Apr 24, 2024  
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Master of Science - Biomedical Engineering


Plan Description


The objective of the interdisciplinary M.S. Biomedical Engineering 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 various disciplines that may include traditional engineering sciences, integrated health sciences, dental medicine, life sciences, and medicine.

Specific goals of the program include development are to:

  1. Demonstrate a thorough grounding in the biomedical field;
  2. Apply knowledge of engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors;
  3. Use engineering tools and approaches to solve biomedical related problems;
  4. Identify the problems of making and interpreting quantitative measurements of living systems;
  5. Use modeling techniques to understand biomedical phenomena and guide biomedical design; and
  6. 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. Applicants must provide two additional items while completing the process in the Grad Rebel Gateway system:
  • A written statement of purpose indicating interests and objectives in working toward a M.S.  For thesis track, applicants are strongly recommended to list three potential thesis advisors.
  • 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 the Biomedical Engineering M.S. program.
  1. The applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in related STEM fields.
  2. The graduate program committee 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 preferred for admission.
  3. All domestic and international 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

Subplan 2: Thesis

Subplan 1 Requirements: Non-Thesis


Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements


Required Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits by completing all of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 21


Complete 21 credits of advisor-approved common foundational biomedical engineering and health science courses across units.

Design Project – Credits: 3


Degree Requirements


  1. Requires 30 credits of approved graduate courses. At least 18 credits must be earned from 700-level courses.
  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 credits required for the M.S. degree.

Graduation Requirements


Successfully complete a design project.

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.

Subplan 2 Requirements: Thesis


Total Credits Required: 30

Course Requirements


Required Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits by completing all of the following courses:

Elective Courses – Credits: 18


Complete 18 credits of advisor-approved common foundational biomedical engineering and health science courses across units.

Thesis – Credits: 6


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. 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 credits 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;
    2. Two faculty members from the relevant research field;
    3. One Graduate College representative.

Graduation Requirements


The student must submit and successfully defend their thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.

After the thesis defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their thesis to the Graduate College for format check. Once the thesis format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for thesis defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.

Plan Graduation Requirements


Refer to your subplan for Graduation Requirements:

Subplan 1: Non-Thesis

Subplan 2: Thesis