General Information

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Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

Admission to the BME MS program is a selective process. Our Admissions Committee does a holistic review of all of the following materials. 

Application materials needed:

1. GRE scores are NOT required.
2. A 1-2 page essay or statement of purpose describing your background, research interests and career goals. Include in your statement any information pertinent to your research experience, whether in course work, special projects or employment. Please explain why you want to obtain a graduate degree in Biomedical Engineering and what, specifically, led you to apply to our graduate program. Please upload via GradApp portal.
3. Minimum of three letters of recommendation from former professors or individuals knowledgeable about your academic and scientific abilities. Students may submit/request additional recommendation letters if desired. Letters of recommendation should be uploaded via the Grad App portal.
4. For initial application, Unofficial College transcripts required. If accepted into program, Official Transcripts will be required prior to matriculation. Applicants are required to have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or quantitative life sciences for admission into the program, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Previous coursework including two courses in calculus, ordinary differential equations, and at least one course in life science is required. Applicants lacking in some area at the time of application may provide a plan to gain competence in these areas.
5. International Student from a non-English speaking country: 

6. English Proficiency 

   • Proof of English proficiency is required for any international applicant born in a country where English is not the official language.  

   • Please check our English Requirement list to verify your need to submit an English proficiency test.  

     Individual departments may require higher scores than the Graduate College and all tests must be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid.  The University of Arizona's institution code for sending official electronic score reports from ETS is 4832. 

7. Acceptable English Proficiency credentials:

   • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score of 79 iBT (or 60 on the revised PBT with no section score lower than 15).  Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid. 

   • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6

   • Pearson PTE Academic - minimum score of 60

   • Graduate English Language Endorsement from the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)

   • CEPT Full Academic test - offered by our Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum Total score of 110.

   • Exemptions 

     • Those exempt from submitting English proficiency scores are:

       • Applicants from countries where English is the official language.
       • Applicants who have completed a bachelors or graduate degree at a regionally accredited institution in the United States, or an approved institution in an official English speaking country.  Students eligible for this exemption, who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship from their department, must complete the mandatory English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation (ESPE.)  Refer to the GA Manual for more information:  http://grad.arizona.edu/funding/ga.
       • Applicants who have not yet completed a degree, but have two years of full-time academic study and have taken 48 upper division, graded undergraduate semester units or 30 graded, graduate semester units.  Units must not be older than two years from the term of enrollment.  Students eligible for this exemption, who are awarded a graduate teaching assistantship from their department, must complete the mandatory English Speaking Proficiency Evaluation (ESPE.)  Refer to the GA Manual for more information:  http://grad.arizona.edu/funding/ga.

Financial assistance, such as assistantships, traineeships, fellowships and internships, is available according to merit and awarded on a competitive basis after review of the applicants admitted to our program.

 

Standardized Tests

International student requirement:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - minimum score of 79 iBT (or 60 on the revised PBT with no section score lower than 15).  Individual MyBest scores must also be dated within 2 years of the enrollment term to be considered valid. 

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - minimum composite score of 7, with no subject area below a 6

• Pearson PTE Academic - minimum score of 60

• Graduate English Language Endorsement from the Center for English as a Second Language (CESL)

• CEPT Full Academic test - offered by our Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), minimum Total score of 110.

 

Funding Opportunities

Funding for Masters students is handled on a case-by-case basis.

Students may also be supported by a variety of fellowships and awards, many of which are listed by the Graduate College. The University of Arizona Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid also provides financial aid information.

 

 

Admissions Deadlines

We currently admit students to begin our program in Fall and Spring.

Fall: All application materials must be submitted by February 1st of the entrance year for international applicants, and March 1st of the entrance year for domestic applicants.

Spring: All application materials must be submitted by August 1st of the entrance year for international applicants, and September 1st of the entrance year for domestic applicants. 

 

International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

30 

Core Coursework Requirements

Master of Science Requirements

The courses will be established in consultation with the student’s mentor and Thesis committee.  The courses chosen should be based on the student’s area of specialization. A high level of performance is expected of students who are enrolled in graduate programs at The University of Arizona.  Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.00 (letter grade of B) or better to continue enrollment in the degree-granting program, receive financial support, and to be awarded an M.S. or Ph.D. degree.

Transfer Credits

In some cases, certain degree requirements may be waived if equivalent course work has been completed previously.  Please see Graduate College policies for transferring credits.  Once Graduate College policies have been followed, the BME Graduate Studies Committee will review requests and make decisions about course acceptance.  Please contact the BME Graduate Advisor for more information.

 

Course Requirements

BME 510 (3) – Biology for Biomedical Engineering

BME 511 (3) – Physiology for Biomedical Engineering

BME 517 (3) – Measurement and Data Analysis in Biomedical Engineering or BME 547 (3) – Sensors and Controls

Choose at least one focus areas (3 units total) of:

BME 516 (3) – Biomedical Imaging 

BME 520 (3) – Biophotonics

BME 561 (3) – Biological and Synthetic Materials 

BME 566 (3) – Biomechanical Engineering 

BME 577 (3) – Intro to Biomedical Informatics 

BME 581B (3) – Cell and Tissue Engineering

BME 586 (3) – Biomaterial-Tissue Interactions 

BME 696A Seminar/696C Forum (1) (2 units required, up to 4 units can count toward total)

BME 592 Rotation (1)

Graduate Coursework (9 units) – List:

Level 500+ courses, dependent on approval of mentor and Graduate Studies Committee

Example:

BME 585 (3) - Nanotechnology for BME

BME 547 (3) - Sensors + Controls

BME 586 (3) - Biomaterial-Tissue Interactions

BME 910 Thesis (6 units) or BME 909 Master’s Report (3 units) and additional coursework (3 units)

 

Elective Coursework

Nine units in graduate engineering, life or physical sciences, or mathematics courses (which can include one additional unit of Research Methods in Biomedical Engineering, or up to two additional units of BME seminar/student forum); and six units of BME Thesis (or three units of MS Report and an additional 3 unit elective course.  The units will focus on the student’s biomedical engineering research interests such that the courses complement and broaden the student’s undergraduate degree and provide the student with the skills necessary to complete the research.  The courses will be established in consultation with the student’s mentor and Thesis committee.  The courses chosen should be based on the student’s area of specialization.

 

Additional Requirements

N/A

 

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate	58.67%
Avg. Time-to-degree (years)	1.35
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male	55.41%
Enrollment Percent Female	44.59%
Enrollment Percent International	28.38%
Enrollment Percent URM	21.62%

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