Program Statistics
Visit Master's Program Statistics and PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.
Biomedical Engineering
Degree Types: MS, PhD
The Biomedical Engineering Graduate Program centers on engineering methods for studying biological and physiological processes and the application of concepts to medical problems.
Research areas include Biomaterials and Regenerative Engineering, Imaging and Biophotonics, and Neural Engineering. Graduate study in biomedical engineering is conducted in the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, The Feinberg School of Medicine, and The Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.
The MS program is designed to produce graduates who are qualified to fill positions in research and development or pursue further education. Graduates may expect to seek employment on the research staffs of engineering schools, medical schools, hospitals, industrial firms, and government laboratories.
We have three different Master's programs, all of which lead to an MS (switching between these programs, once started, requires approval of the Director of the MS Program):
- Master's degree without thesis
- Master's degree with thesis
- A combined BS/MS program with or without Master's thesis
Completion of the Master's degree program may take as little as three quarters if done without a thesis. With a thesis, a typical time for completion would be two years.
The PhD program provides a solid foundation in engineering and life sciences. It is designed to produce graduates who can lead research and development programs at the highest levels in industry, academia, and national laboratories.
Additional resources:
Program Contact
Contact Rachel Jones
Graduate Program Assistant
847-491-4370
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
BS/MS
BS/MS Degree without Thesis
- These requirements are the same as “MS without Thesis”. BS/MS students who have taken the BME 304/305/306 sequence will take two advanced life science courses instead of the two advanced systems physiology courses.
BS/MS Degree with Thesis
- These requirements are the same as the “MS with Thesis” unless the student participates in an accelerated, thesis-based program for outstanding undergraduates who have established research relationships with BME faculty members as outlined below. BS/MS students will take two advanced life science courses instead of the two advanced systems physiology courses.
Accelerated BS/MS Degree with Thesis
Admission Requirements (no exceptions):
- NU BME undergraduate
- 3.5 grade point average or higher in undergraduate studies
- Have conducted at least two quarters of undergraduate research (399 or paid research) with chosen advisor
- Approval by Director of the MS Program
Total Units Required for the Master's Degree: 9
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirements | |
| Graduate Seminar (3 quarters - 0 units): | |
BMD_ENG 512-0 | Graduate Research Seminar in Biomedical Engineering |
| Research for Credit (3 units): | |
BMD_ENG 499-0 | Projects |
| Quantitative science and engineering courses from approved list or by permission (2 units) | |
| Advanced statistics course from approved list or by permission (1 unit) | |
| Engineering, math, and sciences courses (2 units) 1 | |
| Restricted electives (1 unit) 2 | |
- 1
Courses in the following areas may not count: research for credit (BMD_ENG 499-0 Projects), global health (except BMD_ENG 380-0 Medical Devices, Disease & Global Health), business, design, NUVention (except for 1 quarter of NUvention Medical), seminar, or survey courses.
- 2
Students may take design, global health, and business classes to fulfill this category. Students taking a basic statistics course may count it towards this category. Students may opt to take additional math/science/engineering courses to fulfill this category as well.
Other Requirements
- Signed copy of MS Mentor/Mentee Agreement
- Examinations: defend Master's thesis
- Research/Projects: see Master's thesis
- Master's Thesis: required
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
MS Degree without Thesis
Total Units Required: 12
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Research Seminar (3 quarters - 0 units): | |
BMD_ENG 512-0 | Graduate Research Seminar in Biomedical Engineering |
| Two of the three listed below: 1 | |
BMD_ENG 304-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
BMD_ENG 305-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
BMD_ENG 306-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
| Quantitative science and engineering courses from approved list or by permission (2 units) | |
| Advanced statistics course from approved list or by permission (1 unit) | |
| Other engineering, math, and science courses (4 units) 2 | |
| Restricted Electives (2 units) 3 | |
- 1
Students who have taken similar physiology courses may petition to take advanced life sciences courses as replacements.
- 2
Courses in the following areas may not count: research for credit (BMD_ENG 499-0 Projects), global health (except BMD_ENG 380-0 Medical Devices, Disease & Global Health), business, design, NUVention (except for 1 quarter of NUvention Medical), seminar, or survey courses.
- 3
Students may take design, global health, and business classes to fulfill this category. Students taking a basic statistics course may count it towards this category. Students may opt to take additional math/science/engineering courses to fulfill this category as well.
Other Requirements
- Examinations: none specified
- Research/Projects: either (1) approved project (one quarter minimum of BMD_ENG 499-0 Projects) or (2) three courses with significant project components from approved list
- Other: 7 of the 12 courses must be engineering courses. Restricted electives courses do not count as engineering courses.
MS Degree with Thesis
Total Units Required: 9
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Research Seminar (3 quarters - 0 units): | |
BMD_ENG 512-0 | Graduate Research Seminar in Biomedical Engineering |
| Two of the three listed below: 1 | |
BMD_ENG 304-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
BMD_ENG 305-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
BMD_ENG 306-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
| Quantitative science and engineering courses from approved list or by permission (2 units) | |
| Advanced statistics course from approved list or by permission (1 unit) | |
| Other engineering, math, and sciences courses (2 units) 2 | |
| Restricted Elective (1 unit) 3 | |
- 1
Students who have taken similar physiology courses may petition to take advanced life sciences courses as replacements.
- 2
Courses in the following areas may not count: research for credit (BMD_ENG 499-0 Projects), global health (except BMD_ENG 380-0 Medical Devices, Disease & Global Health), business, design, NUVention (except for 1 quarter of NUvention Medical), seminar, or survey courses.
- 3
Students may take design, global health, and business classes to fulfill this category. Students taking a basic statistics course may count it towards this category. Students may opt to take additional math/science/engineering courses to fulfill this category as well.
Other Requirements
- Signed copy of MS Mentor/Mentee Agreement
- Examinations: defend master's thesis
- Research/Projects: see master's thesis
- Master's Thesis: required
- Other: 5 out of 9 courses must be engineering. Restricted elective courses do not count as engineering courses.
Degree Requirements
The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.
PhD
Total Units Required:
- Students entering with a BS degree: 12
- Students entering with an MS degree: 9
- Students enrolled in the DPT/PhD program: 9
- Students enrolled in the MSTP program: 6
Students in the PhD program enter into one of 6 “tracks” representing the broad research areas in our department. The purpose of these tracks is to guide students in their course selection, providing depth in areas relevant to their selected research area. The current tracks offered are:
- Biomaterials
- Imaging and Biophotonics
- Mechanics and Transport
- Neural Engineering
- Rehabilitation
- Regenerative Medicine and Engineering
Course Requirements
Students entering with a BS degree must complete a minimum of 12 courses at Northwestern University. These are to include the required courses listed below, as well as sufficient additional coursework to meet the described competencies for the selected course track. All additional courses must be in science, engineering, or mathematics. Students are to work with their primary BME advisor to ensure that the plan of study is sufficient for meeting all specified competencies. All courses used to meet these minimum requirements must be for a letter grade (i.e. P/N courses are not accepted) and none can be a 499 (research credit).
The requirements for students entering with an MS degree or students in the MSTP or PhD/DPT programs are identical to those for students entering with a BS, with the following exceptions. Note that these students must also demonstrate competency in all areas of the selected course track.
- Students entering with an MS or in the PhD/DPT programs:
- A minimum of nine 300 or 400-level graduate courses must be taken for a letter grade (i.e. P/N courses are not accepted). One of these may be a 499 (research credit). All of these courses must be science, engineering, or mathematics courses.
- Students in the MSTP:
- A total of at least six 300 or 400-level graduate courses for a letter grade (i.e. P/N courses are not accepted). None of these may be a 499 (research credit). All of these courses must be science, engineering, or mathematics courses.
General Course Requirements
The following courses are required for all students in the PhD program:
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| BMD_ENG 512-0 | Graduate Research Seminar in Biomedical Engineering (0 credits - 3 quarters) |
| BMD_ENG 407-0 | Experimental Design and Measurement (1 credit) 1 |
| GEN_ENG 519-0 | Responsible Conduct for Research Training (0 credits) |
| Competency: Physiological and Biological Sciences | |
| BMD_ENG 304-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
| BMD_ENG 305-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
| BMD_ENG 306-0 | Quantitative Systems Physiology |
| BMD_ENG 404-1 | Special Topics in Systems Physiology |
| BMD_ENG 404-2 | Special Topics in Systems Physiology |
| BMD_ENG 404-3 | Special Topics in Systems Physiology |
| Competency: Quantitative Sciences and Engineering | |
| STAT 330-1 | Applied Statistics for Research 1 (1 credit) |
| or IEMS 303-0 | Statistics |
| ES_APPM 395-0 | Special Topics (1 credit - Methods of Applied Mathematics) |
- 1
Be sure to complete stats requirements (below) before enrolling in BMD_ENG 407-0 Experimental Design and Measurement , either by taking STAT 330-1 Applied Statistics for Research 1 or IEMS 303-0 Statistics or by petitioning out.
- 2
Taken only if deemed necessary by adviser and/or Director of Graduate Studies
Track-specific Course Requirements
Biomaterials Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Biomaterials Course Track | |
| Students are required to complete the courses below as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
| BMD_ENG 344-0 | Biological Performance of Materials (1 credit) |
| BMD_ENG 343-0 | Biomaterials and Medical Devices (1 credit) |
| MECH_ENG 422-0 | Statistical Mechanics for Applications (1 credit) |
Imaging and Biophotonics Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Imaging and Biophotonics Course Track | |
| Students are required to complete the courses below as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
| ELEC_ENG 359-0 | Digital Signal Processing (1 credit) |
| PHYSICS 333-1 | Advanced Electricity & Magnetism (1 credit) |
| Students are required to take two of the following courses, specific to their concentration, as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
| MRI Concentration | |
BMD_ENG 327-0 | Magnetic Resonance Imaging (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 427-0 | Advanced MR Imaging (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 495-0 | Special Advanced Topics in Biomedical Engineering (1 credit - MRI Modeling of Brain Physiology) |
| Biophotonics Concentration | |
BMD_ENG 333-0 | Modern Optical Microscopy & Imaging (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 429-0 | Advanced Physical and Applied Optics (1 credit) |
PHYSICS 357-0 | Optics Laboratory |
Mechanics and Transport Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Mechanics and Transport Course Track | |
| Students are required to complete the courses below as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
| BMD_ENG 452-0 | Transport Through Connective Tissue (1 credit) |
| BMD_ENG 478-0 | Transport Fundamentals (1 credit) 1 |
- 1
Students without prior transport coursework should enroll in BMD_ENG 377-0 Intermediate Fluid Mechanics before taking BMD_ENG 378-0 Transport Fundamentals.
Neural Engineering Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Neural Engineering Course Track | |
| Students are required to take two of the following courses as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
BMD_ENG 462-0 | Sensory Acquisition (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 468-0 | Decision-Making in the Wild: Measurement and Models (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 463-0 | Advanced Signal Processing Methods in Neuropathophysiology (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 469-0 | Neural Control and Mechanics of Movement (1 credit) |
| Additional competency courses for neural engineering | |
| NUIN 440-0 | Advanced Neuroanatomy (1 credit) |
| ELEC_ENG 359-0 | Digital Signal Processing (1 credit) |
| MECH_ENG 390-0 | Intro to Dynamic Systems (1 credit) |
| Students are also required to take at least one of the following courses: | |
ES_APPM 370-1 | Introduction to Computational Neuroscience (1 credit) |
COMP_SCI 349-0 | Machine Learning (1 credit) |
ELEC_ENG 435-0 | Deep Learning: Foundations, Applications, and Algorithms (1 credit) |
With approval from DGS, any 400 level ELEC_ENG or COMP_SCI course related to machine learning (1 credit) | |
Regenerative Medicine and Engineering Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Regenerative Medicine and Engineering Course Track | |
| Required courses | |
| BMD_ENG 343-0 | Biomaterials and Medical Devices (1 credit) |
| BMD_ENG 344-0 | Biological Performance of Materials (1 credit) |
| MECH_ENG 422-0 | Statistical Mechanics for Applications (1 credit) |
| Additional competency courses | |
| BIOL_SCI 315-0 | Advanced Cell Biology (1 credit) |
| Students are required to take two of the following courses as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
BMD_ENG 346-0 | Tissue Engineering (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 444-0 | Organic Nanomaterials (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 347-0 | Foundations of Regenerative Engineering (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 348-0 | Applications of Regenerative Engineering (1 credit) |
Rehabilitation Track
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Course Track | |
| Students are required to take at least one of the following courses as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
BMD_ENG 366-0 | Biomechanics of Movement (1 credit) |
IEMS 315-0 | Stochastic Models (1 credit) |
ELEC_ENG 435-0 | Deep Learning: Foundations, Applications, and Algorithms (1 credit) |
COMP_SCI 349-0 | Machine Learning (1 credit) |
| Additional competency courses | |
| NUIN 440-0 | Advanced Neuroanatomy (1 credit) |
| MECH_ENG 390-0 | Intro to Dynamic Systems (1 credit) |
| Students are required to take one of the following courses in each section below as a part of the course component of the qualifying exam: | |
Take one of the following | |
BMD_ENG 463-0 | Advanced Signal Processing Methods in Neuropathophysiology (1 credit) |
BMD_ENG 469-0 | Neural Control and Mechanics of Movement (1 credit) |
Take one of the following | |
MECH_ENG 314-0 | Machine Dynamics (1 credit) |
ELEC_ENG 390-0 | Introduction to Robotics (1 credit) |
Other PhD Degree Requirements
- Examinations: PhD Qualifying exams must be completed by the end of the second year of study. Prior to taking the oral examination, students must complete at least 9 courses (MSTP students must take all 6 courses), including the required physiology and mathematics courses, and the two required courses for the selected research track. In addition to the oral examination administered by the department in June each year, students must pass the course component and the research component of the qualifying process. Students must earn at least an A- in the two required courses for the selected course track to pass the course component, or else an additional written exam is required. To complete the research component, students must present their initial research project to their PhD research committee, who evaluate their research progress on a pass/fail basis, by March 31 of their second year.
- MS degree: Students entering with a BS degree who are not enrolled in the MSTP or DPT/PhD program must complete an MS degree. Within the PhD program, completion of the three components of the PhD qualifying exam and completion of an additional writing requirement satisfies the MS degree requirements. The writing requirement can be satisfied by submitting an original manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal or submitting a thesis to the BME department.
- PhD Dissertation: original, independent research
- Final Evaluations: oral defense of dissertation when all other requirements completed
- Teaching Experience: The teaching requirement is to be fulfilled by serving for at least one quarter as a full-time TA (approximate time commitment: 20 hr/week) for a BME course.
- Publication Requirement: All students are required to be the primary author on a peer-reviewed journal article accepted for publication prior to defending their PhD research.