The biomedical and chemical engineering Ph.D. program provides you with the knowledge, training, and expertise to tackle important problems in industry, academia, government, and health care.
In the biomedical and chemical engineering Ph.D. program you will complete a number of classes in your first two years of study, including foundational courses with other engineering doctorate students, discipline-specific courses within biomedical and chemical engineering, and elective courses you select with your research advisor. You will complete a research thesis project with your faculty advisor in their lab and may have the opportunity to complete a complementary industrial co-op or internship. You will graduate from the program as a highly skilled researcher who is well positioned to be a leader in the next generation of engineers who will help tackle the challenging and complex problems facing our society.
Plan of Study
The curriculum for the biomedical and chemical engineering Ph.D. program provides the knowledge and skills to develop successful independent researchers.
Core Courses: Core courses, which are usually completed during the first two semesters of the program, serve as foundational preparation for elective courses. They develop your core competency skills for research, introduce the research landscape in biomedical and chemical engineering, and helping prepare you for the qualifying exam.
Discipline Concentration Elective Courses: The discipline concentration elective courses provide rigorous education in a field of research in biomedical and chemical engineering. Students may choose elective courses in consultation with the dissertation and research advisor, and from courses offered by the department of biomedical engineering and the department of chemical engineering.
Focus Area Elective Courses: Focus area elective courses provide the flexibility for you to engage in trans-disciplinary learning. In consultation with your dissertation and research advisor, you will select graduate level elective courses offered by any of the departments in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. In addition, and subject to the program director's approval, you may choose graduate courses offered by any of the RIT colleges.
Qualifying Exam: You will complete a qualifying exam at the end of your first year of study. The exam evaluates your aptitude, potential, and competency in conducting doctorate-level research. Through written documentation and a presentation of your work, you will critically review a recent peer-reviewed journal article in your field and propose a creative extension of the work.
Dissertation Proposal and Candidacy Exam: You will present and defend a dissertation proposal to your dissertation committee typically during your third year of study. The proposal provides the opportunity for you to elaborate on your research plans and to obtain feedback from your dissertation committee on the direction and approach of your research.
Research Review Meetings: Research review meetings provide comprehensive feedback regarding your dissertation research progress and expected outcomes prior to the defense of your full dissertation.
Dissertation Presentation and Defense: You will prepare an original, technically rigorous, and well-written dissertation that describes your research body of work and novel contributions that have resulted from your doctoral studies in biomedical and chemical engineering. You will present and defend your dissertation and its accompanying research to your dissertation committee.
Research Assistantships
Research assistantships are available to doctoral students. Learn more about the college's research assistantship opportunities and how you can apply.