Biomedical Engineering is a broad, interdisciplinary field that applies the art of engineering to problems in biology, medicine, and biotechnology. These problems include the design and analysis of physiologic measuring and diagnostic systems as well as quantitative analysis and experimentation directed toward obtaining a clearer understanding of the human body’s normal and abnormal functions. The undergraduate curriculum provides students with rigorous training in engineering, mathematics, and the basic sciences. It incorporates a strong interdisciplinary component that combines the quantitative aspects of engineering analysis and design with the full spectra of biology and physiology, from the molecular and cellular levels to entire systems and organisms. All premedical requirements can be satisfied in this program of study. Our graduates are well prepared for engineering positions in the medical and biotechnology industries, as well as for advanced study in engineering, science, medicine, business, law, or other health-related disciplines.

The mission of the Biomedical Engineering Department is to pursue excellence in biomedical engineering education, research, and innovation; creating and imparting knowledge for improving society, human health, and health care.

To achieve our educational mission, we cultivate our students’ problem-solving and communication skills, nurture their creativity, promote their ability to think critically and independently, and help them to understand scientific and engineering approaches.

Graduates of our undergraduate program are expected:

• to become successful practitioners of biomedical engineering or other professions (e.g., medicine, law, management), drawing upon and guided by their knowledge of biomedical engineering;
• to continue improving and expanding their technical and professional skills through formal or informal means (e.g., continuing education and training, attending conferences, learning new tools and methods); and
• to contribute to community and professional groups using the unique competencies provided by their biomedical engineering educational experiences.

Quantitative engineering methodology is having an increasing impact on our society. Biomedical engineering is a rapidly changing, interdisciplinary profession that applies engineering principles and technology to medical and biological problems. The undergraduate curriculum provides integrated training in science, engineering, and mathematics as preparation for a variety of careers in the broad range of areas in engineering, science, health care, and business. The program focuses on providing students with the skills necessary to solve problems that impact a wide range of economic, environmental, ethical, legal, and social issues.

The undergraduate program begins with a broad foundation in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology. Foundational work is followed by more advanced engineering coursework and laboratory experiences. During the freshman and sophomore years, students complete preparatory courses in mathematics (calculus, differential equations, and probability), physics, chemistry, and biology. This preparatory work is complemented by parallel training in engineering computing and introductory courses in electric circuit theory and engineering mechanics. In the junior year, the foundation is used to study electronics, physiology, signals, systems, controls, biomechanics, thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics. The junior year also incorporates two design-oriented laboratory experiences. The senior year includes a two-semester capstone senior project. Advanced electives allow opportunities for specialization in instrumentation, sensory and neural systems, mechanics, signal processing, and biomolecular engineering.

In a rapidly changing technological landscape, one of the most important aspects of engineering is the creation of new approaches and solutions. To this end, the Biomedical Engineering Program trains students who are equally comfortable with design and analysis. Design experiences begin in the introductory electric circuit theory and engineering mechanics courses and continue through the restricted electives in the junior and senior years, culminating in the two-semester senior project. The specific goals, methods, results, and conclusions for each project are designed by each student, in conjunction with his or her faculty supervisor. Student progress is documented in a series of written and oral reports. The concluding department-wide senior project conference, which draws representatives from more than sixty biomedical companies and local hospitals, provides a professional-style forum for every student to present his or her project orally.

A total of 136 credits is required for graduation.

Required Courses

Freshman

First Semester (16 credits)

• CAS CH 101 General Chemistry 4 cr
• CAS MA 123 Calculus I 4 cr
• CAS WR 100 Writing Seminar 4 cr
• ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar
• ENG EK 127 Engineering Computation 4 cr

Second Semester (16 credits)

• CAS CH 102 General Chemistry 4 cr
• CAS MA 124 Calculus II 4 cr
• CAS PY 211 Physics I 4 cr
• ENG EK 130/ 131/132 Introduction to Engineering 4 cr

Sophomore

First Semester (18 credits)

• Linear algebra elective 2 cr
• CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus 4 cr
• CAS PY 212 Physics II 4 cr
• ENG BE 200 Introduction to Probability 2 cr
• ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I 4 cr
• Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr

Second Semester (18 credits)

• ENG BE 209 Cellular and Molecular Biology 4 cr
• CAS MA 226 Differential Equations 4 cr
• ENG EK 307 Electric Circuit Theory 4 cr
• CAS MA 142 Linear Algebra  2 cr or
• ENG EK 102 Introduction to Linear Algebra 2 cr
• Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr

Junior

First Semester (18 credits)

• CAS BI 315 Systems Physiology 4 cr
• CAS WR 150 Writing and Research Seminar 4 cr
• ENG BE 401 Signals and Systems in Biomedical Engineering 4 cr
• ENG BE 491 Engineering Physiology Laboratory I 2 cr
• ENG EK 424 Thermodynamic and Statistical Mechanics (or EC 410) 4 cr

Second Semester (18 credits)

• ENG BE 402 Control Systems in Biomedical Engineering 4 cr
• ENG EC 410 Introduction to Electronics (or EK 424) 4 cr
• ENG BE 492 Engineering Physiology Laboratory II 2 cr
• Biomechanics elective (either BE 420 or BE 436) 4 cr
• Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr

Senior

First Semester (16 credits)

• ENG BE 465 Senior Project 2 cr
• ENG BE 467 Senior Project 2 cr
• Engineering elective 4 cr
• Professional elective 4 cr
• Social science/humanities requirement 4 cr

Second Semester (16 credits)

• ENG BE 466 Senior Project 4 cr
• Biomedical elective 4 cr
• Biomedical elective 4 cr
• Professional elective 4 cr

Related Courses

Biomedical Electives

Every student must take two 4-credit biomedical engineering (BE) courses. Specific courses to fulfill this requirement can be found on the program planning sheets.

Professional Electives

Professional electives are intended to provide additional technical and professional depth in areas of special interest to individual students. Most BE courses at the 500 level are acceptable for fulfilling this requirement. Specific courses to fulfill this requirement can be found on the student’s program planning sheet. Please note that a course cannot be used to fulfill both a professional and biomedical elective. CAS CH 203 and CAS CH 204 may be used as professional electives.

Engineering Elective

Every student must take one 4-credit engineering elective. Specific courses to fulfill this requirement can be found on the program planning sheets.

Design Elective

Every student must take at least four credits of design as part of his/her elective choices (biomedical, engineering, or professional elective). These credits can be comprised of one four-credit or two two-credit courses from the Design Elective list on the Biomedical program planning sheets.

Linear Algebra Elective

Every student must take one two-credit course in linear algebra. Students may take either ENG EK 102 Introduction to Linear Algebra or CAS MA 142 Introduction to Linear Algebra.

Biomechanics Elective

Students must take one four-credit course in biomechanics. They may take ENG BE 420 Introduction to Solid Biomechanics or ENG BE 436 Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics.

Premedical Requirements

Medical schools require applicants to take certain courses in college. The required writing sequence CAS WR 100 and CAS WR 150 satisfies the requirement for one year of English. Students who place into CAS WR 150 as a result of their performance on the BUWA will need to take an additional English course, either writing or literature. Students choosing to satisfy the premedical requirement with an English literature course may also use that course to fulfill one course requirement in the humanities.

Two courses in organic chemistry are required, CAS CH 203 and CAS CH 204. These courses should be taken in lieu of social science and humanities courses during the sophomore year; the social science and humanities courses will be taken during the junior and senior years. The two organic chemistry courses can satisfy professional elective requirements.

Other courses necessary to fulfill premedical requirements are incorporated into the biomedical engineering curriculum. Biomedical engineering majors who are planning to attend medical school should visit Pre-Professional Advising, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 for further information.

The Master of Engineering (MEng) Program in Biomedical Engineering is a professional degree program for students who are focused on a career in industry in the healthcare, medical device, biotechnology or bio-pharmaceutical areas. The curriculum ensures that students preparing for a career in the health care sector gain fundamental technology leadership skills important to biomedical engineers. Students in the MEng degree program receive exposure to issues related to product development, project management, innovation and commercialization. Students are also required to focus their technical training by completing advanced biomedical engineering coursework in an area of specialization. The program is designed to be completed by full-time students in one academic year.

Curriculum

Master of Engineering students are required to complete a minimum of 32 credit hours, as follows:

Structured Course Requirements for MEng in Biomedical Engineering

• BME technical electives at 500 level or higher (12 credits)
• ENG technical electives at 500 level or higher (may include additional BE coursework) (8 credits)
• Math course selected from approved list (4 credits)
• Choice of TWO technology leadership courses from the following:

• ENG ME 517 Product Development
• ENG ME 583 Product Management
• ENG ME 502 Intellectual Assets: Creation, Protection, and Commercialization
• ENG ME 525 Technology Ventures
• ENG ME 550 Product Supply Chain Design
• ENG ME 584 Manufacturing Strategy
• ENG ME 703 Managerial Cost Accounting
• ENG EC 518 Project Management for Software—Intensive
• ENG EK 731/GSM HM 801 Bench to Bedside—Translating Biomedical Innovation from the Laboratory
to the Marketplace
• GSM HM 703 Health Sector Issues and Opportunities
• GSM SI 851 Entrepreneurship
• GSM SI 852 Starting New Ventures
• GSM SPI 853 Entrepreneurial Management
• GSM PL 870 Government, Society and the New Entrepreneur

The Master of Science (MS) Program in Biomedical Engineering is a thesis-based degree program designed to provide advanced training in biomedical engineering for students focusing on a research career. The program requires students to establish the necessary foundation in molecular- or systems-level biology/physiology and mathematics, in addition to advanced biomedical engineering coursework. The program requires students to develop a research focus, and requires that students carry out original research that culminates in a written thesis. The program is designed to be completed by full-time students in two academic years. Students who excel in the BME MS program are encouraged to apply to the BME post-MS PhD program.

Course Requirements

The MS program requires completion of a 36-credit-hour study program: a noncredit research seminar course, seven structured courses, and eight credits of research that culminate in a master’s research project and thesis. The course requirements are as follows:

• BE 505 Molecular Bioengineering I or BE 706 Quantitative Physiology for Engineers (4 credits)
• Two Biomedical Engineering elective courses (8 cr)
• A mathematics elective (4 cr) (from the approved list)
• Three graduate-level technical electives (12 cr)
• ENG BE 790 Biomedical Engineering Seminar Series 
(0 cr)
• ENG BE 900 Research (8 cr)

A program of study identifying the seven structured courses must be submitted prior to submission of the MS thesis proposal and must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor and the BME Graduate Committee.

Graduate students who do not satisfy the prerequisites for the courses above are expected to make up any and all deficiencies.

Grades

The department permits only four credits of C to be applied toward its degree. A grade point index of at least 3.0 (B) must be maintained.

Research Project Requirement

Each student is required to undertake a suitable research project supervised by a member of the department or by someone deemed acceptable by the Graduate Program Committee. Graduate students are expected to register for ENG BE 900 Research each semester they work on their project. However, only eight credits may be applied to the 36 required for the degree.

Thesis Proposal

The suitability of the research project is determined by the thesis advisor. The graduate student submits a short (three-to-five-page) written project proposal and a one-page abstract to the advisor for approval. The time frame for the proposal submission and thesis defense is structured so that criticisms offered by the thesis committee may be used constructively by the student. Therefore, the proposal may not be submitted for approval in the semester of expected graduation. Once the proposal is approved, the student and advisor will choose a minimum of two additional thesis readers. The thesis advisor and the additional readers constitute the graduate student’s defense committee. At least two members of the defense committee must be full-time members of the department, and at least one member of the committee must be from outside the department.

Thesis Requirement

The results of the research project must be communicated to the scientific and engineering community in a formal thesis. Editorial guidelines for the thesis are found in A Guide for the Writers of Dissertations and Theses, available in the Biomedical Department Office, the College’s Graduate Programs Office, and Mugar Library.

Thesis Defense

The final academic requirement for the MS degree is the successful defense of the thesis before the defense committee. The format of the defense is not rigid and is usually decided upon by the individual committee.

Students should be able to complete the MS program within two calendar years.

Deadlines

The graduate student is responsible for meeting the various deadlines for submission of the program planning sheet, the thesis proposal, and the final thesis document. See the Graduate Programs section in this site.

Applicants to the doctoral program are encouraged to contact faculty members in the department and discuss research plans. For contact information, see http://bme.bu.edu. All requirements for the engineering PhDs meet the minimum criteria set forth for the PhD program at the front of this bulletin. These and additional requirements pertaining to all engineering PhD students are outlined below.

Admission, Prerequisites, and Financial Aid Applications for admission are invited from students with undergraduate training in engineering, mathematics, physics, or natural sciences. All applicants are required to submit an application form, transcripts of previous study, scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test, and at least two letters of recommendation. Required credentials for both the MS and PhD programs include a B+ average. For international students, a minimum TOEFL score of 625 on the written exam or 263 on the computer-based exam is expected. A score of 7.0 or higher is expected on the IELTS.

For admission with or without financial aid consideration, domestic applications must be submitted by January 15 and international applications by December 15 for the fall semester. Most students admitted to the PhD program are offered financial aid in the form of various fellowships, which include tuition, health insurance, and the GSU fee. Applications for admission may be obtained from the College of Engineering Graduate Programs Office, 48 Cummington Street, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215; 617-353-9760, email: enggrad@bu.edu; College of Engineering Graduate Programs website: www.bu.edu/eng/grad. An electronic application is available on the web at www.bu.edu/eng/grad/apply.

Course Requirements All PhD students must (1) show proficiency in mathematics by fulfilling the departmental mathematics requirement, and (2) pass an oral qualifying exam in biomedical engineering. An oral defense of the dissertation proposal and a final oral examination defending the dissertation are also required. All PhD students are expected to become connected with a research laboratory and engage in goal-oriented research by the end of their first year.

Postbachelor’s PhD students must enroll for a minimum of 64 credits. Eight courses (32 credits) must be structured (non-research) graduate courses. Two teaching practicums (8 cr) are also required. Specific requirements include:

• ENG BE 505 Molecular Bioengineering I (4 cr)
• ENG BE 706 Quantitative Physiology for Engineers (4 cr)
• ENG BE 790 Biomedical Engineering Seminar (0 cr)
• ENG BE 791 BME PhD Laboratory Rotation (2 cr)
• ENG BE 792 Literature Review (2 cr)
• ENG BE 801 Teaching Practicum I (4 cr)
• ENG BE 802 Teaching Practicum II (4 cr)
• Three BE graduate-level electives at 500 level or higher (12 cr)
• Two graduate-level technical electives at 500 level or higher (8 cr)
• Math requirement from approved list (4 cr)

Each student must complete a minimum of 12 research credits of BE 900

Post-master’s PhD students must enroll for a minimum of 32 credits and must take 6 approved structured courses, including BE 505, BE 706, BE 792, the math requirement and two graduate-level electives (at least one BE). Up to 12 credits of this structured coursework may be waived if equivalence is demonstrated. Two teaching practicums (8 cr) are also required. Students must complete a minimum of four research credits of BE 900.

The determination of equivalent graduate courses will be subject to the review of the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Committee.

All PhD students are required to have at least two semesters of teaching practicum (BE 801 and BE 802). Assignments are made by the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

Advisor All degree-seeking students are assigned an academic advisor who is a full-time academic faculty member in the department. The Associate Chair for Graduate Studies assigns an academic advisor for each student.

Qualifying Examinations The biomedical engineering qualifying exam is taken at the end of the first academic year. Students must also show proficiency in mathematics by fulfilling the departmental mathematics requirement.

Oral Prospectus Defense Within five semesters of matriculation, the student is required to present an oral thesis proposal to the prospective dissertation committee and have the written dissertation prospectus approved. The committee evaluates the potential of the proposed research and the student’s academic preparation to engage in dissertation research.

Thesis Progress Reports Before the Prospectus Defense ends, the committee must indicate on the PhD Dissertation Prospectus Defense form the date for the next committee meeting (not to exceed 12 months) and indicate expected milestones for the next thesis committee meeting. Required revisions to the thesis proposal should be completed satisfactorily before a final “Pass” grade is given. Thesis committee meetings are to be held on a regular basis in order for the student to report progress and the committee to provide feedback. At a minimum, thesis committee meetings will be held annually. The student must forward to his/her committee a written report (Thesis Progress Report) detailing progress towards milestones and the next planned steps at least one week before the meeting.

Residency Requirement, PhD Candidacy, Dissertation Prospectus, Final Oral Examination Time Limit See “General Requirements” in the “Doctoral Programs in Engineering” section of this bulletin.

Dissertation A PhD candidate is expected to prepare and carry out an independent and original research project in partial fulfillment of the dissertation requirement. The dissertation committee with a minimum of four members must include three College of Engineering tenured or tenure track faculty, including at least one primary Biomedical Engineering faculty member, and one faculty member of an academic department other than the one in which the student is enrolled. Frequently, scholars from other colleges within the University, as well as outside the University, serve on dissertation committees. A Special Faculty Appointment form is available from the Biomedical Department Office for this purpose.

MD/PhD Combined Degree Program The combined degree program is conducted under the joint auspices of the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering and is designed for and open to highly qualified individuals who are strongly motivated for an education and a career in both medicine and research. The purpose of the program is to provide students with the opportunity to obtain advanced education and research training in biomedical engineering while providing exposure to and training in clinical medicine. The program requires six to seven years of study and leads to both the MD and PhD degrees. The applicant must meet the requirements for admission to both the School of Medicine as a candidate for the MD degree and the College of Engineering as a candidate for the PhD degree. The minimum entrance requirements and the prerequisite courses for the School of Medicine are the same as those for the Division of Medical & Dental Sciences. Applicants for the MD/PhD degree program are required to submit the results of the Medical College Admission Test and those of the Graduate Record Examination.