Graduate Program

Overview

The Biomedical Engineering PhD program in the College of Engineering at the University of Delaware is built on a common core curriculum with advanced curricula allowing students to expand their knowledge in specific areas related to their research interests. Due to the interdisciplinary nature of Biomedical Engineering, BME graduate students may work with faculty advisors from different research areas who have primary appointments in the BME department or in other departments at UD. Faculty Advisors, along with the dissertation committee, are responsible for defining the student’s research responsibilities and for evaluating the student’s performance. With research areas spanning musculoskeletal biomechanics, drug delivery and nanomedicine, cell and tissue engineering, disease modeling, and neuroengineering and rehabilitation, the PhD program in BME at UD offers both academic rigor and flexibility to meet the needs of students with different interests and backgrounds. The department offers a safe, equitable, and inclusive environment for researchers from diverse backgrounds. For inquiries, please contact the BME graduate program.

Deadlines (December 15th priority: February 1st Final)

Admission decisions are made by the BME Graduate Committee. The application deadline is December 15th for students who wish to matriculate in the subsequent fall semester. We will continue to review new applications until February 1. Students are advised to apply early since applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Admissions offers are typically made by March, and the deadline for decisions to accept offers of admission is April 15 for matriculation in the fall semester.

Spring Exceptions (Dec 1st)

Under exceptional circumstances, students may be considered for off-cycle (Spring) admissions, with an application deadline of December 1. Students who wish to apply for Spring term admission should notify the graduate program and their potential advisor to ensure that their application is reviewed.

Application Process

Applications to the UD BME PhD program should be submitted through the University of Delaware Graduate College website. Required application materials include the student’s transcript(s), three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement that describes the student’s preparation for and interest in obtaining a PhD in BME from UD. The GRE requirement has been waived for students who wish to matriculate in 2021, but scores may be submitted if a student has already taken the exam and desires to include them. Students who wish to apply to our PhD program without a GRE score should enter a future GRE exam date into the application when prompted. This need not be an actual exam date. Entering a future date will allow the application to be sent to our review committee where it will receive full consideration. Reporting scores is entirely optional. If a student elects to not submit a GRE score, it will have no bearing on the competitiveness of their application. Questions regarding the admissions process may be submitted to bmeg-info@udel.edu. For information on waiving the graduate application fee, please go to https://grad.udel.edu/fees-and-funding/application-fee/ or contact the Graduate Advisor at bmeg-info@udel.edu.

Aid

Financial assistance is awarded on a competitive basis to the pool of admitted applicants. The University of Delaware’s policies apply to all forms of financial aid. Please refer to the University Policies for Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships. The majority of students in the BME program will be supported on research contracts and grants obtained by their Faculty Advisors. Students on projects without external funding will be provided support (assuming that their progress is satisfactory) through the use of either other program funds or by appointment as a teaching assistant. No student will be supported by departmental funds for more than 2 semesters; funds beyond such a commitment must be provided by the Faculty Advisor or by appointment as a teaching assistant. In general, funding is not guaranteed beyond five years. Students in the Biomedical Engineering program may be provided Graduate Assistantships:

Research Assistants (RAs) are generally funded by research grants and contracts provided by external funding agencies. Students should be supported as an RA through their Faculty Advisor’s research funds once they are matched (beginning in November 1 of the student’s matriculating year). RAships provide full tuition and a stipend.
Teaching Assistants (TAs) are offered for graduate students to perform teaching and other instructional activities. Note that this is different from the Teaching Aid Requirement in the PhD program. The amount of service may vary from week to week but the average is usually expected to be 20 hours per week. A TAship provides full tuition and a stipend. In accordance with University of Delaware regulations, TAs must fulfill the requirements detailed in the Teaching Aid Requirement section.

English Proficiency Tests

International applicants should take the TOEFL exam within the last 2 years with minimum scores as follows:

Test	Score
Computer Based Test	223
iBT	84 with a 20 or higher for the iBT Speaking component

Update- As testing centers have closed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), the University of Delaware will temporarily accept the additional tests

Test	Score
TOEFL at Home	79 overall with Speaking component 18 or higher
IELTS Indicator	6.5 overall with no individual Speaking sub-score below 6.0
iTEP Academic-Plus	3.7 overall with Speaking component 3.5 or higher

Waivers are only allowed when:

A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a university recognized by the ministry of education in a country where English is the primary language.
OR
A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a college or university located in the United States and accredited by a regional accrediting association.

For additional clarifications, please refer to: https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/grad/prospective-students/grad-admissions/test-scores/

The Biomedical Engineering (BME) program offers a PhD degree program and plans to offer a Master of Science program.

Requirements

Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, and those who do not meet all the requirements are not necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. Applicants to the PhD program in BME should meet the following criteria:

- A bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, physical, or biological sciences from an accredited 4-year college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
- Engineering, science, and math courses from the following list, while not required for admission, are highly recommended: Calculus, Differential Equations, Calculus-based Physics, Biology, Physiology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Signal Processing, Statics and Dynamics, Probability and Statistics, and Computer Programming. It is understood that very few applicants will have completed all of these courses, but all provide a foundation that will help with the required courses in the Biomedical Engineering graduate program.
- For international applicants, a TOEFL exam taken within the last 2 years with a minimum score of 223 for the computer-based test and of 84 for the iBT with a 20 for the iBT speaking component.
- Competitive GRE scores of 155 for Quantitative and 308 or higher for Quantitative + Verbal.
  *Please note: The BME Department is waiving the GRE requirement for the December 2020 application deadline. Scores may be submitted if desired. Students who wish to apply without a GRE score should enter a future exam date into the application when prompted. This need not be an actual exam date. Entering a future date will allow the application to be sent to our review committee where it will receive full consideration. Questions regarding GRE waivers or the admission process may be sent to bmeg–info@udel.edu.
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals acquainted with the student and their academic work or from employers or others who have had a supervisory relationship with the applicant and are able to assess the applicant’s potential for success in graduate studies.
- A personal statement (1-2 page) that indicates:
  - the reason for the students’ interest in graduate study
  - a discussion of previous research experience and/or industrial experience
  - the student’s area(s) of research interest and a list of faculty with whom they would like to work
  - the student’s ultimate career objectives
We encourage applications from students from all backgrounds.

On the Rise

Our graduate program ranked 44th in US News and World Report’s 2020 graduate program rankings, placing it in the top third of the nation’s BME PhD programs. Our past and current students have won numerous awards, including the NSF GRFP, NIH F31, and DOD NDSEG graduate fellowships. Additionally, BME students have won 3 out of the last 7 prestigious George W. Laird Merit Fellowships! Upon completion of their degree, our students have continued to successful independent careers in both academia and industry.

PhD Program

2016_BME_grads The PhD program in Biomedical Engineering consists of 39 credits of graduate level course work including at least 9 credits of Doctoral Dissertation. The program allows for considerable flexibility in course selection. The PhD program also requires completion of a Teaching Aid requirement, the Qualifying Exam, the Candidacy Defense and the Doctoral Dissertation. PhD students are required to take 5 core courses and a minimum of 4 technical electives. The table below lists the course requirements for a PhD degree in BME.

PhD requirements in Biomedical Engineering: 39 credits total
5 Core courses	15 credits
Principles of Biomedical Engineering (2 courses)	6 credits
Advanced Math	3 credits
Statistics	3 credits
Communication and Ethics	3 credits
4 Elective courses (Minimum)	12 credits
Research	3 credits minimum
Dissertation	9 credits minimum
Seminar series (3 semesters)	0 credits

Students will be matched to a Faculty Advisor from a list of BME-affiliated faculty members participating in the degree program. For the first 2 months following fall matriculation, the student will be advised by the BME Graduate Director (unless a direct match to an advisor is made during the admission process). The student will be responsible for identifying potential faculty advisors by meeting with faculty in early September, attending faculty presentations in BMEG 801 (seminar series), and attending research group meetings. By Oct 15th students must submit a ranked list that contains at least 3 potential advisors. Advisors also submit a ranked list of students (blind to student ranking). The BME Graduate Director will match the student to a Faculty Advisor before the end of October. The Faculty Advisor will be the primary contact of the student for questions and advice on his/her thesis research throughout the remainder of the program. The student will develop a plan of study for the program with the Faculty Advisor by the end of the second semester of their first year. Any changes to a student’s program of study must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and the BME Graduate Director. For more information, please consult the graduate handbook.

Core Courses (15 credits)

Principles of Biomedical Engineering (8 credits)

BISC 605 Advanced Mammalian Physiology (4) Systemic mammalian physiology: cellular mechanisms, muscle, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, digestive and endocrine systems. Emphasizes human physiology and includes discussions of primary literature in the field of physiology research. PREREQ: BISC 306 or instructor’s approval

BISC 606 Advanced Mammalian Physiology II (4)

Continuation of BISC605. Systemic mammalian physiology: respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems and metabolism.

Advanced Math (3 credits)

ELEG 671 Mathematical Physiology (3) Mathematical methods in Human Physiology, covering cellular, tissue, organ, and integrated systems. Dynamic modeling of homeostasis, endocrine regulatory systems, immune response dynamics, mutation and selection. Mathematical methods covered include linear and nonlinear differential equations, Lyapunov analysis, mass action, Hamming spaces, reaction-diffusion equations, and simulation.

Previous years: MATH 607 Survey of Scientific Computing (3) Numerical solution of linear systems; interpolation; differentiation and quadrature; transforms/FFT; nonlinear equations; initial value problems; boundary value problems; Monte Carlo methods; finite difference methods for partial differential equations. Additional topics at the discretion of the instructor. PREREQ: Linear algebra, differential equations, multivariable calculus. MATH 616 Modeling in Applied Mathematics (3) Introduction to modeling and analytical techniques used in solving problems arising in a variety of physical settings. Biological modeling. Derivation of the equations of mathematical physics. Solution behavior of nonlinear systems of ODE’s. Use of software to explore solutions to physical systems. PREREQ: One semester of advanced calculus MEEG 690 Intermediate Engineering Mathematics (3) Linear algebra: generalized vector space, eigenvalue problem, diagonalization, quadratic forms. Field theory: divergence theorem, Stokes’ theorem, irrotational fields. Sturm-Liouville theory, Bessel functions, Legendre polynomials. Partial differential equations: diffusion and Laplace equations by separation of variables and Sturm-Liouville theory, wave equation. Engineering applications.

Statistics (3 credits) – Choose 1

BISC 643 Biological data analysis (3) Single-Semester introduction to the numerical analysis of biological data in fields such as molecular and cellular biology. Emphasis on choosing and using the correct analysis method for each experiment by using small number of relatively simple statistical tests. CHEG 604 Probability and Statistics for Engineering (3) Fundamental approach to modeling, characterization and analysis of random phenomena with the objective of providing students with the basic principles, methods and tools for solving engineering problems involving randomly varying phenomena. Application areas explored include experimental design, manufacturing, system reliability, and cellular biology. PREREQ: MATH302, MATH305, or equivalent with permission of instructor.

Previous years: STAT 608 Statistical Research Methods (3) An introductory statistics course for advanced undergraduate and graduate students with applications for life sciences, business, health, engineering, and the social sciences. The course managing and describing data; the normal, t, F and chi squared distributions; the logic of inference; inferential statistics for one and two sample problems; analysis of table data; analysis of variance; and multiple regression. The course is taught using statistical software.

Communication and Ethics (3 credits)

BMEG 801: Communication in Biomedical Engineering (3) Communication methods for professional development such as written and oral presentations. Writing proposals, journal papers, and dissertations. Oral presentation of research, proposals, and informal presentations Selecting a research topic, reviewing literature, generating hypotheses, writing study designs.

Technical Electives (12 credits)

Technical Electives can be chosen from courses offered across departments.

BISC 602	Molecular Biology of Animal Cells
BISC 612	Advanced Cell Biology
BISC 625	Cancer Biology
BISC 626	Advanced Neuroanatomy
BISC 627	Advanced Neurophysiology
BISC 639	Developmental Neurobiology

BMEG 610	Tissue Biomechanics & Modeling
BMEG 640	Structural Attachments in Biology
BMEG 641	Biomechatronics
BMEG 662	Engineering Biomedical Nanostructures
BMEG 663	Mechanotransduction
BMEG 665	Tissue Biomechanics and Modeling
BMEG 679	Introduction to Medical Imaging Systems
BMEG 695	Computational Systems Biology

CHEG 604	Probability and Statistics for Engineering Problem Solving
CHEG 620	Biochemical Engineering
CHEG 621	Metabolic Engineering
CHEG/CHEM 649	Molecular Biophysics
CHEG 650	Biomedical Engineering
CHEG 801	Process Control and Dynamics
CHEG 825	Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics
CHEG 827	Chemical Engineering Problems
CHEG 828	Statistical Thermodynamics
CHEG 842	Selected Topics in Biochemical Engineering
CHEG 845	Advanced Transport Phenomena

CHEM 641	Biochemistry
CHEM 642	Biochemistry
CHEM 643	Intermediary Metabolism
CHEM 645	Protein Structure and Function
CHEM 646	DNA-Protein Interactions
CHEM 647	Biochemical Evolution
CHEM 648	Membrane Biochemistry

CISC 642	Intro to Computer Vision
CISC 681	Artificial Intelligence
CISC/BINF 689	Topics: Artificial Intelligence
CISC/BINF 849	Advanced Topics in Computer Applications
CISC 852	Computer Network Performance
CISC 887	Internet Information Gathering

CIEG 601	Introduction to the finite element method

ELEG 630	Information theory
ELEG 631	Digital signal processing
ELEG 636	Statistical signal processing
ELEG 671	Mathematical Physiology
ELEG 675	Image processing with biomedical applications
ELEG 679	Intro to medical imaging systems
ELEG 680	Immunology for engineers
ELEG 801	Advanced topics in biomedical engineering

MATH 529	Fundamentals of Optimization
MATH 611	Introduction to Numerical Discretization
MATH 617	Introductions to Applied Mathematics II
MATH 630	Probability Theory and Applications
MATH 660	Intro to Systems Biology

MEEG 612	Biomechanics of human movement
MEEG 624	Control of dynamic systems
MEEG 682	Clinical biomechanics
MEEG 683	Orthopedic biomechanics
MEEG 684	Biomaterials and tissue engineering
MEEG 685	Control of human movement
MEEG 686	Cell and tissue transport
MEEG 862	Advanced Engineering Analysis

MSEG/CHEG 601	Structure and Properties of Polymer Materials
MSEG 625	Entrepreneurship and risk: meeting the challenges
MSEG 630/CHEG 600	Introduction to Polymer Science and Engineering
MSEG 633/833	Polymer Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory
MSEG 635/835	Principles of Polymer Physics
MSEG 660	Biomaterials and Tissue engineering
MSEG 803	Equilibria in Materials Systems
MSEG 804	Kinetics in Materials Systems
MSEG 817	Composite Materials
MSEG/CHEG 823	TEM in Materials Science
MSEG 832	Principles of Polymerization

STAT 609	Regression and Experimental Design

Courses not on the above Elective list can be substituted with permission of the Faculty Advisor and the BME Graduate Director. This list will be updated and provided on the program website annually. For descriptions of technical electives, please refer to the UD Course Catalog. BME may waive the requirement for up to 18 credit hours of course work for students entering with a Master’s Degree or credits for graduate course work performed at another recognized graduate school. Waivers will only be granted for courses that cover subjects eligible for credit toward a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Delaware. Requests for a course waiver must be initiated by the student before the beginning of their third semester at UD. Waivers must be approved by the Faculty Advisor and the BME Graduate Director and will be contingent on the student’s demonstration of satisfactory performance in course work taken at UD.

Seminar Series

Biomedical engineering is an emerging and rapidly expanding field where engineering and biological disciplines converge. To keep up to date with the wide variety of research encompassed by this field, students are required to take 3 semesters of the seminar series BMEG 890.

Teaching Aid Requirement

The ability to communicate ideas, concepts, and factual information is an essential skill for all PhD graduates, even those who have no interest in an academic position. In recognition of this, all PhD students are required to fulfill a Teaching Aid Requirement for 1 semester that consists of serving as a Teaching Aid. Note that this is different from the Teaching Assistantships offered as financial aid. While fulfilling this Teaching Aid Requirement, students are expected to continue being actively involved in their research. The responsibilities of the Teaching Aid Requirement will be defined by the course instructor and should not exceed approximately 10 hours per week. In general, the PhD student should not merely be assigned grading responsibilities. He/she should have an opportunity to plan and deliver lectures, lead discussion sections and lead laboratory exercises. Direct interaction with course students is highly encouraged. The University requires that all first time Teaching Aids take a 2-day TA teaching conference offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. International students must also enroll in the winter session of the ELIITA (English Language Institute International Teaching Assistant) program before performing their teaching requirement. Although the exact timing of these appointments is flexible, it is highly desirable to complete all teaching responsibilities during the 2nd year, although they can be extended to the 3rd year. The BME Graduate Committee assigns these positions in November (for the upcoming spring semester) and in May (for the following fall). Students are encouraged to submit their preferences for specific positions early to facilitate the process. Although every effort will be made to satisfy these requests, students should recognize that this is not always possible.

Qualifying Exam

The Qualifying Exam must be taken in the summer after the first year (and after completion of at least 5 approved courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better). For students with non-fall matriculation or part-time study, the timing of this exam will be set based on course completion and approval by the Graduate Director. This exam includes a written proposal and an oral presentation of the proposal. The student will have 2 weeks to prepare a 6-page maximum research proposal (on a topic suggested by the advisor) that 1) identifies a research question, 2) formulates testable hypotheses and aims, and 3) describes a study design that addresses these aims. **Note: This proposal is NOT the student’s thesis proposal, although the advisor can select an area within the likely general topic of the eventual thesis. The student will give a 15 min oral presentation to and will be questioned by a small committee of 3 BME faculty members chosen by the BME Graduate Committee. The student will be evaluated on his/her bioscience knowledge, engineering knowledge, written proposal, presentation, and quality of the Q&A. The outcome will be Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail. With a Conditional Pass, the student must address the specific concerns within a period designated by the committee that cannot be more than 1 year (e.g., take certain courses, revise the proposal in a specific manner). If the Conditional Pass terms are not met or if the student Fails, he/she will be dis-enrolled from the PhD program.

Dissertation Committee

As soon as possible, but no more than 1 year after passing the Qualifying Exam, the student must establish a Dissertation Committee. The Dissertation Committee is selected by the Faculty Advisor and the student, and must have a minimum of 4 members including the advisor and at least 3 additional faculty. 3 members must have an appointment in BME (Primary, Joint, or Affiliated), at least one member must hold a Primary or Voting Joint appointment in BME, and 1 must be from outside the primary research area of the dissertation topic. 3 members must be from the University of Delaware. The student must submit a 1-2 page research plan approved by the committee to the graduate director. The research plan should contain a brief description of the student’s proposed research area including major questions to be addressed, a brief summary of research accomplishments so far, one paragraph justifying the committee composition, and a preliminary timeline for the completion of the degree. The Graduate Director must approve the committee, chair, and research plan, and any subsequent changes in committee members.

Sustaining Status

Once a student has completed all coursework required for the BME PhD degree, completed the Teaching Aid requirement, passed the Qualifying Exam, and established a Dissertation Committee, they will be considered a PhD Candidate eligible for sustaining status by the BME department. Once all these requirements are met, the student must submit a Candidacy Form to the Office of Graduate and Professional Education.

Dissertation Proposal

The Dissertation Proposal requires a written proposal outlining the plan of research for the PhD and an oral presentation and defense of this proposal to the Dissertation Committee. The written proposal will follow a NIH R01 format, with a page limit of 15 pages. A curriculum vita, Progress Report Form, and a graduate-level transcript should also be included. All materials should be distributed to the Dissertation Committee at least 2 weeks before the oral proposal. The defense will include a 30 min presentation by the student, followed by a 60 min Q&A discussion. The student must complete the Dissertation Proposal within 2 years of the Qualifying Exam or must petition the Graduate Director for an extension.

Completing the PhD

To complete the PhD, students must pass a Dissertation Exam. This exam involves approval of the written dissertation and an oral defense of the dissertation. The written dissertation must be submitted to his/her Dissertation Committee at least 2 weeks before the defense. The oral presentation will be open to the public and will last ~45 min. After questions from the public not to exceed 15 minutes, a closed Q&A session with the Dissertation Committee of 30-60 minutes will follow. The student will be responsible for making corrections to the dissertation document and for meeting all Graduate School deadlines for submission. Student must complete the Dissertation Exam within 5 years of the Qualifying Exam (6 years after matriculation) or must petition the Graduate Director for an extension.