Master of Biomedical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers Ph.D. and M.S. degree programs consisting of integrated graduate-level training in engineering, the life sciences and the medical sciences. Students graduating from this program will have acquired expertise in the application of engineering principles to fundamental problems in biology, clinical problems in medicine, or in the development of new biomedical instrumentation. They are also expected to produce scholarly work to be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scholarly conferences. Graduate curricula and student assessment in biomedical engineering is under the direction of the program chair and a graduate curriculum committee drawn from the faculty in the Biomedical Engineering Department.

Opportunities for specialized research are offered by graduate faculty working on electrical, mechanical, and biophysical properties of biological materials and the application of this knowledge to understanding molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ level processes involved in health and disease. Specific applications include:  artificial organs, biomaterials, bioMEMs, nanotechnology, biophotonics, cellular and medical imaging, cardiovascular engineering, cell signaling and protein dynamics, mechanobiology, systems biology, bioinformatics, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Extensive computer facilities and specialized equipment are available to support a combination of studies that employ experimental observations and their analysis through mathematical modeling and computer simulations.

Master of Science (M.S.)

• Graduates will be able to demonstrate understanding of advanced core principles and methods from selected sub-fields of Biomedical engineering at a depth consistent with their course of study.
• Graduates will be able to apply their knowledge of selected sub-fields of Biomedical engineering to formulate and solve engineering problems.
• Graduates will be able to analyze and synthesize knowledge within the field of Biomedical engineering to extend existing knowledge through a research experience and thesis.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication appropriate to their discipline.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of, and a commitment to, the standards for scholarship and research integrity within Biomedical Engineering.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

• Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of advanced core principles and methods as well as modern research findings from selected sub-fields of Biomedical engineering at a depth appropriate for a Ph.D. candidate.
• Graduates will be able to apply their knowledge of selected sub-fields of Biomedical engineering in formulating and executing a research plan.  
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyze and synthesize appropriate literature, to critically review their work in the context of the literature, and to formulate and defend conclusions based on their research that represent new scholarly contributions.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate high levels of proficiency in oral and written communication.
• Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of, and a commitment to, the standards for scholarship, professional practice, and research integrity.