Master’s Programs

The Master’s programs in BME, 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 BME 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.

Master in Biomedical Engineering (Course-Based Master’s Degree)

Building upon the success in education and placement of the BME undergraduate double major program, this course-based MBME program is particularly appealing to students of traditional engineering or basic sciences who wish to develop a career in biomedical engineering.  Students interested in entering medical or graduate schools may also find the program useful for building up the knowledge and credential.  This program combines coursework and practical training over a period of 9-12 months of full-time residence. 

The student must complete 96 units of courses (roughly equivalent to 32 credit points elsewhere), 84 of which must be formal coursework and 12 units practical training.  The coursework consists of at least eight courses, at most 21 units of which may be advanced undergraduate courses (300 or 400 level) while the rest must be at graduate level (500 or higher), and at least four courses must be 12-unit.  In addition, four of the courses must be 9 or more units each to cover four out of five core areas - molecular/cellular biology, physiology, bioimaging/bioinformatics, biomaterials, and biomechanics.  These courses are selected in consultation with a faculty course advisor, and allow a large degree of flexibility according to person interests and career goals.  These courses are selected in consultation with a faculty course advisor, and allow a large degree of flexibility according to person interests and career goals.  The student must also take 42-701 Biomedical Engineering Seminar during each semester of residence.  Detailed requirements are described in the Graduate Student Handbook.  

MBME Sample Schedule (PDF)

Dual Master Degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Engineering & Technology Innovation Management (E&TIM)

The E&TIM Masters program trains future engineering leaders by providing frameworks to lead, foster and manage technical innovation. The course-based MBME program may be combined with the E&TIM program to form a 2-year dual master program that encompasses two highly interdisciplinary and innovative fields in a complementary fashion.

To ensure seamless integration of the two programs, the dual degree program starts with training in BME for one (Fall) semester, followed by the E&TIM program for one calendar year (two semesters plus a summer intern).  The student then returns to BME to finish the MBME curriculum.  Elective courses on technology may be counted toward both degrees.  E&TIM internship in a biomedical engineering environment may be counted as Practicum in BME.

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Thesis-Based Master’s Degree)

Thesis-based option (M.S.) facilitates a career that requires a combination of advanced knowledge and basic research skills, e.g. member of R&D teams in academic or industrial institutions. In addition, the typical 18-24 month time frame is highly compatible with the application cycle of a M.D., D.M.D., or a wide range of biomedical Ph.D. programs.

The M.S. program requires both coursework and an independent research project leading to a thesis of a limited scope.  The latter may be in a wide range of potential areas as represented by the faculty (see Research Portfolio).  The student must complete at least 96 units of courses (roughly equivalent to 32 credit points elsewhere), which include at least 72 units of formal coursework and at least 24 units of thesis research.  The coursework consists of at least seven courses, at most 21 units of which may be advanced undergraduate courses (300 or 400 level) while the rest must be at graduate level (500 or higher), and at least three courses must be 12-unit.  In addition, three of the courses must be 9 or more units each to cover four out of five core areas - molecular/cellular biology, physiology, bioimaging/bioinformatics, biomaterials, and biomechanics.  These courses are selected in consultation with a faculty course advisor, and allow a large degree of flexibility according to person interests and career goals.  The student must also take 42-701 Biomedical Engineering Seminar during each semester of residence.  

Typically the first month is dedicated to taking courses and meeting potential research advisors.  Research work starts no later than the beginning of the second month, when the research supervisor replaces the original advisor to guide the student through the program.  The second year is typically focused on research.  The training culminated in the preparation and defense of a M.S. thesis describing original research and scholarly analysis by the student.  There is a minimal residency requirement of one year.  Detailed requirements are described in the Graduate Student Handbook.

No financial aid from Carnegie Mellon is available to M.S. students for tuition or stipend during the first year and for tuition during the second year.  Exceptional students may be considered for stipend support during the second year if funding is availabile.  Students wishing to enter BME's Ph.D. program with financial aid must reapply and compete with the general pool of advanced-entry Ph.D. applicants.

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