Master of Science - Biomedical Engineering

Plan Description

The objective of the M.S.B.E. degree program is to provide a graduate-level educational experience that will prepare individuals to undertake design and research in the area of biomedical engineering. The program is multidisciplinary and integrates knowledge from the traditional engineering sciences, the life sciences, and medicine.

Specific goals of the program include development of:

1. A thorough grounding in the life sciences;
2. Mastery of engineering tools and approaches;
3. Familiarity with the problems of making and interpreting quantitative measurements of living systems;
4. The ability to use modeling techniques; and
5. The ability to formulate and solve problems with medical relevance, including the design of devices, systems, and processes to improve human health.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements

Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Graduate College, an applicant for the M.S. program must complete the following requirements:

1. Applicants must complete the on-line process in the Grad Rebel Gateway system.
2. Mechanical Engineering applicants must provide two additional items while completing the process in the Grad Rebel Gateway system:
   1. A written statement of purpose indicating interests and objectives in working toward a M.S. degree.
   2. Two letters of recommendation using the online recommendation system. There is no specified format. Each letter should detail the potential of the applicant for success in a Mechanical Engineering M.S. program.
3. The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a closely related discipline. Admitted students with non-engineering backgrounds will be required to complete a set of course work requirements that will assure successful completion of the M.S. specialization and qualify the student to sit for the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. The Graduate Program Committee or Graduate Coordinator will specify a list of required undergraduate courses that must be completed within the first year. These courses are in addition to those required for the graduate degree.
4. The applicant must submit an official copy of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test scores. The GRE university code for UNLV is 4861. The Mechanical Engineering Department code is 1502. The minimum required score is at or above 70 percentile range in the quantitative reasoning section. The Graduate Program Committee can modify this requirement if necessary. The GRE requirement is waived for students participating in the Integrated BS-MS track.
5. The GPC will examine the applicant’s academic record and will make the final determination of the applicant’s admissibility to the M.S. program. In general, a minimum post baccalaureate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or equivalent is required for admission in addition to a GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale or equivalent in all engineering courses.
6. All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students who have not taken at least three of the courses listed below (or their equivalent), will be required to do so in addition to course requirements listed below.

BIO 209 – Introduction to Cell Biology
BIO 360 – Mammalian Physiology
CHE 225 – Organic Chemistry I
BIOL 209 – Introduction to Cell Biology
BIOL 223 – Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 480 – Introduction to Biological Modeling
CHEM 220 – Introductory Organic Chemistry
CHEM 474 – Biochemistry I
CHEM 478 – Endocrinology
MATH 283 – Calculus III
MATH 427 – Differential Equations I
MATH 431 – Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists I
STAT 463 – Applied Statistics for Engineers
ME 301 – Structure and Properties of Solids
ME 302 – Material Mechanics
ME 311 – Engineering Thermodynamics
ME 314 – Introduction to Heat Transfer
ME 380 – Fluid Dynamics for Mechanical Engineers
ME 402 – Computational Methods for Engineers
ME 421 – Automatic Controls
ME 425 – Robotics

The Integrated BS-MS degree program is designed to provide high-achieving UNLV Mechanical Engineering undergraduate students with the opportunity to take graduate courses that can count toward both the B.S. and M.S. ME degree programs at UNLV. This will hopefully encourage them to continue with a graduate degree by reducing the time needed for degree completion. Up to nine credit hours of approved graduate-level course work can be taken as technical electives for the grade of B or better during the senior year and those credit hours will be waived for the graduate degree. The GRE requirement is waived for students participating in the Integrated BS-MS track. The following conditions are needed to enroll in the Integrated BS-MS program:

1. A minimum of two semesters of full-time enrollment in B.S. of Mechanical Engineering program is required.
2. Applications are normally submitted with two semesters remaining in the senior year.
3. A minimum of 90 credit hours of course work applicable to the B.S. of Mechanical Engineering degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher must be completed before beginning the joint degree program.
4. Student has to choose the thesis option.

All applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

See Subplan Requirements below.

Subplan 1: Non-Thesis Track
Subplan 2: Thesis Track
Subplan 3: Integrated BS-MS Track

Subplan 1 Requirements: Non-Thesis Track

Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements

Required Courses – Credits: 27

Complete 27 credits of advisor-approved common core introductory biomedical engineering and health science courses.

Design Project – Credits: 3

ME 796 - Design Project in Mechanical Engineering  

Degree Requirements 

1. Requires 30 credits of approved graduate courses. At least 18 credits must be earned from 700-level courses, and 15 credits must be in engineering.
2. Students must make satisfactory progress toward degree completion as defined below:
   1. File an approved degree program before the completion of nine credits of coursework.
   2. Complete at least six credits of the approved program per calendar year.
   3. Maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale with no grades below C. Grades of C- or below are not acceptable.
3. Students must comply with Graduate College policy. If progress is not satisfactory, probation and separation may result, in accordance with the rules of the Graduate College.
4. Courses numbered below 600 do not count toward the hours required for the M.S. degree.

Graduation Requirements 

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
2. Successfully complete a design project.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Thesis Track

Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements

Required Courses – Credits: 24

Complete 24 credits of advisor-approved common core introductory biomedical engineering and health science courses.

Thesis – Credits: 6

ME 797 - Thesis in Mechanical Engineering  

Degree Requirements 

1. Requires 24 credits of approved graduate courses plus six credits of work associated with the master’s level thesis, for a total of 30 credits. At least 15 credits must be earned from 700-level courses, and at least 15 credits must be in engineering. The final examination will include a defense of thesis.
2. Students must make satisfactory progress toward degree completion as defined below:
   1. File an approved degree program before the completion of nine credits of coursework.
   2. Complete at least six credits of the approved program per calendar year.
   3. Maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale with no grades below C. Grades of C- or below are not acceptable.
3. Students must comply with Graduate College policy. If progress is not satisfactory, probation and separation may result, in accordance with the rules of the Graduate College.
4. Courses numbered below 600 do not count toward the hours required for the M.S. degree.
5. The student must identify a Thesis Advisor within the first semester of joining the program. The student, in consultation with their Advisor, will form a Thesis Committee that includes at least four members:
   1. One Thesis Advisor. A student may have two co-Advisors but they count as one committee member.
   2. Two Mechanical Engineering Department faculty members.
   3. One Graduate College representative. The student, in consultation with their Advisor, is responsible for inviting a committee member from within the university but outside the Mechanical Engineering Department. This person is responsible for ensuring consistency and fairness throughout the UNLV graduate programs.

Graduation Requirements 

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
3. The student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted hard-copy thesis to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.

Subplan 3 Requirements: Integrated BS-MS Track

Total Credits Required: 21-27

Students admitted into this track have taken 3, 6 or 9 credits of graduate level courses that were applied toward their B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering at UNLV. These credits reduce the total needed to complete the M.S. degree.

Course Requirements

Required Courses – Credits: 15-21

Complete 15-21 credits of advisor-approved common core introductory biomedical engineering and health science courses.

Thesis – Credits: 6

ME 797 - Thesis in Mechanical Engineering  

Degree Requirements 

1. Total credits required depends on the total number of approved graduate-level course work taken as technical electives (with a grade of B or better) during the senior year.
2. Requires 15-21 credits of approved graduate courses plus six credits of work associated with the master’s level thesis, for a total of 21-27 credits. At least 15 credits must be earned from 700-level courses, and at least 15 credits must be in engineering. The final examination will include a defense of thesis.
3. Students must make satisfactory progress toward degree completion as defined below:
   1. File an approved degree program before the completion of nine credits of coursework.
   2. Complete at least six credits of the approved program per calendar year.
   3. Maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale with no grades below C. Grades of C- or below are not acceptable.
4. Courses numbered below 600 do not count toward the hours required for the M.S. degree.
5. The student must identify a Thesis Advisor within the first semester of joining the program. The student, in consultation with their Advisor, will form a Thesis Committee that includes at least four members:
   1. One Thesis Advisor. A student may have two co-Advisors but they count as one committee member.
   2. Two Mechanical Engineering Department faculty members.
   3. One Graduate College representative. The student, in consultation with their Advisor, is responsible for inviting a committee member from within the university but outside the Mechanical Engineering Department. This person is responsible for ensuring consistency and fairness throughout the UNLV graduate programs.

Graduation Requirements 

1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
3. The student must submit his/her approved, properly formatted hard-copy thesis to the Graduate College, and submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest by the posted deadline.

Plan Graduation Requirements

Refer to your subplan for Graduation Requirements.

Subplan 1: Non-Thesis Track
Subplan 2: Thesis Track
Subplan 3: Integrated BS-MS Track