Academic Degree and Certification Programs

The School supports academic programs in three areas: biomedical engineering, biomedical science, and health systems. While these areas are different in their applications and clientele, there are certain common themes which run through all three programs. These themes are based upon our best estimates about future developments in science, engineering, and health care. While it is always somewhat risky to predict the future, certain trends appear to be inevitable:

• While the 20th century was the Age of Electronics and Computers, the 21st will be the Age of Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology. The integration of engineered and living systems will become a critical part of human performance, well-being, and health care in the next century;
  

• The management and flow of information will become even more critical in the 21st century than it is today;
  

• The pace of change in social systems, business, research, and education will continue to be rapid. This favors individuals able to think quickly and independently and who can adapt swiftly to new situations and opportunities. Thus, the individual with multidisciplinary training will have the edge over the long term.
  

Those three main themes:

• The integration of technology with living systems
• The management of biomedical information
• Multidisciplinary education and training form the core of all our programs
  

Biomedical Science

Biomedical Science is a broad field concerned with the application of fundamental biological research and quantitative analysis to human health. The School currently offers a graduate program in Biomedical Science at the M.S. and Ph.D. levels. Computational and quantitative approaches in biomedicine are emphasized. The overall objective of the School is to provide multidisciplinary programs offering an instructional core curriculum and research in selected areas. The graduate program (Master of Science, Master of Science with areas of specialization, and Ph.D) in biomedical science educates students whose undergraduate education is in basic life sciences (e.g., biology or biochemistry) or paramedical disciplines (e.g., nursing, physical therapy, or medical technology) in quantitative analysis, mathematical modeling, fundamental computing skills, and informatics. Students in biomedical science achieve depth in the modeling of living systems and biomedical information processing and display. Students may also choose to specialize in biostatistics. Two new specialization areas under development are genome science and systems biology. 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 Ph.D. degree; or work in industry.

One unique aspects of the School's program in Biomedical Science is its ability to integrate aspects of physiology and molecular biology with quantitative analysis, mathematical modeling, and computer processing to create a systems level approach to biomedical research and applications. Elective courses such as:

• Biological Controls Systems I, II, and III;
• Evolutionary Medicine;
• Human Chronobiology and Sleep I and II, and
• Complexity in Living Systems

reflect the School's emphasis on a multidisciplinary approaches to current research in biology and medicine. Specialization areas such as genome science, systems biology, and biostatistics are offered in collaboration with the Departments of Bioscience and Biotechnology and Mathematics and Computer Science and the College of Information Science and Technology. No undergraduate program is currently contemplated in Biomedical Science.

For more information contact School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems at (215)895-2215 or biomed@drexel.edu.