Biomedical Engineering

M.S.B.M.E. in Biomedical Engineering

Admission to Degree Program: Admission to the M.S.B.M.E. 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 a statement of purpose. Students with a non-engineering degree or a non-ABET-accredited engineering degree must demonstrate completion of the Minimum Admission Criteria for non-Engineering Majors prior to being admitted. 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. A general summary of admission requirements is given below:

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.

Minimum Admission Criteria for non-Engineering Majors: 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 29004 Biomedical Instrumentation, BMEG 36304 Biomaterials, BMEG 31204 Biomedical Signals and Systems, or BMEG 38204 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.

Requirements for M.S. Degree in Biomedical Engineering: 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.

• Biomedical Engineering Thesis Option: 24 hours of graduate-level course work, including 5 hours of Biomedical Engineering Graduate Core as identified below, at least 10 additional hours of graduate-level classes in Biomedical Engineering, and 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. 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 Non-thesis Option:  30 hours of graduate-level course work including 5 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

Accelerated M.S.B.M.E. Degree

High-achieving current undergraduate students seeking a B.S.B.M.E. degree at the University of Arkansas who choose to pursue graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering may participate in the accelerated M.S.B.M.E. program. Eligible students may take up to 12 credit hours of 5000-level courses as BMEG or science electives for their bachelor’s degree and those hours will also count towards their M.S.B.M.E. degree. The total of 12 credit hours of graduate courses taken as an undergraduate student must be taken during the final 12-month period of their undergraduate degree.

Once fully admitted to the M.S.B.M.E. program, students will request that up to 12 hours of 5000-level or above courses taken in the final 12-month period of their undergraduate degree count toward their graduate degree, if these courses were taken on the Fayetteville campus of the University of Arkansas. Students then take an additional 18 credit hours of approved BMEG graduate-level courses (including BMEG 6000V Master's Thesis  if required) in order to complete their M.S.B.M.E. degree as per their intended M.S.B.M.E program (i.e. Thesis options, Non-thesis option or Healthcare Entrepreneurship option).

Biomedical engineering undergraduate students interested in the accelerated M.S.B.M.E. degree should apply to the program prior to starting the second-to-last semester of their undergraduate program. To be eligible, students must have a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher and submit the normal application materials required by the graduate school for the M.S.B.M.E. degree program. For students that have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher, the submission of GRE scores is waived.

Students should also be aware of Graduate School requirements with regard to master's degrees.