Feb 05, 2026  
Graduate Record 2019-2020 
    
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Graduate Record 2019-2020 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Biomedical Engineering

Return to: School of Graduate Engineering and Applied Science  

Graduate Program

The M.S. and Ph.D. degrees form the core of the BME graduate educational program. These degrees have the broad goal of educating students with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in careers in research and development. Successful completion of these degrees will require that a student meet the following expectations, in addition to the formal degree requirements:

1. Completion of original research. Students will complete a research project under direction of their faculty advisor. The end goal of this work should be experimental or simulation results, methods, and analysis which are of a level of quality sufficient for presentation in a refereed publication. To achieve this end, students will need to make a novel contribution to their respective fields. Students should always be aware that research is not a job performed for the benefit of his or her faculty advisor, but rather is an integral part of graduate education. As such, students must take initiative and responsibility for the success of their research.

2. An ability to think critically. Successful students will be able to evaluate the validity of new results and ideas.  They will be able to make precise statements about limitations of experimental methods and identify the weaknesses of new and existing hypotheses. They will be able to identify the next step in their research and design experiments to test their hypotheses and/or designs.

3. Critical knowledge of the core literature in their field. Students should know the central literature in their field. They should be aware of the important implications and possible limitations of existing knowledge.

4. Excellent oral and written presentation skills. Success in both academics and industry requires clear communication of ideas to technical and lay audiences. Students should use graduate school as an opportunity to hone presentation skills.

5. Completion of formal course requirements. Course work provides students with basic knowledge and problem solving skills central to the field of Biomedical Engineering. In addition, advanced courses in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and in the School of Medicine offer knowledge and skills that can be applied to specialized areas of research.

BME Academic Requirements

  MS PhD PhD (prior MS) PhD/MSTP

Coursework Requirements- thesis based programs

 Core Courses1

 BME 6101 and 6102
BME 6310 and 6311		 BME 6310 and 6311
Graded credit hours of coursework 24 24 12 18
Elective Educational Experiences No 2 2 1
Research course hours3 BME 8999
6 credits		 BME 8999 before comps
BME 9999 post comps
24 credits		 BME 8999 before comps
BME 9999 post comps
24 credits		 BME 9999
24 credits
Total overall credits 30 48 36 42

Other Requirements
Qualifying/Comprehensive Exam (by beginning of 3rd year) No Yes Yes Yes
Proposal of Research Written Oral & Written Oral & Written Oral & Written
Oral Defense of Thesis/Dissertation Yes Yes Yes Yes
Written Final Report of Research/Thesis/Dissertation Yes Yes Yes Yes
Outcome Assessments Yes Yes Yes Yes
Teaching Assistant4 No 2 semesters 2 semesters 1 semesters
Attend BME Seminars Yes Yes Yes Yes
  1. Students with equivalent prior course work may place out of some or all of the core classes listed above by obtaining written permission from the course instructor and approval of the Graduate Program Committee. The “Permission to Opt-out of Department Core Course” form can be obtained from the Graduate Program Coordinator. Opt-out procedures typically include an oral or written examination in the course material. Opt-out course must be replaced with a graduate elective.
  2. A concentration must share common engineering concepts. It may cross departmental boundaries. A concentration must be approved by the Graduate Program Committee before courses are taken.
  3. Research credit does not count towards course credit hour requirement.
  4. Teaching is an integral part of graduate training in Biomedical Engineering. All PhD students must participate in BME teaching assistantships in BME undergraduate or graduate courses as part of the requirement for the degree, regardless of their source of funding for the stipend or fellowship. The teaching experience will normally be performed in the second and third years of doctoral study.

Elective Educational Experiences

Elective Educational Experiences (EEEs) are intended to encourage students to begin the process of life‐long learning essential to a career in Biomedical Engineering. We anticipate that students will often pursue EEEs later in the course of their PhD studies and select them based on their PhD research and future career plans. All EEEs must be approved by the student’s thesis committee in advance. Students must submit to their committee a brief proposal stating the rationale for their EEE (how it fits with their individual plan of study), their goals for the EEE, and the metrics they will use to assess how well the EEE fulfilled those goals. At the completion of the EEE, students must submit a brief report to their committee assessing the EEE using the proposed metrics. EEEs must be approved prior to the thesis proposal, and students are encouraged to complete them prior to the proposal.

Students are also encouraged to include a slide on their EEEs in their PhD proposal and/or defense presentations in order to share information on potentially valuable experiences with other students. An appropriate EEE is expected to involve roughly the time commitment of a typical graduate course; possible examples include:

  1. Taking an additional graduate course beyond the normal course requirements.
  2. Taking an intensive 2‐week “short course” to learn a series of specialized techniques.
  3. Completing a summer internship at a medical device company.

PhD Program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree requires 24 graded credits of course work past the bachelor’s degree (including any completed during a Master’s program), plus two Elective Educational Experiences (see below). Students who enter the program already holding a Master’s degree in an engineering discipline from a school other than the University of Virginia must take the core BME courses, completing at least 12 credit hours of graduate level coursework.  A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.

Formation of doctoral advisory committee

Upon admission to the PhD program students should arrange for the appointment of a Doctoral Advisory Committee.  The Doctoral Advisory Committee is a resource for you as you pursue graduate studies. It recommends, and gives initial approval to, a formal program of study, discusses research objectives and research plans with the student, and advises on the areas of study for the Comprehensive Examination.  The Committee will meet with the student as needed to review progress and, if necessary, to revise the program of study. Students should consult with their Doctoral Advisory Committee at least once a year as their research progresses to ensure that their continuing research work is adequate as a doctoral dissertation. The Doctoral Advisory Committee also functions as the student’s Examining Committee as he or she progresses through the PhD program.

The Doctoral Advisory Committee should consist of a minimum of five faculty members, including the student’s faculty advisor; at least two members must be primary BME faculty, and one should be a minor representative from outside the BME department. The outside member must have a 0% appointment with the BME department. The chairperson of the committee (who may not be the student’s faculty advisor) must have a primary appointment in the BME department. (When the student’s advisor is not on the BME faculty, the committee chairperson will function as a co-advisor and department representative.)

Students should consult with their advisors about the composition of their Doctoral Advisory Committees. The committee is officially formed by the completion of the Appointment of Doctoral Advisory Committee form which is reviewed and approved by the Graduate Program Director.  Because the Doctoral Advisory Committee is a resource for you, it should be formed as soon as possible. For most students, this will be at the end of the first year of graduate study. At the latest, the Doctoral Advisory Committee should be formed by the end of the second semester of graduate study. Students who have not formed a Doctoral Advisory Committee will not be permitted to take the comprehensive exam.

Doctoral degree plan of study and course work

In deciding the doctoral course work and finalizing the PhD plan of study, students should seek assistance from their advisor and Doctoral Advisory Committee members and must obtain their approval. Because this is a plan of study, not a contract, students should make every effort to complete and submit it as soon as possible. This will allow the maximum flexibility for any necessary revisions to be made without delaying the student’s progress to the PhD. The Plan of Study may be revised as necessary throughout the student’s graduate study. Preparation of the PhD Plan of Study is an appropriate time to schedule the initial meeting with your Doctoral Advisory Committee. Students, their advisors, and Doctoral Advisory Committee members are responsible to design a plan of study suitable for the individual and that meets the academic requirements of the BME PhD program. The plan of study may consist of more than the minimum required credits.

The Plan of Study should be submitted to the Graduate Program Coordinator no later than the end of the summer after second semester of doctoral study but preferably sooner. These forms may also be revised as necessary during the course of the PhD program, in consultation with the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee.  Students who have not submitted a Plan of Study form will not be permitted to take the comprehensive (qualifying) exam.

PhD comprehensive (qualifying) examination         

The Comprehensive (or Qualifying) Examination is required by the School of Engineering and Applied Science and all doctoral engineering students must take the exam (see UVA Graduate Record for general guidelines). Students intending to take the Comprehensive (Qualifying) Examination must complete the PhD Plan of Study and turn it in to the Graduate Student Coordinator for review by the Graduate Program Committee. This should be done no later than May 1 of the year that the student plans to take the comprehensive exam.

  1. Purpose: To determine whether the student is able to comprehend and integrate a body of advanced knowledge, and is capable of original research. The student’s ability to think, formulate, and present ideas is also evaluated.
  2. Timing: All students should take the Comprehensive Examination before the end of the summer after the fourth semester of graduate study. Students may elect to take the Comprehensive Exam as early as after the second semester. Delayed examination is subject to the approval of his or her Doctoral Advisory Committee. Passage is required to continue the PhD program.
  3. Date of the Exam:  Exams are generally scheduled between the third week of May and the end of June. In March, an email will be sent to qualified students. Students should obtain approval from their Doctoral Advisory Committee before signing up for the Comprehensive Exam. Students who have not previously met with their Doctoral Advisory Committees, must schedule an initial meeting. Failure to comply with this guideline may result in delay in the completion of your degree. Students must have an approved Plan of Study on file before signing up for the Comprehensive Exam. 
  4. The student will need to work with their Advisory Committee to select a date for the exam and reserve a room.  Once this is set, the student needs to alert the Graduate Program Coordinator.  The Graduate Program Coordinator will then alert the Advisory Committee of the appropriate timeline for submitting the questions to the Graduate Program Director for approval, and then distribution to the student one week prior to the exam.  The Graduate Program Coordinator will prepare the required forms and have them ready for the Advisory Committee chair to pick up the day of the exam.
  5. Format of the Comprehensive Examination:

a. Oral Examination: The oral exam will be administered by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee. At least four (4) members of the Doctoral Advisory Committee must be present for the Comprehensive Examination in accord with SEAS rules, including at least two (2) primary BME faculty members. The chairperson of the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee will coordinate the preparation of the oral questions, with input from the entire committee. The duration of the exam is three hours or less. The chairperson of the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee should submit a copy of the oral exam questions to the Graduate Program Coordinator for inclusion in the student’s file 14 days prior to the scheduled date of the exam. The chair of the Doctoral Advisory Committee will deliver the exam questions to the student and the Graduate Program Coordinator (by hard copy or by e-mail) seven (7) days prior to the scheduled exam date.

The oral examination will consist of a set of integrative questions (typically three) that have been prepared by the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee and provided to the student one week in advance of the oral examination. The questions will be based upon the individual’s program of study, and include some aspects relevant to the anticipated thesis topic. The questions will:

    –     assess the ability to integrate a body of advanced knowledge in biomedical engineering

                       –      include experimental design and hypothesis testing

                       –      have a design or a quantitative analysis component

The student may research the questions to develop his or her answers in the week prior to the oral examination. However, the student may not enlist the help of other individuals in preparing answers - to do so will be considered a violation of the honor code. The student will provide an oral answer to each of these questions and, at the discretion of the Doctoral Advisory Committee, further defend the answers.

In preparing materials to be presented for the oral exam, the traditional method has been to give oral answers, with some graphs, equations, etc. as needed on the board. You may not use PowerPoint slides or the overhead projector. You are expected to write on the board using handwritten notes, if necessary. The objective is to convey your approach and solution to the problems concisely and convincingly.

You may also give hand-outs to the members of your Doctoral Advisory Committee (which functions as your Examining Committee) at the start of the exam at the discretion of the Chair of the Doctoral Advisory Committee. You may not hand out extensive background literature, appendices of any type, or additional materials such as derivations, etc., if you do not plan to include them in your own oral answer.

If deemed necessary or appropriate by the Doctoral Advisory Committee, the student may then be questioned on any material germane to his or her plan of study. Successful completion of the oral examination is determined by the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

b. Passing: Students must pass the oral examination.

c. Number of Chances: At the discretion of the Doctoral Advisory Committee, a student may be allowed at most two attempts to pass the Comprehensive Examination.

PhD  defense of dissertation proposal

1.    Purpose:  The student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee will assess the quality of the student’s research plan (including hypotheses to be tested, experimental design and methodology).

2.    Timing: The PhD candidate is expected to complete the dissertation proposal no later than 12 months after the Comprehensive Examination.  Failure to complete and defend a dissertation proposal by the end of the third year of doctoral study may result in a delay in the completion of the program or even dismissal from the program. The student is responsible for working with the Advisory Committee to schedule a date and room for the event.  Upon selecting a date and location, the student is then responsible for notifying the Graduate Program Coordinator at least 2 weeks prior to defense. 

        The written dissertation proposal is submitted to the Advisory Committee one week before the scheduled oral dissertation proposal examination which consists of a public oral presentation during which the student highlights the existing knowledge and the proposed new study.  This will be followed by a private question and answer period with the Doctoral Advisory Committee. The total duration of the dissertation proposal defense is typically two (2) hours, at the discretion of the Doctoral Advisory Committee. At least four (4) members of the Doctoral Advisory Committee must be present for the proposal defense in accord with SEAS guidelines, including two (2) primary BME faculty.

3.    Defense Committee Composition: The Examining Committee for the dissertation proposal is the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee. Four of the members of your committee must be present during the proposal. Once of the four members must be the outside committee member.

4.    Proposal Format: The written proposal should follow the general form of an NIH grant application, including page limits.   Format guidelines can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/grant_basics.htm

PhD dissertation defense

The doctoral dissertation should be typed according to the format of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

1.    Purpose:  To demonstrate competence in the field of the dissertation research and the quality of the dissertation for publication in scientific journals.

2.    Timing: At completion of writing an approved dissertation. The properly formatted draft with all the figures should be submitted to the Doctoral Advisory Committee at least two weeks before the examination. Using the Final Examination Committee form, inform the Graduate Program Coordinator of the date selected for your defense, provide the title and a short abstract of the work, so that an announcement of the defense may be sent out. Public announcement of the dissertation defense must be made two weeks prior to the scheduled examination date. Failure to do so will result in the rescheduling of the dissertation defense.

3.    Defense Committee Composition: The Examining Committee for the dissertation defense is the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee. All 5 members of your committee must be present in some form during the defense.

4.    Subject: Defense of dissertation and questions about subject areas related to research field or arising from discussion of thesis work.

5.    Form: The first part (40 minutes) is an oral presentation of the thesis which is open to the public. It is followed by a 1-2 hour oral defense before the Doctoral Advisory Committee and interested faculty.

6.    Failure: Possibility for re-examination is determined by the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

BME experience - Going Pro

Biomedical Engineering PhD graduates are well-positioned to be leaders in industry. Going Pro is a unique opportunity for professional development, a significant deficiency in many graduate programs across the nation.  Through the curriculum, mentoring programs, and department-sponsored internship, alums of this program will be well-positioned to lead in the biomedical engineering industry.

Program Description
There are three key elements of the Going Pro:

  1. Industry Internship. Participants in Going Pro will be supported to participate in a two-month industry internship approved by the BME graduate program committee.
  2. Mentoring. Students will be paired up with an alum of the department and required to meet throughout their training.
  3. Course. Going Pro participants will take a 1-credit course in the fall semester focused on professional development and BME industry.

Application Process Students that have completed their 2nd year of the PhD program and successfully passed their comprehensive exam are invited to apply.  See here for an application form.

MS program

The Master of Science degree requires a minimum of 24 graded credit hours of course work, 6 credits of MS thesis research and satisfactory defense of a thesis.  In addition to these academic requirements, certain administrative requirements must also be met. The same course cannot be used to satisfy more than one of the above requirements. An average GPA of at least 3.0 is required for graduation.

MS Degree Administrative Requirements

  1. File a Master’s Degree Plan of Study form within first year of matriculation.  Form is available on the BME Grad Program Collab site and must be approved by your Advisory Committee and the Graduate Program Committee.
  2. File Report on Final Exam and Thesis Outcome Assessment upon successful passage of an oral thesis examination given by the student’s MS committee.  This committee must consist of at least three faculty members including at least one primary BME faculty member and at least one member from outside the department. Adjunct faculty are acceptable outside members if they provide an objective and diverse viewpoint.
  3. Upload final Thesis to LIBRA prior to graduation.

ME program

The Master of Engineering degree requires completion of the BME core course requirements, and has its own required sequence to support specialization in biotechnical empathy and design. The same course cannot be used to satisfy more than one of the requirements. An average GPA of at least 3.0 is required for graduation.  Students are expected to complete all requirements by May of the second year.  Instead of a thesis, a supervised research project will be completed and described in a written report to be accepted by the Program Director. 

Course Sequence

Fall of first semester:

  • BME 6101 Physiology I for Engineers
  • BME 6310 Computation and Modeling in Biomedical Engineering
  • BME 6550 Special Topics:  CLinical Technology Continuum of Care
  • 3 credit elective from SEAS, SoM or A&S upon approval of Program Director

Spring of second semester:

  • BME 6102 Engineering Physiology II
  • BME 6311 BME Measurement Principles
  • BME 6060 Biomedical Innovation
  • suggested- 3 credit s/u elective on Leadership and Entrpreneurism 

Summer:

  • suggested 1 credit s/u Data Science Intensive applications to biomedical engineering
  • BME Architecture and Design course 

Fall of third and final semester:

  • BME 8995 Biomedical Engineering Design Project
  • 3 credit technical elective from SEAS, SoM or A&S upon approval of Program Director
  • suggested- BME 6056- Going Pro; Professional Development in Biomedical Engineering

Completion of ME Project

Timing: Students should register for the project (BME 8995) in the final semester.  

Approval: A one or two page proposal will be approved by the Program Director to help the student focus on the intent and scope of the project. The project should exhibit individual thought and represent the culmination of effort from the prior year.

Report/presentations: A written report describing the project is required. Class presentations will help form the basis of the final grade.

ME Degree Administrative Requirements

  1. File an ME Degree Plan of Study form by the end of the first term.  
  2. Attend the BME seminars during residence. 
  3. Complete SEAS required Outcome Assessment Forms