Graduate program options
The following degree programs are offered:
- Five-year bachelor's/master's program
- M.S. in biomedical engineering (thesis option)
- M.S. in healthcare technologies management (non-thesis degree), offered jointly with the Medical College of Wisconsin
- M.E. in biomedical engineering
- Ph.D. in biomedical engineering
- Ph.D. in functional imaging (jointly offered with the Medical College of Wisconsin)
Detailed information on each program can be found in the Biomedical Engineering Grad Student Handbook:
Learning Objectives
M.S. in Biomedical Engineering
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills: This is measured via the thesis defense and a survey sheet that is completed by each of the thesis committee members. This requires: demonstration of the execution of a well-thought-out research project plan; completion of an independent research experience; ability to critically evaluate work of others in thesis related research area.
- Communication of Technical Information Appropriately for Audience: This is measured via the thesis defense and a survey sheet that is completed by each of the thesis committee members. This requires: a professional quality oral and graphic presentation; a professional quality written thesis.
- Demonstrate Technical Proficiency in at least one area of Biomedical Engineering: This is measured via the thesis defense and a survey that is completed by each of the thesis committee members. This requires: demonstration of factual knowledge of engineering and life science; the ability to critically evaluate the work of others in thesis related research area.
- Critical Evaluation of the Application of Scientific Methods in Addressing Biomedical Engineering Problems: This is measured via the thesis defense and a survey that is completed by each of the thesis committee members. This requires: Effective use of library and electronic resources for literature research; defendable conclusions and main arguments supported by research; ability to solve interdisciplinary problems.
M.E. in Biomedical Engineering
- Synthesize information in the two fields of engineering and life science. This outcome will be measured through the required Readings Course and the capstone comprehensive written examination and evaluated by Program faculty.
- Write an article length paper on interdisciplinary biomedical engineering topics.This outcome will be measured by successful completion of the Readings Course requirement.
- Appropriately communicate technical information to specific audiences. This outcome will be measured via a high technical quality of the Readings Course and via the quality of the capstone written examination evaluated by the program faculty.
- Describe the economic, legal, ethical, and regulatory aspects of healthcare delivery and medical device development. Feedback from employers of ME program graduates, evaluation of student performance in the Readings Course, and a final faculty evaluation of students will be used to measure this outcome.
Ph.D. In Biomedical Engineering
- Conduct independent research that reflects an original contribution to biomedical engineering: This is measured via evaluation of doctoral dissertation and defense; and a survey sheet that is completed by each of the dissertation committee members. Specifically, the following parameters are evaluated: ability to execute an appropriate research plan; research methods appropriate to the topic; conclusions and main arguments supported by conducted research; effective use of resources to investigate state of current knowledge relative to the research project.
- Technical proficiency in at least one area of biomedical engineering: This is measured via evaluation of doctoral dissertation and defense; and a survey sheet that is completed by each of the dissertation committee members. Specifically, the following parameters are evaluated: demonstration of factual knowledge of engineering and life science; professional quality public presentations of research.
- Recognize the need to apply ethical principles in conducting research: This is measured via evaluation of doctoral dissertation and defense; and a survey sheet that is completed by each of the dissertation committee members. Specifically, the following parameters are evaluated: honest reporting of results and data; proper citing in the dissertation; understanding of plagiarism.
- Evidence of professional development by contributions to local and national professional activities on a continuing basis: This is measured via surveys of the Department’s faculty. Specifically, the percentage of students that presented a conference abstract in the previous year is determined. Furthermore, the number of Doctoral students that are members of a technical or professional society is determined and the number of students that published first-authored, peer-reviewed manuscripts is documented.
For more information, please reference the Department of Biomedical Engineering Grad Student Handbook:
- Biomedical Engineering Grad Student Handbook
for students starting prior to Fall 2013
- Biomedical Engineering Grad Student Handook
for students starting Fall 2013 or after
The department offers more than 30 graduate courses in support of these programs, and there many additional courses offered at MCW and within other departments at Marquette.
More than 60 departmental faculty participate in research, including 13 regular biomedical engineering faculty; 10 faculty with primary appointments in other Marquette departments;and about 40 research and adjunct faculty, most with primary appointments at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Our close ties to the Medical College's Graduate School are reflected in two joint Marquette University/Medical College of Wisconsin degree programs: functional imaging and healthcare technologies management, both of which have been accelerated by Whitaker Special Opportunity Awards. Another Whitaker award is strengthening these ties in rehabilitative bioengineering, plus supporting the development of five new rehabilitation research laboratories on the Marquette campus.
Graduate research activities include the following general areas:
- Systems physiology and modeling
- Bioinstrumentation and biosensors
- Functional imaging (fMRI, micro X-ray)
- Medical and biological image analysis
- Tissue biomechanics and biomaterials
- Prosthetics/orthotics/artificial limbs
- Head and spinal trauma
- Human motion analysis
- Neurorehabilitation
- Telerehabilitation
- Biotelemetry
- Biocomputing and bioinformatics
- Electrophysiology
- Physiological signal processing
- Cell transport and metabolism
- Hemodynamics
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