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| Graduate Programs |
The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems is a nationally recognized center of research and graduate education. It offers multidisciplinary graduate instruction and research on both a full- and part-time basis.
The faculty includes individuals with engineering, physics, mathematics, biostatistics, life science, medical, and clinical specialties. Multidisciplinary research is carried out through collaboration among Drexel University faculty members and with several medical schools and hospitals in the Philadelphia area.
For graduate students, the School offers master's of science (M.S.) and Ph.D. programs in Biomedical engineering and Biomedical science. Areas of specialization available or under development include biomechanics, rehabilitation, biomaterials and tissue engineering, biosensors and biomedical imaging, biostatistics, genome science and bioinformatics, human factors and performance engineering, neuroengineering, and systems biology.
In addition to courses offered by the School, various departments at Drexel University offer courses specifically designed for graduate students in Biomedical engineering and Biomedical science. These courses permit students to acquire advanced knowledge needed for graduate research or for a future career in highly specialized fields.
Core Curriculum
The School's overall objective is to provide multidisciplinary programs with a core curriculum and research in selected areas. Biomedical engineering students should have an academic background in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics. Students who do not have an engineering background must enroll in the Cross-over Program, which provides the necessary undergraduate engineering coursework (see below: Additional Information). The core curriculum provides the necessary training in medical science, computational and quantitative methods, modeling and simulation, and biomedical/engineering applications to prepare students to apply their engineering skills and perspective to current problems in biology and medicine. Fields in which students may focus their advanced studies and research efforts are based on the research strengths and thrusts of the school. The concentration areas include biosensors and biomedical imaging, biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics and human performance engineering, neuroengineering, and functional bioinformatics.
Core courses in the Biomedical science program are directed toward students who have a basic life sciences or paramedical undergraduate background. They are designed to educate these students in quantitative analysis, mathematical modeling, and fundamental computer and informatics skills. Students are then encouraged to combine their knowledge of the life sciences with their newly acquired analytical skills to focus in such areas as biostatistics, genome science, and systems biology.
Additional Information
Students without an academic background in engineering or physical science who wish to enter the Biomedical engineering program must enroll in the Crossover Program, an accelerated curriculum designed to fulfill the undergraduate requirements for admission to a Drexel graduate engineering program. Undergraduate classes in the program do not count toward the MS. degree, and they may entail one to two years of additional full-time study. For specific course requirements, students should contact the graduate advisor for Biomedical engineering.
Applicants to the graduate program must meet the requirements for admission to graduate studies at Drexel University. Candidates for degrees in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems are required to maintain academic standards applicable to all graduate students at Drexel University.
Full course descriptions and additional information on University policies are available from the Admissions Office. Information is also available on the University's website www.drexel.edu.
Degrees Offered
- MS. in Biomedical Engineering
- MS. in Biomedical Science
- Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering
- Ph.D. in Biomedical Science
The Basics of a Drexel Graduate Degree
The following sections describe the basic regulations governing the master's of science and Ph.D. degrees at Drexel.
Master's of Science
Every MS student develops a plan of study in consultation with a faculty advisor. Most Drexel MS programs require a minimum of 45 to 48 credits (depending on the program), with most courses in most departments being 3 credits each.
Many programs require a masters. The University, however, recognizes that the completion of a thesis may present a challenge to part-time students. Most departments that require or recommend a thesis will try to accommodate the special needs of students who are working full-time. Such students may be able to develop an on-the-job research project that serves as the basis of the thesis. Other programs may offer an alternative way to fulfill the research requirement. For those students intending to complete a thesis, an MS Thesis Committee Appointment Form is to be filed at least three months prior to the final defense. The committee must consist of at least three members, at least two of whom must be School of Biomed Core Faculty members.
Most MS programs can be pursued full-time or part-time. Full-time master's students can usually complete a degree in two years. Part-time students may need three to five years of study The University requires that a master's degree be completed within seven years after the initial enrollment.
Dual Degree Options
The University encourages students with broad interests to consider a dual MS option. Through the dual MS program, graduate students already enrolled in a master's degree program at Drexel have the opportunity to work simultaneously on two master's degrees and to complete both at the same time, with a reduced credit requirement for both. Examples of compatible dual-master's programs would be Biomedical engineering and Mechanical engineering, Electrical engineering, Chemical engineering, Materials engineering, Biomedical science, and Bioscience.
To be eligible, graduate students must be working on their first degree when requesting admission to the second. They must obtain approval from the graduate advisers of both programs and work out a plan of study encompassing coursework and/or research (thesis) credits for both degrees.
Students may transfer as many as 15 credits from one program to the other, usually in the form of electives. Therefore, to complete a dual master's-degree program, they are required to complete a minimum of 60 graduate credits (instead of 45 credits per individual program).The actual credit total may be higher, depending on each department's requirements. The transfer of credits from one program to the other depends on the programs and must be approved by graduate advisers from both programs.
Applicants considering two degrees are encouraged to contact the appropriate academic departments as soon as possible after their first term.
The Drexel Ph.D.
The focus of the Ph.D. program is the development and execution of a major research project. In pursuing the Ph.D., students normally earn a minimum of 90 course credits beyond the B.S. Generally, the first 45 credits are at the MS. level, and the second 45 at the post-MS. level. The latter portion includes course credits earned for dissertation research.
A Ph.D. qualifying examination must be taken after the first year of graduate study. The exam verifies that students have the appropriate academic foundation for the more advanced coursework. To develop the dissertation, a student must arrange an association with a supervising professor who has similar research interests.
Each student must complete a Ph.D. candidacy examination before being officially named as a Drexel Ph.D. candidate. The purpose of the examination is to determine the student’s preparation and ability to undertake dissertation research. The student then completes the research and writes the thesis. After the supervising faculty accepts the dissertation, the candidate defends it orally.
Most Ph.D. studies at Drexel are pursued on a full-time basis The University has a residency requirement: Ph.D. candidates must have at least three consecutive terms of full-time study The University also requires Ph.D. candidates to be registered in each consecutive term while pursuing their degree. Students who begin Ph.D. studies with a bachelor’s degree must finish the full program within seven years. Students who enroll with a master's must complete the Ph.D. within five years.
| Biomedical Engineering |
General Information
Biomedical engineering is concerned with the application of science and engineering methods to the analysis of biological and physiological problems and to the delivery of health care. The biomedical engineer requires the analytical tools and broad understanding of modern engineering and science, fundamental understanding of the biological or physiological systems, and familiarity with recent technological innovations.
The biomedical engineer interfaces between the traditional engineering disciplines and the life sciences. He/She may work either in applying the patterns of living organisms to engineering design, or developing new approaches to human health analysis and care delivery by employing engineering methods. The biomedical engineer may use his/her knowledge of anatomical and physiological systems to reverse engineer nature, creating, for example, artificial materials and prosthetic components. A biomedical engineer may use his/her knowledge of engineering to create new equipment or environments for such purposes as maximizing human performance, accelerating wound healing, or providing non-invasive diagnostic tools.
For more information, visit the The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems' web site.
Master's of Science Program in Biomedical Engineering
The overall objective of the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems is to provide multidisciplinary programs offering an instructional core curriculum and research in selected areas.
The core requirements for the master's in Biomedical engineering include a minimum of 45 course credits (most courses carry three credits each) and an optional research thesis. While a research thesis is highly recommended a Non-Thesis option is also available. Students who elect to pursue a Non-thesis option are required to complete a minimum of 51 credits of coursework to be approved by the School Graduate Advisor.
Students admitted into the biomedical engineering program are individuals who have earned undergraduate degrees in one of the traditional engineering areas. Students with undergraduate degrees in computer science; physics; chemistry; bio-chemistry, or mathematics may also qualify for admission into the graduate biomedical engineering program. Students without the above academic qualifications who wish to enter the biomedical engineering program may apply to the Biomedical Science program and may request, upon admission, to enroll in the Crossover Program. The crossover program provides the minimal undergraduate engineering coursework necessary to qualify for a Bioengineering degree. Such undergraduate courses additional to the requirements and cannot count towards the 45 or 51 credits.
The core curriculum provides the necessary training in medical science, modeling and simulation and biomedical engineering applications. Students may focus their scholarly efforts on advanced coursework and research in such areas as Biomedical Imaging, Biomedical Instrumentation, Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Human Performance, Biomedical Signals, Neuroengineering, Tissue Engineering. While such concentrations are facilitated, the School does not offer formal certification in these sub-areas and the final degree is MS in Biomedical Engineering.
Curriculum
Core Courses
| BMES 501 | Medical
Sciences I |
3.0 Credits
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| BMES 502 | Medical
Sciences II |
3.0 Credits
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| BMES 503 | Medical
Sciences III |
3.0 Credits
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| BMES 672 | Biosimulation
I |
3.0 Credits
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| BMES 673 | Biosimulation
II |
3.0 Credits
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| BMES 864 | Seminar x Three terms |
0.0 Credits
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In addition to the required (Core) courses, students are expected to select elective course from the list of BMES course offered by the School. The selection of the elective courses should be done in coordination with the student's thesis advisor. In the absence of a thesis advisor, the School Graduate Advisor will serve as the primary advisor.
Because of the diverse backgrounds of the incoming student population, the School Graduate Advisor can grant exemption from a required course. If such exemption is granted, the student will have to replace the course with one of the elective courses after discussing it with the Graduate Advisor.
The total number of credit should add up to 45 for the thesis option and 51 for the non-thesis option. Students who elected to pursue the thesis option are allowed to register in Research Credits or Thesis credits. The maximum number of research or thesis credits that can be counted toward the MS degree requirements is 6 credits. Students pursuing a non-thesis MS degree plan are not allowed to count research or thesis credits toward the satisfaction of the 51 credits requirement. Exceptions to this rule can be granted in rare situations only by the School Graduate Advisor.
- All MS students who intend to pursue the Thesis option are urged to identify a thesis advisor no later than the end of the second term in school.
- All students are required to submit a Plan of Study no later than the end of the second term in school.
Crossover Program
This program of study is constructed from a combination of undergraduate and graduate courses offered by the School or by the University's engineering and physical science departments and is designed to bring the student up to a level that enables the student to address engineering problems in his or her area of specialization. The crossover requirements are tailored to the individual student by a committee that is chaired by the graduate advisor. The crossover program usually requires one to two additional years of full-time study. No graduate credit is given for the undergraduate courses. For specific course requirements, contact the graduate advisor for biomedical engineering.
Biomedical Engineering: Areas of Sub-Specialty
The graduate program of the School does not offer concentration areas in sub-disciplines. However, students can plan their own concentration of courses that will give them strength in a particular sub-discipline. Alternatively, the student can specialize by conducting research and writing a thesis. The areas of specialization of the School's faculty from which students can learn and participate in research are:
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Biomaterials and tissue Engineering is designed to provide students with advanced training in cellular and molecular biology relevant to tissue engineering and behavior of materials used in biomedical applications.
Biomechanics and Human Performance Engineering
Biomechanics and human performance engineering is designed to meet two objectives: to acquaint students with the responses of biological tissues to mechanical loads as well as with the mechanical properties of living systems and to provides the students with the background and skills needed to create work and living environments which improve human health and enhance performance. Biomechanics and Human Performance also involves the study of orthopedic appliances and the broader aspect of Rehabilitation Engineering and the Management of Disability.
Biomedical Systems and Imaging
Biomedical systems and imaging focuses on the theoretical and practical issues related to machine vision, image processing and analysis, and signal processing associated with such medical applications as well biomedical instrumentation and product development.
Bioinformatics
This specialization emphasized 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.
Neuroengineering
Neuroengineering is broadly defined to include the modeling of neural and endocrine systems, neural networks, complexity in physiological systems, evolutionary influences in biological control systems, neurocontrol, neurorobotics, and neuroprosthetics.
Doctoral Program in Biomedical Engineering
Doctoral students are admitted on two levels: Post Baccalaureate or Post Master's PhDs. Students who have completed only a Bachelor's degree are admitted as Post Baccalaureate and students who have earned a prior MS degree may be admitted as Post Master's PhD students at the discretion of the admission committee.
To be awarded the Ph.D., post baccalaureate students must complete 90 credits. Post master's students must complete a total of 45 credits. All students are required to satisfy the MS core courses as listed in the table above except those students who have taken these courses during their MS studies at Drexel's School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems.
All the requirements of the Master's degree program above are incorporated into the Post Baccalaureate Doctoral Program with exception of the Master's thesis.
Doctoral students must pass successfully a "candidacy examination" at the end of the first year of their study, but no later than the end of the second year. After the student has passed the candidacy examination, he or she is named a Doctoral Candidate. Candidates must submit a Thesis Proposal by the end of the second year and give an oral presentation to a committee of five professors. Once the student has successfully completed his or her research and has written a thesis according to the guidelines specified by the Office of Research and Graduate Studies he or she must give an oral presentation of his or her accomplishments and defend the thesis. For a more detailed description of the Ph.D. requirements, please visit the web site of the School and the Provost's web site.
| Biomedical Science |
Biomedical science is a broad field concerned with the application of fundamental biological research and quantitative analysis to human health.
Master's of Science Program in Biomedical Science
The core requirements for the master's in Biomedical science encompass approximately 45 course credits (most courses carry three credits each). A thesis is highly recommended. A Non-Thesis option is also offered. The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems has recently decided to eliminate the comprehensive exam as a part of the requirements for the Non-Thesis master's degree. This change is effective immediately for those students that commenced their studies in the Fall term of the 2006-2007 Academic Year. Students who began their studies prior to that date are subject to the original requirements. However, students will be allowed to appeal to the Graduate Advising Committee for a waiver of the exam. Appeal requests will be considered on an individual basis by a committee and will be based on academic performance.
Coursework
The overall objective of the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems is to provide multidisciplinary programs offering an instructional core curriculum and research in selected areas. The graduate program 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.
For students entering with degrees in physics, mathematics, and/or computer science, the School, in close collaboration with the Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 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.
Students may choose to specialize in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering or Bioinformatics. 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 in such fields as health care, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, etc.
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; Evolutionary Medicine; and Human Chronobiology and Sleep reflect the School's emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches to the most current research in biology and medicine.Core Curriculum
- Mathematics for Biomedical Science I, II, III
- Biomedical Statistics
- Computer Applications in Biomedical Science
- Principles of Systems Analysis for Biomedical Science I, II
- Experimental Design in Biomedical Science
- Biomedical Ethics and Law
- Seminar
Doctoral Program in Biomedical Science
Superior students with training in engineering, natural science, or physical science as well as individuals with academic or professional degrees in the medical science disciplines will be considered for admission to the doctoral program.
To be awarded the Ph.D., students must complete 90 credits (credits earned toward a master's degree may apply toward the 90), fulfill a one-year residency requirement, and successfully pass the qualifying examination, the candidacy examination, and a Ph.D. dissertation and oral defense. Prospective Ph.D. students are welcome to contact the school to discuss their research interests.
Transfer Credits/Credit Reductions
Previous graduate coursework in a related discipline may be accepted for transfer credits toward a Drexel degree.
Concentration Areas
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering is 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 specialization emphasized 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.
Articulation with Interdepartmental Medical Science (IMS) Program at the Drexel College of Medicine
Established in 1981, the IMS program is based within the Drexel University College of Medicine. The IMS program is an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates basic science courses and presents them through clinical system based modules. Applicants to the IMS program include students who are late in their decision to apply to medical school, students interested in improving their academic record before applying or re-applying to medical schools, or students who would like a year in a medical school setting before deciding whether medicine is the career for them. The program has been designed for college graduates who wish to enhance their academic credentials required for entry into U.S. medical school programs. However, the IMS program can also assist students interested in applying to dental, optometry, podiatry, or chiropractic schools.
Considered as a special master's program, students in the IMS program are afforded the opportunity to take actual first-year medical school courses. Applicants to the IMS program must have already fulfilled undergraduate premedical requirements and demonstrated mastery of the material at a minimum grade of "C." These prerequisites include a year of biology, chemistry, physics and organic chemistry including respective laboratory sections. Students who feel that they have overcome their previous academic performance and can prove to medical schools that they can perform at a higher level are appropriate applicants to this program.
IMS Curriculum
The IMS curriculum involves a full-time commitment to rigorous coursework with strong academic requirements. Six major medical school courses are taken simultaneously with the College of Medicine first-year class. These include Medical Biochemistry, Cell Biology & Microanatomy, Medical Physiology, Medical Nutrition, Medical Immunology, and Medical Neuroscience. The medical school lectures are simulcast to the Health Sciences Campus (located in Center City, Philadelphia) from the Drexel University College of Medicine campus (located in East Falls, Philadelphia). The lectures are also videotaped and available in the Health Sciences library as well as being accessible via streaming video on the web. The students take the exact same courses and exams as the medical students and are evaluated based on their performance in comparison to our medical school students. Performance on tests, quizzes, and assignments equal to the mean grade of the medical school class signifies a letter grade of "B" for the IMS students. Thus, IMS students receiving A's and B's are performing at the top 50% of the medical school class and can then present themselves with strong academic credentials before the admissions committee. This permits medical school admissions committees to directly evaluate the student's competence compared with their own first year medical school class. This allows students an opportunity to test their preparation, motivation, and commitment to medicine.
In addition to the medical school courses, students take a medical ethics course each semester. The campuses are approximately five miles apart and a University shuttle provides free transportation between the two.
Additionally, course conferences and laboratory components for IMS students are conducted at the Health Sciences Campus where the program is based. The IMS curriculum allows exposure to both medical school lectures and individual attention from medical school professors in small group conferences.
Those who have at least a B average and wish to receive a graduate degree may continue for another year of training to complete the requirements for the Master of Medical Science (M.M.S.) degree that the program offers. The M.M.S. degree can be completed in one additional year and requires research (non-thesis).
As an alternative to M.M.S. degree, students may elect to complete as Master of Science in Biomedical Science from the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems. This involves completing the core sequence and a thesis or taking a non-thesis option with additional coursework. Student may elect to pursue Certificates of Advanced Study in either Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering or Bioinformatics.
Last Revised 9/7/07
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Phone 215.895.2215 | Fax 215.895.4983 | Email biomed@drexel.edu |
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| ©2005 School of Biomedical Engineering, Science & Health Systems. All rights reserved. Terms of Use & Disclaimer | Last Modified: 11/25/2008 |