Curriculum
Timeline
Students joining the PhD program with a bachelor's degree typically graduate in five years. Those who’ve already completed a master's degree can finish the PhD in as little as three to four years.
Requirements
| Requirement | Credits | Notes/comments |
|---|---|---|
| BMEn 8000-Level Core | 6
| Build a shared foundation in the advanced concepts and methods that shape biomedical engineering research. These courses prepare you to engage with complex problems across the field. |
| Seminars | 2 | Hear from researchers and leaders in academia and industry about emerging discoveries, technologies, and career paths. Seminars also connect you with the broader biomedical engineering community. |
| Professional Development Courses | 4 | Develop skills that support success during your PhD and throughout your career, including research ethics, scientific communication, grant writing, and professional planning. |
| Biology Electives | 6 | Strengthen your understanding of the biological systems that underlie biomedical engineering challenges. You can select coursework that best supports your research interests. |
| Technical Electives | 9 | Explore advanced coursework in engineering, the physical sciences, and mathematics. The long list of approved courses allows you to build expertise in disciplines that complement your biomedical engineering research. |
| Free Science/ Technical Electives | 3 | Customize your degree with additional coursework in science, engineering, or related areas such as public policy and ethics. These electives allow you to pursue the knowledge most relevant to your research and career goals. |
| Math-/Stat-Intensive | (6) | Develop the quantitative skills needed to design rigorous studies, analyze complex data, and solve challenging research problems. The six-credit requirement overlaps with your core or elective coursework rather than adding additional credits to the degree. |
| Total | 30 | -- |
Preliminary examinations
Between the fourth and fifth semesters of study, full-time PhD students must complete the written and oral preliminary examinations. By this time, all required coursework should be completed.
The Written Preliminary Examination (WPE), also known as the dossier, is in the form of a thesis research proposal and will be evaluated by four faculty members.
Upon passing the WPE, students immediately continue to the Oral Preliminary Examination (OPE), which includes a presentation and discussion of the student's research proposal, as well as questions related to the student's graduate coursework.
Doctoral thesis and defense
After passing the OPE, students advance to doctoral candidacy and become eligible to register for thesis credits. The University of Minnesota requires completing at least 24 thesis credits (BMEn 8888) for the doctoral degree.
Upon completing the thesis and with the approval of the committee reviewers, the doctoral candidate must complete a thesis defense. The defense includes both a public seminar and a closed meeting between the candidate and the appointment examination committee. The final written thesis is electronically submitted to the University, after making all revisions required by the examination committee.
Contact
Kyle Kunzmann
Graduate Program Coordinator
[email protected]
Taner Akkin
Director of Graduate Studies
[email protected]