PhD in Biomedical Engineering
Admission
The minimum requirements for admission to the PhD in biomedical engineering program include:
- A master's or bachelor's degree in a discipline relevant to biomedical engineering;
- A transcript from each institution attended;
- For students admitted from an undergraduate degree: A minimum GPA of 3.500 for all undergraduate coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.250 for any completed graduate coursework;
- For students admitted from a master's degree: A minimum GPA of at least 3.250 for all graduate-level coursework;
- A statement of purpose including a section on research interests;
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores;
- Three letters of recommendation; and
- English proficiency examination for international applicants who have not studied at an English speaking university: TOEFL or other university approved examination.
Students entering the biomedical engineering PhD program are expected to have already completed the following courses or their equivalents:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Biology I | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| General Chemistry | ||
Chemistry I | ||
Chemistry II | ||
| Physics I | ||
| Math | ||
Calculus I | ||
Calculus II | ||
Differential Equations | ||
| Circuits | ||
| Thermodynamics | ||
| Statics | ||
| Statistics | ||
| Programming | ||
If prerequisite coursework deficiencies exist, the student may be admitted on a conditional basis. However, students will have one academic year to complete the deficient prerequisite coursework, and there is a maximum of 15 credit hours of prerequisite coursework allowed for students to be admitted. It is recommended that as much of the deficient prerequisite coursework as possible be completed prior to beginning graduate study.
Students entering with a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution (or equivalent international institution) may transfer up to 24 credit hours of degree coursework (excluding independent study and thesis hours).
Program Requirements
The PhD in biomedical engineering curriculum consists of a minimum of 72 total credit hours which includes:
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 36 credit hours of coursework (including a maximum of 24 credit hours from a master's degree) | 36 | |
| BME 877 | BME Graduate Seminar (for at least two semesters ) | 0 |
| 12 credit hours of additional coursework, dissertation or a combination of both | 12 | |
| A minimum of 24 dissertation credit hours | 24 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 72 | |
Prior to enrolling in dissertation credit hours, a student must pass a qualifying exam under the direction of the research advisor.
As required by the WSU Graduate School, students must also successfully complete the professional and scholarly integrity training (PSIT) by the end of the first year of graduate study at Wichita State University
Before completing 12 PhD credit hours, a student must select an advisor and an advisory committee. With the assistance of the advisor, the student must prepare and submit a plan of study to the BME graduate coordinator and the Graduate School.
Applied Learning
Students in the PhD in biomedical engineering program are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by completing the dissertation.