This is a lecture/seminar course designed to cover medical experimental design, types of statistical error and the mechanics of commonly used statistical methods. Emphasis will be placed on use of appropriate statistical tools as opposed to the mathematical underpinnings of the statistical tests themselves. Students will be expected to solve statistical problems derived from clinical practice as well as the medical literature. Web-based resources as well as a statistical software package will be provided.
There is no textbook for the course. The biostatistics software package to be used for the course is Medcalc which is available as a free download for 25 uses (PC platform only) at www.medcalc.be. Students will also be directed to public-domain web sites which run Java applets capable of performing most of the problems presented in class.
The instructor is Matthew R Quigley, MD., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Drexel University and staff neurosurgeon at Allegheny General Hospital. Dr Quigley has taught the Graduate Medical Education Biostatistics course at Allegheny General Hospital for the last 5 years and obtained extensive hands-on experience with experimental design and data analysis as the Chair of the Institutional Review Board, the oversight committee for all human research performed at the hospital.

42-590 Neural Signal Processing | 12 units | Spring
The brain is among the most complex systems ever studied. Underlying the brain's ability to process sensory information and drive motor actions is a network of 10^11 neurons, each making 10^3 connections with other neurons.  Modern statistical and machine learning tools are needed to interpret the plethora of neural data being collected, both for (1) furthering our understanding of how the brain works, and (2) designing biomedical devices that interface with the brain.
This course will cover a range of statistical methods and their application to neural data analysis.  The statistical topics include latent variable models, dynamical systems, point processes, dimensionality reduction, Bayesian inference, and spectral analysis. The neuroscience applications include neural decoding, firing rate estimation, neural system characterization, sensorimotor control, spike sorting, and field potential analysis.
Pre-requisites: Introductory probability theory and random variables; introductory linear algebra.  No prior knowledge of neuroscience is needed.

Graduate Courses Offered by Other CMU Departments

Many courses that count toward BME degree requirements are offered by other Departments in the Carnegie Institute of Technology, the Mellon College of Science, the School of Computer Science, and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.  Some of the most useful courses are listed below. Descriptions of these courses may be found through Schedule Finder or the web site of the respective department.

02-730 Cell and Systems Modeling | 12 units

03-534 Biological Imaging and Fluorescence Spectroscopy | 9 units

03-712 Computational Methods for Biological Modeling and Simulation | 12 units

03-741 Advanced Cell Biology | 12 units

03-742 Molecular Biology | 12 units

03-751 Advanced Developmental Biology | 12 units

03-620 Techniques in Electron Microscopy | 9 units

03-738 Physical Biochemistry | 12 units

03-762 Advanced Cellular Neurocience | 12 units

03-815 Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Neuroscience | 12 units

03-871 Structural Biophysics | 12 units

06-607 Physical Chemistry of Colloids and Surfaces | 9 units

06-609 Physical Chemistry of Macromolecules | 9 units

06-610 Rheology and Structure of Complex Fluids | 9 units

09-707 Nanoparticles | 12 units

09-741 Organic Chemistry of Polymers | 12 units

09-801 Special Topics: Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry | 12 units

10-701 Machine Learning | 12 units

10-702 Statistical Machine Learning | 12 units

10-708 Probabilistic Graphical Models | 12 units

15-853 Algorithms in the Real World | 12 units

16-720 Computer Vision | 12 units

16-722 Sensing and Sensors | 12 units

18-751 Applied Stochastic Process | 12 units

18-752 Estimation, Detection and Identification | 12 units

18-792 Advanced Digital Signal Processing | 12 units

18-793 Optical Image and Radar Processing | 12 units

18-794 Pattern Recognition Theory | 12 units

18-798 Image, Video, and Multimedia | 12 units

18-799A Special Topics in Signal Processing: Bioimage Registration | 12 units

21-690 Methods of Optimization | 12 units

24-614 Microelectromechanical Systems | 12 units

24-700 Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering : Computational Bio-modeling and Visualization | 12 units

24-703 Numberical Methods in Mechanical Engineering | 12 units

24-735 Heat Transfer in Biology and Medicine | 12 units

24-757 Nano / Micro Manufacturing | 12 units

24-778 Mechatronic Design | 12 units

24-779A Special Topics in Controls and Robotics : Bio-Inspired Robotics | 12 units

24-787 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Design | 12 units

27-715 Applied Magnetism and Magnetic Materials | 12 units

27-718 Soft Materials | 12 units

27-764 Special Topics: Nanostructured Materials | 12 units

33-767 Biophysics: From Basic Concepts to Current Research | 12 units

36-712 Statistical Approaches to Learning and Discovery | 12 units

36-746 Statistical Methods for Neuroscience | 12 units

36-747 Statistics for Lab Science | 12 units

39-800 Preparation for a Faculty Career | 0 units

45-886 Biotechnology Industry, Structure and Strategy | 6 units | Tepper application

Courses at the University of Pittsburgh

Carnegie Mellon graduate students are permitted to register for one course per semester at the University of Pittsburgh (see Enrollment page), where offerings in the Department of Bioengineering and the School of Medicine may be of particular interest.  Students who plan to register for a course at the University of Pittsburgh must apply through the CMU Hub, which will process the application form in advance.  This must be done during the week of CMU Registration although the semester at University of Pittsburgh usually begins earlier. All the paper work goes through Carnegie Mellon.

BIOENG 1633 Biomechanics IV: Tissues and Organs | 9 units | Fall
Taught by a BME adjunct professor, this course at the 42-4xx level is an integral part of a joint CMU-Pitt T32 Ph.D. training program. Modern biomechanics is an increasingly diverse field that encompasses the mechanics of the whole human body and all the way to the cellular and molecular levels.  This comprehensive course covers the application of biosolid mechanics to describe the mechanical behavior of soft and hard biological tissues, both native and engineered.  The course will include a review of fundamental concepts and techniques of mechanics (e.g. stress, strain, constitutive relations), and of the structure and composition of tissues and cells.  The course will then focus on the mechanical properties of specific tissues, e.g. bone, tendon, heart, vascular.

BME Special Requirements, Graduate Research, and Master Practicum

42-701 Biomedical Engineering Seminar | 0 units | Fall/Spring
The Biomedical Engineering Seminar is required each semester for all students in residence. It provides opportunities to learn about research in various and related fields being conducted at other universities and in industry. All graduate students must register for this course during each semester of full-time study. Attendance is mandatory.

42-790 Practicum in Biomedical Engineering | 9 units | Fall or Spring
Students will work with a faculty member, local biomedically-oriented company or local clinical researcher on a technical research, development or outreach project.  A faculty member affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering will either serve as the advisor for an internal project or as a liaison for an external industrial/clinical project.  The project will culminate in an oral presentation and an internally-archived written report which documents the project and its results.  The presentation and report will be reviewed by the faculty advisor/liaison; this review will serve as the basis for the assignment of the course grade.
Pre-requisite: Graduate standing and consent of faculty advisor/liaison.

42-791 Professional Advancement in Biomedical Engineering | 3 units | Spring
This course helps students develop foundational knowledge and prepare for professional advancement in biomedical engineering practice. Foundational knowledge discussed includes tools and techniques for literature- and patent searching, critical review of the literature, data and signal analysis, bio/medical informatics and machine learning. Professional advancement issues addressed include developing awareness of trends and professional opportunities in industrial and clinical biomedical engineering, public speaking, resume preparation and interviewing skills, and governmental regulation.
Pre-requisite: Graduate standing.

42-798 Current Readings in Biomedical Engineering | 1 or 2 units | Fall or Spring, intermittent
This course takes the "Journal Club" format involving at least three interacting research groups. Students are required to participate regularly and actively in discussing current literatures and make at least one presentation. The number of units is determined by the weekly or biweekly frequency. Students may receive at most 2 units over the entire period of training in each of the following broad areas - fundamental principles of biomedical engineering, technologies for biomedical research, technologies at the interface of biological and artificial materials, and clinical applications of biomedical engineering.
Pre-requisite: Students must obtain consent of the instructor before registering. Limited to graduate students and advanced undergraduate students.

42-799 Directed Study | 1-48 units | Fall and Spring
Students work with a faculty member affiliated with the Program at the University. Emphasizing resourcefulness and initiative, the students with their advisors evolve a project with both research and development aspects.
Pre-requisite: Consent of advisor.

42-890 M.S. Thesis Research | 9-48 units | Fall and Spring
Research culminating in a M.S. thesis.

42-899 M.S. Thesis Defense | 0 units

42-990 Ph.D. Thesis Research | Variable Units | Fall and Spring
Research culminating in a Ph.D. thesis.

42-996 Teaching Assistantship | 2 Units | Fall and Spring
The 2-unit course is the vehicle for these teaching assignments. All students must register for this course only during semesters they are a Teaching Assistant (TA). The units received for this course are not counted toward M.S. or Ph.D. degree requirements. Assignments are made by the department office and announced at the beginning of each semester. The duties generally consist of grading problem sets and holding office hours. An instructor may ask a TA to fill for a lecture in a lecture if the instructor is unavoidably away from campus during the class period. This might occur for no more than a couple lectures for a given class. This course is a requirement for graduation and must be taken by all students; it is in no way linked to a student's source of financial support. Additional compensation is provided for any TA who volunteers to assist beyond the required three semesters.

42-997 Ph.D. Qualifying Examination | 12-48 units | Fall and Spring
A qualifying examination is given to determine the student's general knowledge of the fields of engineering appropriate to the individual's program, and to assess the student’s ability to use this knowledge in the solution of problems and in the execution of original research. The examination comprises written and/or oral parts. The student will be considered to have passed the qualifying examination when he or she has successfully completed all of the required parts. A candidate must take the qualifying examination at the time specified by the department, generally within the first three semesters of study. Upon satisfactorily passing the examination, the student will be accepted as a candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. If the student has not already received a Master's Degree, upon application and provided that all other requirements have been met, he or she may be granted the degree of Master of Science at the next commencement.
Passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination admits a student to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree for a period of no longer than six calendar years. If, at the end of this six-year period, the Ph.D. has not been awarded, the student must reapply for admission to the graduate program and will be judged competitively with other students applying at the same time. If the student is re-admitted, he or she may, at the discretion of the department, be requested to pass the qualifying examination again before the Ph.D. is awarded. A student may petition for extension of the six-year limit under extenuating circumstances such as a forced change of advisor, military service, or prolonged illness. Note that the time limits on the duration of Ph.D. candidacy outlined here are more restrictive than those of the general university policy.

42-998 Ph.D. Proposal Examination | 0 units
Ph.D. students should register for Ph.D. Research Proposal during the semester scheduled for the proposal examination, which includes a written proposal for thesis research and an oral examination. The grade is pass/fail depending on the outcome of the proposal examination.

42-999 Ph.D. Thesis Defense | 0 units
Biomedical Engineering thesis defense examination.

ABD Status (All But the Dissertation)

After completion of all formal degree requirements other than the completion of an approval of the doctoral dissertation, and the public final examination, doctoral candidates shall be regarded as ABD (all but dissertation).

ABD Students in absentia (Registrar code: ABS), as opposed to ABD Students with student status, is a special status that, upon departmental certification thereof, may be regarded as being in absentia and not required to pay tuition.  The In Abstentia staus applies when and, so long as, the following three conditions concur: 1) The candidate has been enrolled as a full-time doctoral candidate at Carnegie Mellon University for at least one academic year. Part-time graduate enrollment may, at the Department’s discretion, be counted pro rata towards this total. 2) The candidate does not receive a stipend predicated on his or her status as a graduate student or doctoral candidate and paid by or administered by the University (whether teaching or research assistantship, scholarship, or fellowship). 3) The student does not require substantial use of university resources. Note that Departmental certification of this condition shall be subject to guidelines established by the School or College. Typically, substantial use shall include office space other than desk space, if available; all but minimal use of laboratory space or university-furnished laboratory equipment and expendables; and all use of computer resources that is not specifically exempted for thesis text preparation. In absentia candidates shall be permitted use of the libraries or consultation with faculty or students (in particular, with a thesis advisor or members of the advising committee.)

(Updated 10/04/09)