Graduate Students

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (M.S.B.M.E.)

Program Objectives

The objectives of the M.S.B.M.E. program are to prepare graduates for careers in biomedical engineering practice with government agencies, engineering firms, consulting firms or industries and to provide a foundation for continued study at the post-master’s level.

MSBME Admission Requirements & Options

Engineering students choose a major in the spring semester of their freshman year or upon transferring to the University. Students who have not completed MATH 2554 Calculus I are advised by the First-Year Engineering Program (FEP). These students are required to enroll in the courses necessary to complete their FEP requirements; however, they can also enroll in industrial engineering courses for which they have the pre-requisites. Transfer students desiring to enroll in the IE Undergraduate Program are handled on a case-by-case basis. Generally, the student’s transfer course work must fulfill the requirements of the First-Year Engineering Program (FEP) in order to be admitted into the IE Undergraduate Program.

  1. A B.S. or M.S. degree in engineering or engineering equivalent or completion of the minimum admission criteria for non-engineering majors (see below) with a GPA of at least 3.0.
  2. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on the last 60 hours of the baccalaureate degree.
  3. A GRE score of 302 or above (verbal and quantitative).
  4. A TOEFL score of at least 213 (computer-based) or 80 (internet based). This requirement is waived for applicants whose native language is English or who earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a U.S. institution.
  5. A member of the faculty who is eligible (graduate status of group III or higher) must agree to serve as the Major Adviser to the prospective student.

Important: On April 1st, applicants will be notified if they have received an assistantship for the following Fall semester.

Prior to gaining admission into the M.S.B.M.E. program, students with a non-engineering degree or a non-ABET-accredited engineering degree must demonstrate completion of the following coursework with a GPA of at least 3.0: 3 courses in Mathematics (selected from Calculus I, Calculus II, Calculus III, Linear Algebra, and/or Differential Equations), 2 courses of university-level Biology, 2 courses of university-level Chemistry, and 2 courses of university-level (calculus-based) Physics. In addition, students will be required to enroll and complete one of the following courses to provide adequate background in Engineering Design (BMEG 2904 Biomedical Instrumentation, BMEG 3634 Biomaterials, BMEG 3124 Biomedical Signals and Systems, or BMEG 3824 Biomolecular Engineering.  Students should consult the Graduate Coordinator for a complete list of courses that satisfy the Minimum Admission Criteria.

Complete details for admission may be obtained in the applicable program section from the Biomedical Engineering website as well as in the BMEG graduate program handbook.

Both thesis and non-thesis options are available for the M.S.B.M.E. degree. In general, students pursuing the thesis option are supported by research or teaching assistantships and conduct research under the guidance of a major adviser.  Students pursuing the non-thesis options are typically not sponsored. For either option, all course work must be approved by the student's program advisory committee. The cumulative grade-point average on all graduate courses presented for the degree must be at least 3.0. A general summary of degree requirements is given below. More detailed information may be obtained from the Biomedical Engineering website as well as in the BMEG graduate program handbook. Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.

24 hours of graduate-level course work, including 12 hours of Biomedical Engineering Graduate Core as identified below, plus 6 hours of research resulting in a written Master’s Thesis. Candidates must pass a comprehensive final examination that will include an oral defense of the Master’s Thesis. The examination is prepared and administered by the student’s Master’s Thesis committee.

30 hours of graduate-level course work including 12 hours of Biomedical Engineering Graduate Core as identified below, at least 10 additional hours of graduate-level classes in Biomedical Engineering. Candidates must pass a comprehensive written final examination. The examination is prepared and administered by the student's Program Advisory Committee. All coursework must be at the 5000 level or above unless a request has been approved to use 4000-level courses for graduate credit.
Biomedical Engineering Graduate Core:

  • BMEG 5103 Design and Analysis of Experiments in Biomedical Research
  • BMEG 5203 Mathematical Modeling of Physiological Systems
  • BMEG 5504 Biomedical Microscopy
  • BMEG 5801 Graduate Seminar I
  • BMEG 5811 Graduate Seminar II

The Healthcare Entrepreneurship Concentration requires 15 additional hours of required courses and 10 additional hours of graduate-level classes in Biomedical Engineering. Candidates must pass a comprehensive written final examination. The examination is prepared and administered by the student's Program Advisory Committee. All coursework must be at the 5000 level or above unless a request has been approved to use 4000-level courses for graduate credit.

Business and Management Fundamentals:

  • MGMT 5213 Business Foundations for Entrepreneurs

New Venture Development (The following courses to be taken in one continuous block):

  • MGMT 5323 New Venture Development
  • MGMT 5313 Strategic Management
  • MGMT 5413 New Venture Development II

Public Health Fundamentals (Choose one from below or another relevant course with Program Advisory Committee approval):

  • PBHL 5213 Evaluation of Public Health Programs
  • PBHL 5533 Theories of Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health
  • PBHL 5563 Public Health: Practices and Planning

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering with emphasis in Biomedical Engineering

Program Description

The Ph.D. Degree in Engineering with emphasis in Biomedical Engineering is an interdisciplinary research degree awarded through the College of Engineering in cooperation with the Graduate School (at the University of Arkansas, there is a common Ph.D. degree for all engineering disciplines). The Ph.D. Degree is earned through advanced coursework and in-depth, specialized research. Graduates from this program will be well-prepared for careers in academia, industry or government or as entrepreneurs in technology-based start-up companies.

PhD Admission Requirements & Options

Admission into the Ph.D. program with a concentration in Biomedical Engineering is a two-step process. First, the prospective student must be admitted to graduate standing by the University of Arkansas Graduate School (see "The Graduate School: Objectives, Regulations, Degrees" in this catalog or visit grad.uark.edu for details). Second, the student must be admitted to the Department of Biomedical Engineering on the basis of academic transcripts, standardized test scores, three letters of recommendation, and statement of purpose. All students in the Ph.D. program are offered either a research or teaching assistantship. A member of the faculty who is eligible (graduate faculty status of Group I), must agree to serve as the major adviser to the prospective student. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of Biomedical Engineering, students holding either Engineering or non-Engineering degrees are eligible to apply. Eligibility criteria are outlined below:

  • Engineering Academic Background: Students with a BS or MS degree in engineering or engineering equivalent are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program. 
  • Non-engineering Academic Background: Students with a non-engineering degree must fulfill the admission requirements for the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (M.S.B.M.E.) including the Minimum Admission Criteria for non-Engineering Majors (see admission requirements for the M.S.B.M.E.).  Students with a non-engineering background may be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program; however, it is recommended that students first complete the M.S.B.M.E. degree before entering the Ph.D. program. 

Important: On April 1st, applicants will be notified if they have received an assistantship for the following Fall semester.

In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School and the College of Engineering, candidates must meet the following requirements: 

  1. Develop a Plan of Study within the first year after matriculation. 
  2. Complete an Annual Progress Report for each subsequent year of study. 
  3. Complete at least 42 hours of coursework beyond the BS degree.
    1. For B.S. to Ph.D. candidates, a minimum of 50 percent of the first 30 hours, and all of the remaining hours of course work, must be at the 5000 level or above.
    2. For. M.S. to Ph.D. candidates, all course work must be at the 5000 level or above.
  4. The cumulative grade-point average on all graduate courses presented for the degree must be at least 3.0. Upon recommendation of the student’s Program Advisory Committee, a student who has entered the Ph.D. program after a M.S. degree in engineering may receive credit for up to 24 hours of coursework. See Coursework Requirements below for additional details. 
  5. Complete 30 hours of dissertation. Upon recommendation of the student’s Program Advisory Committee, a student who has entered the Ph.D. program after a M.S. degree in engineering may receive credit for up to 6 hours of thesis research toward the dissertation requirement.
  6. Satisfactorily pass both a written and oral candidacy examination administered by the student’s Program Advisory Committee. Details of the candidacy exam are found in the BMEG graduate program handbook. 
  7. Assist in departmental teaching for two semesters. 
  8. Submit and defend the final dissertation to the student’s Dissertation Committee.

Students are required to complete 42 credit hours of coursework beyond the BS degree in engineering or equivalent in the following four categories.

  1. Biomedical Engineering Graduate Core (5 hours)
    • BMEG 5103 Design of Biomedical Experiments
    • BMEG 5801 Graduate Seminar I
    • BMEG 5811 Graduate Seminar II
  2. Life Science - minimum of 6 hours approved by the student’s Program Advisory Committee
  3. Engineering Electives - minimum of 9 hours approved by the student’s Program Advisory Committee 
  4. General Electives - minimum of 6 hours approved by the student’s Program Advisory Committee

Detailed listing of BMEG and other electives can be found in the Graduate Catalog.