Integrated bachelor’s & master’s

Our integrated BBmE/MS degree allows students to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five total years.

It’s exclusively available to students in the Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Program at the University of Minnesota.

View eligibility and apply

Requirements

The program requires completing:

124 credits to fulfill Undergraduate Program requirements.
31 graduate credits (including the Final Project) to fulfill Master’s-Plan B requirements.

Students are highly encouraged to find and complete an internship for credit as part of the MS-Plan B degree, but it’s not required.

Advantages

Having a Master’s degree will make graduates more competitive for higher-paying positions in industrial design.
Students can simultaneously work toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees, which means they can finish the Master’s degree and enter the job market a full year earlier than students in conventional two-year Master’s programs.
Students save money because they’re able to complete graduate credits at the undergraduate tuition rate during their senior year.

Program structure

Below is the basic structure of the five-year program, with the general requirements to be completed during the given year(s).

Years 1-3 (freshman-junior)

Regular BBmE undergraduate curriculum:

BMEn 1xxx-, 2xxx-, and 3xxx-level coursework.
College of Science and Engineering requirements.
Liberal Education requirements.

Summer after Year 3

Application to Integrated BBmE/MS Program:

See the integrated degree application information and verify all requirements have been met.
Submit the BBmE/MS application form and the Integrated Degree ESE Planning Worksheet after spring grades post, but no later than June 1.
Admission notifications will be sent by July 1.

Year 4 (senior)

Complete the BBmE curriculum (approximately 15 credits per semester):

Senior Design (BMEn 4001W/4002W).
Engineering and Science Electives.

Additional graduate coursework (3-4 credits per semester; still paying undergraduate tuition rates):

8xxx-level internship and/or other course(s) required for the MS-Plan B.
This coursework will transfer to the Master's degree. It cannot under any circumstances be counted toward undergraduate requirements.

Graduation (BBmE degree).

Summer after Year 4

Although not required, students in the integrated program are highly encouraged to complete a non-credit internship or gain other relevant work experience between Years 4 and 5.

Visit the Career Center for Science and Engineering for internship search strategies, workshops, and other helpful information.

Note: The department does not place students in internships. It’s up to each individual student to find and secure a position.

Year 5 (Master's)

Complete remaining Master's-Plan B requirements (and begin paying graduate tuition rates):

BMEn Core courses and seminars.
Statistics.
Biology, Technical, and Free Electives.
Plan B project.
Final oral examination (project defense).

Graduation (Master’s degree in BME).

Sample plans

Here are examples of years 4 and 5 of the integrated BBmE/MS degree program, both with and without the optional internship:

Sample plan with internship: Student completes a year-long internship for credit (BMEn 8720), which satisfies the Free Elective requirements for the Master’s degree.
Sample plan without internship: Student doesn’t complete an internship for credit as part of the Master’s degree requirements; satisfies Free Electives with coursework.