Biomedical Engineering (PhD)
Department website: http://www.bme.utexas.edu/
The biomedical engineering program is interdisciplinary, with a faculty that includes members of the Dell Medical School, College of Natural Sciences, the Departments of Kinesiology and Health Education, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, and several other departments in the Cockrell School of Engineering. In addition, several faculty members from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center serve on the Graduate Studies Committee and supervise biomedical engineering students.
The current research of this faculty is focused in the following areas: biomedical imaging and instrumentation; cellular and biomolecular engineering; computational biomedical engineering; and molecular, cellular, and tissue biomechanics. Research activities embrace such topics as bioinstrumentation, modeling and control of biological systems, nerve fiber regeneration, biomedical computer and information technology, biomechanics, cell and tissue mechanics, thermal processes, musculoskeletal modeling, acquisition and analysis of in vivo and ex vivo spatial human biomechanics data, acquisition of physiological data by noninvasive means, cell and tissue engineering, design and testing of novel fluid and drug delivery systems, effects of laser radiation on biological material, laser applications in medicine, coherence imaging of biological materials, pulsed photothermal tomography, biorheology, visual system instrumentation, computer vision, production and purification of genetically engineered proteins, DNA and drug delivery, cell-electronic interfaces, acquisition and processing of neurological signals, neuroprostheses, applications of finite element modeling in medicine, acoustics and ultrasound, image processing, thermography, hyperthermia, genomic signal processing, biological and medical informatics, and nanotechnology.
Doctoral students receive full financial support, either through teaching assistant or graduate research assistant positions or through one of many fellowships. More than half the students in the program have fellowships from a source like the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, or the Cockrell School of Engineering.
Graduate Handbook
Graduate handbook information is updated and maintained by each program. Graduate handbooks are available within each program's office and online. Please contact the program with concerns or questions.
Admission
The graduate advisor and the Admissions Committee make all admission decisions. Standards for entrance into the program exceed the minimum standards established by the University. Students must have a bachelor’s degree with the following coursework or equivalent knowledge: freshman biology, freshman inorganic chemistry, physiology, differential equations, probability and statistics, and calculus-based physics. An applicant with a degree in an area other than engineering must take specified preliminary coursework before applying to the graduate program in biomedical engineering. The coursework does not need to be completed at UT Austin. Information about the admission process is given online.
Admission decisions are based on a careful review of all aspects of each applicant’s file, including scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language, if needed, grade point average, letters of recommendation, résumé, personal statement, transcripts, previous research or work experience, and contributions to the broader impacts of the field. Only the most qualified applicants are accepted. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are not considered as part of the application file and applicants are not advantaged in the admissions process by submitting GRE scores. All applications received by the applicable deadline are reviewed holistically. The number of students admitted each semester depends on the availability of supervising faculty members to provide research facilities and possible financial support. Students are admitted for doctoral study. Students interested in a terminal master's degree are required to obtain faculty nomination before applying. Admission is offered for fall entry only.
All applicants whose native language is not English must submit a score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), unless exempt. More information is given online.
Total Hours Required: 26
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hours chosen from: (one course from 3 of the 4 areas) | 9 | |
Biomedical imaging and instrumentation | ||
Cellular and biomolecular engineering | ||
Computational biomedical engineering and bioinformatics | ||
Molecular, cellular, and tissue biomechanics | ||
| Seminar courses | 6 | |
| Biological/clinical sciences course | 3 | |
| Mathematics or statistics course | 3 | |
| Supporting graduate-level courses | 9 | |
| Dissertation | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Additional Requirements
One technical course may be substituted with one approved graduate-level professional development course. All coursework must be approved by the graduate advisor in advance.
After the first year of study, the student must pass both written and oral components of the qualifying examination. The student must present a written and oral dissertation proposal to the dissertation committee within two years of enrollment in the program. The written proposal must be formatted according to the guidelines of the National Science Foundation or the National Institutes of Health. Before taking the oral examination, the student is expected to formulate a hypothesis and propose an approach to a selected research problem with a selected supervisor. The student is examined specifically on the proposed research. After the oral examination, the dissertation committee determines if the student should complete additional coursework. At least one faculty member outside the biomedical engineering Graduate Studies Committee must participate in examining and supervising the student.
Graduate degrees in biomedical engineering have been offered by the University since 1974. The undergraduate degree program and the Department of Biomedical Engineering were established in 2001. The department fosters a unique environment in which scholars and scientists may excel in both fundamental research and its translation to clinical applications.
The mission of the UT Austin graduate program in biomedical engineering is to educate students in the fundamentals of engineering and science as they affect biology and medicine and to perform multidisciplinary, disease-oriented research at the molecular, cellular, organ, and systemic levels. The program aims fully to integrate biology and engineering research and education at the graduate level.
The graduate program has approximately 130 students, with backgrounds in biology, chemistry, physics, and various engineering disciplines. Students come from all over the United States and the world to gain unique knowledge and experience. Apart from coursework and research in some of the world’s premier laboratories, there are many opportunities for personal and professional development through interaction with industry professionals, conference attendance, and seminars with leaders in the field.
Doctoral students receive full financial support, either through teaching assistant or graduate research assistant positions or through one of many fellowships. More than half the students in the program have fellowships from a source like the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, or the Cockrell School of Engineering.
This program has been designated as a STEM-eligible degree program, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security.