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Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

The Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering degree educates students and prepares them to carry out independent engineering research investigations with biomedical applications. While courses provide the tools for independent work, a large part of the doctoral experience comprises independent study on the doctoral dissertation research project.

 

Degree Requirements

 

The Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering (BME) requires 84 credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. A prior relevant master’s degree may be transferred for up to 30 credits; those without an approved master’s degree must complete an M.S. in BME as a part of the Ph.D. in BME. The remaining 54 credit must include:

  • PRV 961 Doctoral Signature Credit Seminar, a 3-credit course required of all Ph.D. students at Stevens

  • At least 12 credits of additional approved coursework. If the student does not have prior coursework in physiology, 6 credits must devoted to BME 502 and BME 503 (Physiology for Engineers I and II)

  • At least 30 credits of BME 960 Research in Biomedical Engineering

 

Qualifying Exam 

 

The qualifying exam comprises writing a Ph.D. proposal, revising the proposal in response to critiques and oral defense of the proposal. A student must have at least a 3.5/4.0 GPA to take the qualifying exam. The proposal is due at the start of the student’s third or fourth term in the BME Ph.D. program for students who enter the program with or without a prior master’s degree, respectively. The qualifying exam process is overseen by a committee comprising three BME faculty members and not including the student’s Ph.D. advisor. Before passing the qualifying exam, a student may not register for more than 9 credits of BME 960.


Publication


Prior to graduation, students must publish at least one first-authored original peer-reviewed journal article on their dissertation research.


Dissertation 


Students must write and defend a doctoral dissertation.


Exceptions


The faculty reserve the right to make exceptions to any of the rules and procedures described above in order to promote and preserve the health of the doctoral program and to ensure each student’s prompt and effective progress through the program.