Masters in Biomedical Engineering

An increasing number of engineering students come up with this question - “is a master’s in biomedical engineering worth it?” Well, the answer to that is “yes”! Along with preparing one for R&D jobs unlike a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering also opens the channel to a devoted career as an expert in one of the Biomedical Engineering specializations. Besides that, it is obvious that engineers with a master’s degree not only find more responsible positions that help in career advancement but also get paid higher.

What is Biomedical Engineering?

In the simplest terms, biomedical engineering involves the application of engineering methods to biology and medicine. It is geared towards the production of medical devices (both active and passive), enhancing and automating the treatment process, designing and developing biomaterials, and creating technologies that help medical professionals in their jobs of bettering and caring for human health.
The uniqueness of Biomedical Engineering is that it is dependent upon the developments in biological sciences and the understanding of the human body. Biomedical Engineers integrate this knowledge with the techniques and methods from an array of engineering disciplines to fulfil their tasks. A master’s student of Biomedical Engineering thus has to be a curious biology student besides being a bit of an electrical, chemical, mechanical, materials science and computer engineer. Sounds too much? Well, there’s nothing to worry as the interdisciplinary ness of biomedical engineering would depend upon the specialization one chooses. However, this is the very characteristic that makes it a challenging and enticing field.

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What do the Master’s Students of Biomedical Engineering Study?

There is virtually no end to the breadth of courses that are there for a biomedical expert in the making to choose from. Here is a list of the most important courses that are a part of a good biomedical engineering master’s curriculum: Biomaterials; Biomedical Imaging and Biophotonics; Computational Modeling (Biological and Biomedical systems); Drug and Gene delivery; Cell and Tissue Engineering; Neural Engineering; Regenerative Medicine; Quantitative Physiology; Bioelectrical Engineering; Biomedical Nanotechnology; Biomedical Robotics
Additionally, some of the innovative courses might include biodesign for mobile and digital health, mechanotransduction, optical control of tissues, protein engineering, metabolic engineering among others.

What is the Masters in Biomedical Engineering Admission Requirements?

The most common masters in biomedical engineering requirements for applying and admission to a program are the following:
Bachelor’s Degree Requirements: Biomedical Engineering is vastly interdisciplinary, and therefore, those with an undergraduate background in most science and engineering disciplines are welcomed to do a master’s degree. However, universities might prefer candidates with a bachelor’s in life sciences, computer science, electrical engineering, and related areas. Needless to say, those with a bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering will have slightly higher chances of being selected. Some universities might demand prerequisite coursework as masters in biomedical engineering requirements. This prerequisite coursework will broadly include the following:

Mathematics: Calculus, Linear Algebra and Differential Equations

Physics: At least two semesters of calculus-based physics and one semester of Electrical Circuits coursework

Chemistry: At least two semesters of chemistry coursework

Life Sciences: Anatomy and Physiology

Programming: At least two semesters of basic college-level computer science coursework

Coursework in embedded systems, signals, processing, microprocessors, etc. becomes a necessity if a Medical Devices specialization track is chosen.

In case the prerequisite coursework has not been done, bridge courses during the first semester of the master’s program will have to be taken by the students compulsorily.

Other Requirements

TOEFL and IELTS: Many departments would ask for above-average scores in the language ability tests from applicants who are from non-English speaking countries. It would be better to check the minimum acceptable scores in the tests. Also note that if the exam was taken a few years ago, the scores might not be valid.

GRE: GRE might not be a necessary prerequisite for applying for a master’s in Biomedical Engineering, and the requirement should be checked from the official websites of the universities one is applying to. Either there are minimum acceptable scores for each section of the GRE exam as masters in biomedical engineering admission requirements, or there is a system of differential weightage for core in each section. If required, the GRE subject test should be taken in Biology.

Undergraduate GPA: It is usually above average. One cannot expect the application to be accepted or preferred if the undergraduate GPA is less than 3.0. The minimum GPA requirement for admission to a master’s in some leading departments might be even higher (3.2 to 3.5).

Letters of Recommendation and Statement of Purpose: Three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose are usually demanded by most departments.

It is advised that if one is grappling with how to do masters in biomedical engineering abroad, one should make a list of all the universities one wishes to apply for along with their respective admission requirements so that they can assess their profiles and applications accordingly and proceed.