Nov 28, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology MS


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A minimum 31-credit Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology is offered. This program prepares students for a professional career and may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis. The M.S. program includes 12 credits of core courses, a minimum of 12 credits of specialization courses and a three-credit capstone research project course along with an optional 3-credit thesis option (or 3 extra credits of specialization courses in lieu of thesis) incorporating course knowledge and experimental skills into a brief but detailed experimental study.

The program aims to provide its MS recipients with the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • The application of their knowledge in solving current biomedical/health problems especially in relationship to new discoveries in nanoscience and technology;
  • Competency in cutting-edge technical/laboratory/computer skills related to a wide range of instrumentation/procedures;
  • Providing graduates with the skills, experience, and confidence to solve problems not yet encountered
  • The ability to work on integrated problems in multidisciplinary research teams;
  • Communicate technical material effectively both orally and through technical reports and publications
  • The development of advanced problem-solving skills using a multidisciplinary approach;
  • Knowledge about intellectual property/patents/regulatory issues;
  • The understanding of how theory/concepts are related to applied research;
  • The understanding of how applied research is conducted in an industrial setting;
  • The understanding of how industry applies experimental research to equipment design/manufacturing/product development.

Two Graduate Program Co-Directors perform administrative coordinating tasks for the UMass Dartmouth campus, one from the College of Arts and Sciences, and a second one from the College of Engineering. Also, a BMEBT coordinator is identified in each participating department.

Campus policy implementation for the program is guided by the UMass Dartmouth Advising/Admissions/Curriculum Committee (AACC), which provides advising, approves admissions, and otherwise gives campus-level oversight including campus curriculum development. The AACC reviews the credentials of new faculty members who wish to participate in the program.

At the university (system-wide) level, the Intercampus Academic Coordinating Committee (IACC) is charged with the responsibility of maintaining uniform academic standards across the four campuses, establishing academic policy, approving program faculty, and acting in roles analogous to those undertaken by a “program” or “curriculum” committee in an academic department.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants from many different science/engineering undergraduate programs are invited to apply. Because the degree brings together biomedical engineering with biotechnology, it is designed equally for students with life sciences or engineering/ physical science backgrounds.
Applications will be accepted from individuals holding appropriate bachelor’s degrees (or other US baccalaureate equivalents from a foreign institution). Applicants should have a background in life science, physical science, or engineering. All applicants must have taken a full year (two semester or three-quarter sequence) of calculus, and the successful applicants will normally have had undergraduate coursework in statistics/experimental design and in life science/biomedical science.

Admission Standards

Applicants submit the following and are expected to meet the standards indicated:

  • In general students with an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher will be considered for admission. Applicants must present official undergraduate transcripts from all schools attended.
  • Applicants must have a minimum of two semesters of calculus and have strong quantitative skills.
  • GRE is required, but waived (but strongly recommended) for applicants with cumulative baccalaureate degree GPA > 3.00. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted).
  • International applicants should present official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship.
  • One letter of recommendation, from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic ability and potential to conduct original research at the doctoral level, will be required.
  • Applicants will also be required to submit a Statement of Purpose (personal essay). This statement is an important element in the application packet. It has two related roles:
  1. Indication of an applicant’s qualifications and motivation for the program:  Applicants should indicate their qualifications and motivation to undertake this program as well as their personal and career goals. Specifically, the statement should indicate the applicant’s background, and career plans as they relate to the multidisciplinary nature of the program, and discuss research or work experience (academic and industrial)
  2. Indication of how an applicant will fit into the program: Applicants should indicate their specific areas of interest within Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, so that a fit between their interests and qualifications and the specific specialization options that the program offers can be determined.
  3. The Statement of Purpose should also exemplify the applicant’s writing skills.
  • We invite applicants also to submit a personal résumé.

Individual circumstances can be considered and extraordinary qualifications in some areas can be used to outweigh weaknesses in others.

Along with an admissions decision comes consideration of the appropriate program of courses for the applicant. Applicants may be admitted with a number of courses identified as conditional requirements that they will need to take to fill in for gaps in preparation or knowledge. Each admitted student is assigned to a faculty advisor, who will guide them in course selection.

Transfer of Credits

For students who have previously completed graduate course work, the admission committee may approve the transfer of up to 6 semester hours of graduate credits (or the equivalent) for courses from accredited United States or Canadian college or university that received a grade of B (not B-) or better if those courses were not already used in the degree requirements of another earned degree. The graduate school will govern the maximum number of credits that may be transferred into the program. The transfer credit may replace core or specialization course requirements. The project/directed studies credits will be accepted for transfer from institutions within the UMass system.

Students may also have core courses waived without transfer of course credit. Students would still be responsible for the full credits required of the master’s degree (minimum of 31 credits), but would not have to take the waived course.

Academic Program

The curriculum is organized around common experiences, including common core courses, elective/specialization courses, a required capstone project and an optional research thesis. The program encourages a multidisciplinary team approach during a variety of courses.

Elective Course Choices


Five elective courses must be completed when students elect to pursue Master’s Capstone Project BMB 620 (3).

Four elective courses must be completed when students elect to pursue BMB 620, followed by Master’s Thesis BMB 590 (3).

Total credits for degree


Students complete 11 courses for the degree, totaling 31 credits.

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