The MS in Biomedical Science degree program applies fundamental biological research, analysis and technology to human health. The program educates students whose undergraduate education is in basic life sciences (e.g., biology) or paramedical disciplines in quantitative data analysis, mathematical modeling, systems analysis and informatics. Biomedical science is a broad field concerned with the application of fundamental biological research and quantitative analysis to human health.

Curriculum & Coursework

The core curriculum provides the coursework needed to acquire proficiency in the life sciences. Students in biomedical science achieve depth in the modeling of living systems and biomedical information processing and display.

A unique aspect of the School's Biomedical sciences program is its ability to integrate aspects of physiology and molecular biology with quantitative analysis, mathematical modeling, and computer processing to create a systems approach to biomedical research and applications. Elective courses such as Biological Controls Systems, Genome Information Engineering, Pharmacogenomics, and Chronobioengineering reflect the School's emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches to the most current research in biology and medicine. A full list of required and elective courses as well as course-specific information is available in the course catalog.

Requirements

The core requirements for the master's in Biomedical Science encompass approximately 45 course credits (most courses carry three credits each) and can usually be completed within 2 years. While a thesis is recommended, a Non-Thesis option is also offered. The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems has eliminated the comprehensive exam as a part of the requirements for the Non-Thesis master's degree.

For a more detailed description of the MS requirements, please visit the MS Program Guidelines page.

Core Curriculum

Certificates

Student may elect to pursue Certificates of Advanced Study in either Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, or Bioinformatics.

Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering 

Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering is a specialization designed to provide students with advanced training in cellular and molecular biology relevant to tissue engineering and behavior of materials used in biomedical applications.

Bioinformatics

This concentration emphasizes a systems engineering approach to provide a foundation in systems biology and pathology informatics. Students are provided students with hands-on experience in the application of genomic, proteomic, and other large-scale information to biomedical engineering as well as experience in advanced computational methods used in systems biology: pathway and circuitry, feedback and control, cellular automata, sets of partial differential equations, stochastic analysis, and biostatistics.

Areas of Specialization

Students may choose to specialize in areas like Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Neuroengineering and Neuroscience, or Biomechanics and Human Performance, or may pursue a dual-degree MS option. Students who graduate with a master's degree from the biomedical science program often continue clinical training in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine; pursue further graduate study toward the PhD degree; or work in industry in such fields as health care, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, etc.

Graduate Co-op

Master’s students can choose to include a three- or six-month Graduate Co-op that allows them to gain hands-on experience in their chosen branch of biomedical industry completed during the course of their coursework. Graduate Co-ops are paid or unpaid opportunities to expand a student's professional network, enhance their resume and skillset, and to be more competitive for post-graduation employment.

Graduate Admissions

For more information about the application, financial aid, cost of study, and length of the program, please visit the Graduate Admissions website.