School of Science and Engineering BSE-MS Program
An integrated five-year Bachelor's - Master's program is available in the School of Science and
Engineering where students pursue both the BSE (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) and MS (Master of Science)
degrees. Management of the program - including specific eligibility requirements - is determined by the
various Departments subject to the approval of the School of Science and Engineering.
Department of Biomedical Engineering BS-MS Program
The Department of Biomedical Engineering's five-year BS-MS program is designed to give students the
opportunity to pursue research in a sub-field of interest in biomedical engineering (bioelectronics,
biomaterials, bioelectricity, biomechanics, or cell and tissue engineering) and to gain significant
research experience. Students fulfill all of the BS and MS degree requirements, with the exception that
the yearlong undergraduate research project with thesis (required of all BMEN undergraduates) is
extended to at least two years. The thesis then is counted as both an undergraduate Honor's thesis
and the Master's thesis.
Initial Eligibility Requirements:
- Minimum 3.4 GPA at the conclusion of the 1st semester of junior year. For this GPA the student
may include his or her transfer credits. Official transcripts do not always include transfer credits
into the calculation of an individual's GPA and may not be a complete representation of the total
GPA for courses taken towards an individual's degree.
- Identification of an advisor willing to supervise the student and a focused research plan, as
indicated by a letter of intent to the instructor of Research and Professional Practice. This letter
is needed by March 31st of the 3rd year. The letter of intent, co-signed by the
advisor, should outline and briefly describe an appropriate research topic and project to be
completed.
- Students not meeting the above requirements (individuals with a GPA between 3.0 and 3.4)
may file a letter of intent along with a petition to the Department to participate in the five year
program. This is due by March 31st of the 3rd year.
Continuation Requirements:
- Formal application to the school's graduate division is due in the Department by October 1st of
4th year. The application must be complete and include a transcript, essay, and GRE scores
(minimum combined total of Verbal and Quantitative of 1200). If the prospective MS thesis advisor
is a member of the regular BMEN faculty, then the applicant only needs to submit a
letter of support from his or her research advisor. Otherwise, three letters of recommendation
are needed.
- An admission decision will be made by the Department by November 1st and the approved
students will then be formally admitted to MS candidacy following the standard policies of the
Graduate Division of the School of Science and Engineering.
- Students who have been approved for participation will then be required (or optional at advisor's
recommendation) to drop BMEN 491 Research and Professional Practice II (without record) and
add BMEN 493 Advanced Undergraduate Research in order to meet undergraduate degree
requirements. This schedule change will allow 5th Year students to more effectively concentrate
on their research projects in lieu of completing the course requirements of BMEN 491. The
grade for BMEN 493 will be listed as In Progress (IP) until such time as the master's thesis is
completed, whereupon the student's advisor and thesis committee will assign a grade
necessary to fulfill bachelor's degree requirements.
Degrees: Participation in commencement ceremonies is governed by the standard policies of the
School of Science and Engineering.
- Upon successful completion of all BSE and MS degree requirements, assuming the student has
not already received the BSE degree, the student graduates at the end of the term in which the
requirements have been fulfilled with both degrees (BSE and MS).
- If BSE requirements are not met (because the thesis is not complete), but if all undergraduate
course requirements have been fulfilled, the student participates in commencement at the end
of the 4th year by being recognized with a certificate of accomplishment, but does not receive a
BSE degree.
- Once all of the requirements for the BSE degree have been met (including a completed
undergraduate project thesis), the student can graduate with a BSE and continue to pursue their
research project for the MS degree. (Note that this option abandons the timesaving
consolidation of having a single thesis.)
Timing and Financial Support Considerations:
- Tuition during the 5th year is discounted by the School of Science and Engineering to be 35% of
the undergraduate tuition. Note that scholarships and other financial aid will not normally be
continued during the 5th year; financial need is most often met in the form of low-interest student
loans.
- Students pursuing this program are strongly encouraged to spend the summer between the 4th
and 5th years doing research on their project. Occasionally, summer funding may be available
from the student's advisor or other sources of support.
