Frequently Asked Questions about Graduate Biomedical Engineering
at the University of Virginia
- What are the requirements for admission to the BME
program?
- Do I have to take the GRE SUBJECT Test for admission
to the BME program?
- Do I have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) Test?
- What is the deadline for application for admission
to the BME program?
- How do I apply to UVA?
- What are the major research areas at UVA?
- What is the likelihood that I will be awarded a teaching
or research assistantship to support my graduate education?
- Do I need to commit to a specific faculty member or lab
in advance in order to receive financial aid?
- Can I call individual faculty on the phone and discuss
mutual interests?
- Are there any required core courses?
- Can I pass out of required courses? How?
- What is on the comprehensive exam? How can I best
study for it?
- How should I obtain training in computational methods?
- Will I get a job in industry if I work in a "physiology-oriented"
lab?
- Do the different lab groups (imaging and vascular engineering, say) interact?
- Does my thesis need to have an analytical component?
- What kind of jobs do your students get upon graduation?
- Is it possible to do an M.D./Ph.D. at U.Va., with
the Ph.D. being in BME?
- Are there teaching assistantships as well as research
assistantships available in BME?
- Can a Physics undergraduate go straight into the BME
Program, or does he/she have to take several engineering courses first?
- Is Organic Chemistry required to enter the BME Graduate
Program?
- What if my question isn't answered here?
1. What are the requirements for admission to the BME program?
The general requirements for admission to the Ph.D., M.S., or M.E. programs
include a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, GRE General
Test scores, a completed application packet with short essay and letters of
recommendation. TOEFL scores are required for international students whose first
language is not English. Qualified applicants who are deficient in certain prerequisites
may be admitted with the expectation that they will remedy the deficiencies
during the master's program. Prerequisite courses include introductory chemistry
and biology, physics (two semesters based on calculus), mathematics through
differential equations, analysis of electrical circuits, and computer programming
(Fortran or C++).
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2. Do I have to take the GRE SUBJECT Test for admission
to the BME program?
No. Only the GRE General Test is required.
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3. Do I have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) Test?
Yes. All students who do NOT speak English as their native language (language
first learned and spoken at home) must take the TOEFL Test. If you believe that
your situation warrants a waiver of the TOEFL, please provide an explanation
of your circumstances in a letter to:
Richard Tanson
International Student & Scholar Programs (ISSP)
208 Minor Hall
P.O. Box 400165 Minor Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4165
434-982-3010
tanson@virginia.edu
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4. What is the deadline for application for admission to
the BME program?
For expedited review, please submit your completed application by JANUARY 1.
For U.S. citizens deadlines for completed applications are:
Fall Semester** August 1
For international students on visas (other than permanent residents) the deadline
for completed applications is at least five months prior to the semester for
which admission is sought so that the International Student Office can review
and process necessary papers.
**Financial aid decisions are made in the Spring for students entering in the
Fall semester. Therefore, ALL students seeking financial aid should submit applications
by January 15 for admission in September.
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5. How do I apply to UVA?
Students interested in applying for graduate study in BME must submit their
completed applications to the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Completed
applications are then reviewed by the BME Graduate Admissions Committee. Please
refer to the SEAS site for more
information
about the application process and all necessary forms.
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6. What are the major research areas at UVA?
Major research areas include:
Cardiovascular Bioengineering
Biomedical and Molecular Imaging
Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering
Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials
Neural and Bioelectric Systems
Musculoskeletal Bioengineering
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7. What is the likelihood that I will be awarded a teaching
or research assistantship to support my graduate education?
All Ph.D. students and most M.S. students are supported with full tuition,
fees, health insurance, and a stipend ($17,400 per year for M.S./$19,400 per
year for Ph.D.). An additional $2000 Dean's Fellowship is available for outstanding
students. Funding sources include graduate research assistantships (GRAs), graduate
teaching assistantships (GTAs), departmental fellowships, and training grants
of the NIH and other federal agencies, as well as private sector support. The
department assists students in applying for Whitaker Fellowships, National Science
Foundation Fellowships, and GEM Fellowships. The deadline for application for
financial aid is January 15 for the following academic year.
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8. Do I need to commit to a specific faculty member or
lab in advance in order to receive financial aid?
No. Many students participate in a lab rotation program for newly enrolled
students. The rotation program is designed to broaden the perspective of students
in biomedical engineering research and to help them make an informed choice
of laboratory for their thesis work. Students generally rotate through 3-4 department
labs during the Fall semester, spending three to four weeks in each lab. All
applicants are encouraged to visit our department to meet with faculty and current
students.
However, it is also possible to commit to a specific faculty member or lab
with available funding prior to beginning a program of study. In these cases,
an arrangement will be made at the time of an applicant's visit or shortly thereafter
to offer financial aid from a specific lab once the student's research interests
have been explored by a faculty member with available funding.
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9. Can I call individual faculty on the phone and discuss
mutual interests?
Certainly. We welcome your call or email. You may want to speak with one or
more of our faculty about their research and your specific research interest.
After speaking with a faculty member you may want to set up a visit to our department
with our Graduate Program Coordinator, Meg Harris at (434) 243-6906 or email
her at bmemeg@virginia.edu.
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10. Are there any required core courses?
Yes. The required core courses for all BME graduate degrees (M.E., M.S., Ph.D.)
are:
BIOM 691 Physiology I
BIOM 692 Physiology II
BIOM 610 Biomedical Instrumentation I
BIOM 611 Biomedical Instrumentation II
In addition, each degree has specific course and research requirements.
MS Degree Academic Requirements:
1. A minimum of 24 hours of coursework (many students will need 29 hours to
fulfill all requirements).
2. A curriculum (or prior coursework) containing:
a. BIOM 691 Physiology
b. BIOM 692 Physiology
c. BIOM 610 Biomedical Instrumentation
d. BIOM 611 Biomedical Instrumentation
3. A curriculum containing:
a. 2 approved graduate engineering courses in one concentration.
b. 2 advanced courses in Engineering or Basic Medical Sciences.
c. At least one course from 3.a. or 3.b. must be an advanced course in Biomedical
Engineering
d. At least four courses must be used to fulfill requirements 3.a. and 3.b.
e. At least one graduate mathematics course.
4. Completion of coursework with a GPA of at least 3.0.
5. Completion of at least 6 credit hours of research.
6. Preparation of an MS Thesis following SEAS guidelines.
7. 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.
ME Degree Academic Requirements:
1. A minimum of 30 hours of approved program of studies including:
a. BIOM 691, 692 Physiology
b. BIOM 610, 611 Biomedical Instrumentation
c. One approved graduate engineering course
d. Two advanced courses (700 or 800 level excluding BIOM 731) in Engineering
(including BME) or Basic Medical Sciences
e. At least one of the courses from section c. or d. above must be a 700 or
800 level course in Biomedical Engineering (excluding BIOM 731)
f. One graduate math course (BIOM 731, APMA 541, 543, or 634)
g. BIOM 895 (ME Project; 3 credit hrs.)
(The same course cannot be used to satisfy more than one of the above requirements.
An average GPA of 3.0 required for graduation.)
2. Completion of an ME Project:
3. Satisfactory passage of the ME Exam
PhD Degree Academic Requirements:
1. Twelve courses of 3 credits or more past the bachelor's degree or a minimum
of 36 credits (including any completed during a Master's program).
2. A curriculum (or prior coursework) containing:
a. BIOM 691 Physiology
b. BIOM 692 Physiology
c. BIOM 610 Biomedical Instrumentation
d. BIOM 611 Biomedical Instrumentation
3. A curriculum containing:
a. 6 credits of graduate mathematics or mathematics intensive courses, excluding
APMA 643 Statistics
b. At least 2 advanced BIOM courses and 1 advanced Life Sciences course
c. At least 9 credits of coursework must be at the 700 level or above
d. A sequence of 2 advanced engineering courses in one area of concentration
(for example, ChE 625, 730)
4. Completion of coursework with a GPA of at least 3.0.
5. Passage of the Comprehensive Examination
6. Defense of Dissertation Proposal
7. Completion of at least 24 credit hours of research.
8. Preparation of a PhD Dissertation following SEAS guidelines.
9. Passage of an oral final PhD examination
More detailed information about program requirements may be found in the Student
Handbook (.pdf).
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11. Can I pass out of required courses? How?
Yes. You may opt out of a course if you have successfully completed an essentially
similar course at another university. This is most commonly the case for Physiology
I (BIOM 691) and/or II (BIOM 692) for students with B.S. degrees in biomedical
engineering. Some students (usually with electrical engineering backgrounds)
pass out of Biomedical Instrumentation I (BIOM 610). When you pass out of a
core course, you still need to have the normal number of credits for graduation
(24 for M.S., 30 for M.E., 36 for Ph.D.). A student can petition the Committee
on Graduate Studies requesting a deviation from the normal requirements. This
petition should be in writing and should be endorsed by both the student's advisor
and department chair.
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12. What is on the comprehensive exam? How can I best
study for it?
The Comprehensive Examination is required by the School of Engineering and
Applied Science and all doctoral engineering students must take the exam. This
exam is administered once per year, usually in June. Most students take the
exam at the end of their second year of study.
The purpose of the exam is to determine whether the student has assimilated
and 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 tested.
The examination is in two parts, written and oral. The written examination
consists of two parts: Physiology (30%) and Biomedical Instrumentation and Biomathematics
(70%). Review of all coursework in physiology, instrumentation, and mathematics
is the best preparation. A similar exam from a previous year will be made available
about 2 months before the comprehensive exam.
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13. How should I obtain training in computational methods?
Some programming experience is a prerequisite (Fortran, C++). Training in specialized
computational methods is available during your graduate studies, mainly by taking
courses in graduate programs of other departments in the School of Engineering
and Applied Science.
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14. Will I get a job in industry if I work in a "physiology-oriented"
lab?
Most likely. Different laboratories serve different industries, including medical
device, medical imaging, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries. Ph.D.
and M.S. graduates from all kinds of labs have been successful in each of these
industries in the past. Some of the faculty in "physiology-oriented"
labs have excellent connections with industry, just like most of the instrumentation-
or imaging-oriented labs.
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15. Do the different lab groups (imaging and vascular
engineering, say) interact?
Yes. There are joint research projects and even joint grants. As an example,
MRI students image genetically engineered mice produced by two "physiology-oriented"
laboratories using a dedicated 4.7 Tesla research magnet.
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16. Does my thesis need to have an analytical component?
This is strongly encouraged. An analytical component can be a mathematical
model, a simulation, a substantial piece of programming, a design project, or
a conceptual model. During the thesis defense, you should be able to answer
the question "where is the engineering in your biology"?
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17. What kind of jobs do your students get upon graduation?
The PhD program is designed for students who wish to pursue research careers.
Graduates of the PhD program are well-prepared for careers in academia, government,
and industry.
The Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering is a degree program designed
for those who wish to emphasize the research aspect in their career development.
Graduates of this program pursue careers in industry, government and academia,
or continue their research endeavors in a Ph.D. program.
The Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering is primarily a professional
degree designed to strengthen the student's competence in the fields of engineering
and medicine. Students from the Master of Engineering program pursue challenging
careers in industry, hospitals, government and academia.
Examples of Life after Grad School:
Science Applications International Corp - Scientist in the Life Sciences
Division
Walter Lorenz Surgical, Inc. - Engineering
BTG, Inc - Health Care Systems Analyst
UVA School of Medicine - MD PhD program
UVA School of Medicine - MD in Pediatrics - MD PhD program
UVA Department of Radiology - Division of Nuclear Medicine
Direktor des Instituts fuer Chirurgische Forschung - Postdoctoral Fellow -
Munich, Germany
Dakkro Corporation - President
Medical Student - UC Davis
Micro Systems Engineering
Parke-Davis - Pharmaceutical Research
Geo-Centers - Engineer
CR Bard - Project Engineer
Alliance Pharmaceutical Corporation - Senior Engineer - Materials Engineering
Department
Navy at Patauxent Navel Base in Southern Maryland - Biomedical Engineer
Protein Polymer Technologies, Inc. - Research Engineer
Johns Hopkins Medical Center - Postdoctoral fellow - Department of Medicine
Medtronic.com - Engineer
Sensor Systems, Inc. - Engineer
University of Illinois, Chicago - Assistive Technology Unit
W. L. Gore, Products Specialist
Shared Medical Systems - Advanced Programmer Analyst
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18. Is it possible to do an M.D./Ph.D. at U.Va., with
the Ph.D. being in BME?
Yes, there is an M.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Virginia. This program
is supported by a highly competitive Medical Scientist Training Program grant
(MSTP) from the National Institutes of Health. The program is run by the Graduate
Programs Office in the School of Medicine. Ms. Jane Cornelius is the Program
Administrator and can be reached at (434) 243-9223 or by email jcc5k@virginia.edu.
Admission to the program is very competitive and includes admission to the School
of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Medicine.
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19. Are there teaching assistantships as well as research
assistantships available in BME?
Yes, both Graduate Teaching Assistantships and Graduate Research Assistantships
are available in our department. A Graduate Teaching Assistantship requires
a substantial time commitment as a teaching assistant in an undergraduate or
graduate engineering course. A Research Assistantship entails substantial laboratory
work toward your thesis research.
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20. Can a Physics undergraduate go straight into the BME
Program, or does he/she have to take several engineering courses first?
Yes. A physics undergraduate can go straight into the BME program. However,
he or she will be expected to remedy any deficiencies in the prerequisite coursework
during his or her master's program. BME prerequisite courses include:
Introductory Chemistry and Biology
Physics, two semesters (preferably based on calculus)
Mathematics through differential equations
Analysis of electrical circuits
Computer programming (Fortran, or C++ is best)
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21. Is Organic Chemistry required to enter the BME Graduate
Program?
No.
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22. What if my question isn't answered here?
Contact Meg Harris, Graduate Program Coordinator at bmemeg@virginia.edu
or (434) 243-6906.
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