Master of Bioengineering (MBE) Degree

MBE Degree 

MBE degree is a non-thesis master’s degree. For general university requirements, please see Non-Thesis Master’s Degrees. For additional requirements, regulations, and procedures for all graduate programs, . Students pursuing MBE degree must complete:

• A minimum of 30-35 credit hours, depending on area of specialization, to satisfy degree requirements.
• A minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate-level study (graduate semester credit hours, coursework at 500-level or above).
• A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken at Rice University.
• A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture/laboratory). 
• A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of part-time graduate study at Rice University.
• A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see Policies tab.
• one area of specialization (see below for areas of specialization). MBE degree program offers two areas of specialization:
  • Applied Bioengineering (class-only) or Applied Bioengineering (research option): designed as a flexible degree for students who will pursue careers in research, medicine, or related fields. This area of specialization of MBE degree is designed for students to transition to medical school or a PhD program, or to advance their professional career in biomedical industry or
  • Global Medical Innovation: designed specifically for students who will pursue a career in global medical technology industry. This area of specialization of MBE degree is designed to prepare engineers for careers in medical technology through education in innovation, emerging-market design projects and internships.
• A minimum overall GPA of 2.67 or higher in all Rice coursework.
• A minimum program GPA of 3.00 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of a B- (2.67 grade points) in each course (for Applied Bioengineering area of specialization), or a minimum program GPA of 3.20 or higher in all Rice coursework that satisfies non-thesis master’s degree with a minimum grade of a B- (2.67 grade points) in each course (for the Global Medical Innovation area of specialization).

Both areas of specialization have same prerequisites, though applicants will be evaluated considering different purposes of each. More information about each of these areas of specialization can be found below. Curriculum must be approved by Graduate Academic Affairs Committee and Bioengineering Department. This is done on a case-by-case basis.  

Master of Bioengineering (MBE) degree is a professional non-thesis master's degree. Students who have a BS or BA degree in an engineering or science discipline may apply. Depending on their background, some students may need to take remedial engineering courses to earn MBE degree. For more information, see department website.

courses listed below satisfy this degree program. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of program's academic advisor, or where applicable, department or program's Director of Graduate Studies. Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by department or program's Official Certifier. Additionally, these must be approved by Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document courses to be taken.

The English Language Proficiency Requirement may be waived for an international student who received a degree from an institution in which English is the official language of communication. Contact the admitting program for more information.

The following language proficiency tests are accepted by Rice graduate programs and will be used to assess English language proficiency. Please note the below scores are the minimum requirement, though some program requirements will be higher.

• The TOEFL IBT Home. A minimum score of 90 is required
• IELTS Indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.
• Duolingo. A minimum score of 115 is required.