Overview

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program, based on a curriculum that balances breadth and depth, is designed to train students for faculty and leadership biomedical engineering positions at universities, in hospitals, and in industry.  Students pursue coursework and research in a wide range of potential areas as represented by the faculty (see Research Portfolio).  Most graduate students join a research group and start thesis research soon after the beginning of the first semester of residence.  The requirements are flexible, allowing the student to develop a program that is best suited to his/her background and career goals.  In addition, a practicum provides training opportunities at local medical centers for translational research and clinical exposure.  The no-nonsense timeline allows completion of Ph.D. training in about 4.5 years based on Bachelor's level preparation, and possibly as short as 3 years for students with an M.S. degree.  The Department of Biomedical Engineering has a graduate student monitoring system that evaluates the progress each semester and ensures that students finish in a timely manner.  Unless the student receives a fellowship elsewhere, all Ph.D. students are supported with full financial aid that covers tuition and stipend. [More on Ph.D...]

M.D. - Ph.D. Program

The Department of Biomedical Engineering participates in a combined M.D.-Ph.D. Program with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine to give selected medical students the opportunity to receive both the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of Pittsburgh and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Biomedical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.  Directed jointly by faculty at the two institutions, this NIH-supported Medical Scientist Training Program allows physician students to develop intellectual creativity, professional competence, and a range of technical skills.  The aim is to allow physician-engineers to blend research and clinical perspectives as they contribute to advances in curing human diseases. [More on M.D.-Ph.D...]

Master's Programs

The Master’s programs in Biomedical Engineering, built upon the deep interdisciplinary, collaborative culture of Carnegie Mellon, create an ideal environment for career transitions - between colleges and medical/graduate schools, and between traditional and biomedical engineering careers.  In addition, some biomedical engineering/bioengineering majors may benefit from an extra one- to two-year training in a Master's program before entering the job market.  The large degree of flexibility allows the curriculum to be tailored according to the student's personal goal, whether it is aimed at a R&D position in biotechnology or a professional career in healthcare.  In addition, a practicum provides training opportunities at local medical centers for translational research and clinical exposure.  Students may choose between the traditional 16-21-month, research-option M.S. program, and the 9-16-month, practicum-option M.S. program.  The latter may further be combined with other professional master's programs at Carnegie Mellon to form a 21-month dual master's program in a coordinated fashion. [More on M.S....]

(Updated 03/03/2012)

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Campus Office for Student Affairs and Graduate Admissions
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
Doherty Hall 2100
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Ph: (412) 268-3955
Fax: (412) 268-1173

Administrative Office
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University
PTC 4105
700 Technology Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Ph: (412) 268-6222
Fax: (412) 268-9807