The Joint Biomedical Engineering PhD program is offered through the Wallace H. Coulter (WHC) Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. The degree is conferred jointly by Georgia Tech and Emory. The curriculum is based on an integration of life sciences, engineering, and mathematics. The goal is to enable students to postulate and solve biomedical problems quantitatively and with a systems perspective. Both Georgia Tech and Emory faculty provide an integrative teaching medium for students by team teaching courses.
The curriculum will facilitate individual flexibility and depth of study through coursework selected by the student (and thesis advisor) in specific categories: BME Integrative Core, Bioscience/Data Science/Engineering Fundamentals, and BME Advanced Graduate Seminar. Other requirements include a bioethics course, a teaching course, a teaching practicum, and a nine-hour minor program of study outside the student's thesis research area. The resulting total minimum number of required hours is 35. It is anticipated (although not required) that students may take other elective coursework to fulfill the requirements of their individual research projects and/or training grants.
Soon after enrollment, students are matched with a thesis advisor based upon mutual interest. After successfully passing the qualifying examination, students submit a request for approval of their Thesis Reading Committee. Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, students will be awarded the PhD degree by the graduate schools of Georgia Tech and Emory.
Minimum Prerequisites
BS in Engineering or Life Sciences
One year of calculus-based physics
One semester of organic chemistry (two semesters recommended)
Calculus through differential equations
