BME - Academics

Engineers who understand biology and who can apply their knowledge and skills to improve human health are increasingly in demand. A professional degree in biomedical engineering (BME) will prepare students to fill this increasingly critical need. For selected students there is also the opportunity to pursue both M.Eng. and MBA degrees in a combined program. More information on the M.Eng-MBA is available here.

Educational Goal

We expect to prepare students for professional practice in BME. Students in the program will acquire a broad perspective of the biomedical engineering discipline that complements their undergraduate training in engineering or science, and an in-depth knowledge of an essential area in biomedical engineering. Graduates will be equipped to design biomedical devices and develop therapeutic strategies within the bounds of health care economics, the needs of patients and physicians, the regulatory environment for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, and stringent ethical standards of biomedical engineering practice.

Expected Applicant Background

Students from a wide variety of backgrounds in engineering and science may obtain admission and are encouraged to apply.

All students will satisfy the following requirements:

• BS degree or equivalent in engineering or science
  
• Calculus-based physics (8 credits), mathematics starting with calculus (12 credits) an introductory computer science course or equivalent, and a college-level biology course.
  
• By the time of graduation, we expect all BME M.Eng. students to understand molecular- and cellular-based biomedical engineering and engineering analysis of physiological systems at the level of BME 3010, 3020, 4010, and 4020. This understanding can be demonstrated through appropriate undergraduate coursework before joining the Cornell BME M.Eng. program. Students lacking this background may need to complete additional courses (beyond the normal 30 credits) as a part of their Cornell BME M.Eng. program in order to demonstrate appropriate understanding in these subject areas.
  
• Cornell University undergraduates can apply for the Early Admission option which is described here.

Project

The M.Eng. project is typically a 6 credit project performed over two semesters. It is called a "project" rather than a "thesis" because groups of students can collaborate on the project, the project can be industrially sponsored, and the project can continue from year-to-year with an evolving group of students. The common sources of projects are the BME faculty, industrial colleagues, and clinicians in the Medical and Veterinary colleges. The character of different projects is highly variable, e.g., a project might be primarily a theoretical study (e.g., aerodynamics of a neonatal respirator) or might be primarily a laboratory experiment (e.g., tissue engineering of an intravertebral disc).

Courses

A total of at least 30 credits is required, including the credits for the project. No more than 2 credits can be graded S/U (i.e., Pass/Fail). The courses are divided into groups:

Design:

• BME 5500 Product Engineering and Design in Biomedical Engineering

Project:

• BME 5910: Design Project
• BME 5920: Performance of Design Project

Breadth:

• BME 5010: Bioengineering Seminar
• 4 Courses spread across three research areas selected from a list of about two dozen courses.

Electives:

• Any graduate-level course in Engineering, Biology (which is spread across many Colleges and Departments), Chemistry, and Physics.
• Any course offered by the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management which is open to non MBA students which includes important offerings such as NBA 5070 Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers.