BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING WEB

Students whose primary training is in engineering can prepare themselves for entrance into one of the biomedical fields by completing a program leading to the master's degree in biomedical engineering. The program also offers the biology and chemistry student a means of achieving the mathematical, engineering, and instrumentation skills necessary for a career in biomedical engineering after completing remedial coursework.

Both a Plan A (thesis option) and Plan B MS degree is offered. For the Plan A, eight graduate courses (24 credits), nine credits of Master’s Thesis Research (GRAD 395), and the writing and oral defense of a thesis are required. For the Plan B, a total of ten (10) graduate courses (30 credit hours) is required. Once a student begins a Plan A MS degree program and receives a graduate research assistantship, he or she can switch to a Plan B only if approved by the BME Program Director and Major Advisor. Courses required of all M.S. students include: BME 310, BME 311 or BME 354, BME 312, BME 313 and BME 315. The remaining courses are selected from the BME course offerings and should be consistent with the student’s background, interests, and career plans. Only Plan A Master’s students are required to present and publish their MS research at a conference (or have their paper accepted before graduation). Exceptions to the specified M.S. course requirements must be approved by the BME Program Director.

The BME graduate program does not require submission of a plan of study. The PeopleSoft system is used to monitor graduate degree requirements. It is important to let the program director when you have completed degree requirements (successfully defended and met the course requirements). After this notification, the program director will certify with the graduate school that the degree requirements have been met.

Clinical Engineering Internship
This is a hospital-based, two-year program supported by the clinical engineering departments of Hartford Hospital, The John Dempsey Hospital (UCHC), Baystate Medical Center, UMass Medical Center, Rhode Island Hospital and West Haven V.A. Hospital. Applications should be received by January 1 for full consideration. As part of the selection process, applicants are invited to the hospital and campus in February and March for interviews. The interview is required to secure a graduate assistantship (paid internship). Final selections are made in April for Fall admission. Each intern is expected to spend 20 hours per week in a hospital’s clinical engineering department. The primary objectives are to: (1) provide exposure to hospital organization and administrative structure; (2) provide an opportunity to apply engineering techniques to patient care and hospital-based research; and (3) provide substantial hands-on experience working with health care technology and hospital personnel, including administrators, nurses, technicians and medical staff. Clinical engineering trainees are supported by stipends contributed by the participating hospitals. Students accepted for the internship earn either a Plan A or Plan B Master’s degree.

The primary objectives are to: (1) provide exposure to hospital organization and administrative structure; (2) provide an opportunity to apply engineering techniques to patient care and hospital-based research; and (3) provide substantial hands-on experience working with health care technology and hospital personnel, including administrators, nurses, technicians and medical staff. Clinical engineering trainees are supported by stipends contributed by the participating hospitals.

The following courses are required of all Clinical Engineering interns: BME 310, BME 311 or BME 354, BME 350, BME 351, BME 352 and BME 356. The remaining courses are taken only from the BME course offerings, and should be related to the student’s background, interests and future career plans. The BME Program Director must approve any exceptions to the course requirements.

Industrial Engineering Internship
The industrial internship offers an in-depth, vigorous, industrial experience that complements the engineering expertise gained in the classroom. Students in the industrial internship can earn an M.S. and Ph.D degree. Companies located throughout New England participate in the program. The primary objectives of this industrial internship program are to provide: exposure to the industrial workplace; the opportunity to apply engineering knowledge and expertise to a variety of industrial projects; and the opportunity to interact with a variety of industrial work groups, including administrators, engineers, and technicians. Additional details are contained in the BME Graduate Handbook.