Biomedical Science MS
Major: Biomedical Science
Degree Awarded: Master of Science (MS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: Available for full-time, on-campus master's-level students
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 26.0102
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 19-1042
About the Program
The Biomedical Science program at the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems applies fundamental biological research, analysis and technology to human health. The program educates students whose undergraduate education is in basic life sciences (e.g., biology) or paramedical disciplines in quantitative data analysis, mathematical modeling, systems analysis and informatics.
For students entering with degrees in physics, mathematics, and/or computer science, the School, in close collaboration with the Department of Biology, provides the coursework needed to acquire proficiency in the life sciences.
Master's students can choose to include a six-month graduate co-op cycle as part of their studies, supported by Drexel's Steinbright Career Development Center.
Students may also choose to enroll in concentrations such as biomedical technology development, bioinformatics, pediatric engineering or neuroengineering. Students who graduate with a master's degree from the biomedical science program often continue clinical training in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine; pursue further graduate study toward the PhD degree; or work in industry in such fields as health care, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology or advanced therapeutics.
The Biomedical Science program has an articulation with Intensive Medical Sciences (IMS) program at the Drexel College of Medicine, which can be pursued after taking one year of required classes. The IMS program is a rigorous one-year graduate program designed to help students develop strong academic portfolios and become attractive candidates for medical school.
Additional Information
Natalia Broz
Associate Director for Graduate Programs
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Email: njb33@drexel.edu
Andres Kriete, PhD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
Email: ak3652@drexel.edu
For more information, visit the The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems website.
Degree Requirements
The core requirements for the master's in biomedical science encompass approximately 45.0 course credits (most courses carry three credits each). Students who choose the non-thesis option cannot register for thesis or research credits.
The curriculum includes room for specialization in several areas in biomedical engineering, as well as concentrations in biomaterials and tissue engineering, bioinformatics and biomedical technology development.
Concentrations
Five concentrations are available:
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Biomaterials and tissue engineering is designed to provide students with advanced training in cellular and molecular biology relevant to tissue engineering and behavior of materials used in biomedical applications.
Bioinformatics
This specialization emphasized a systems engineering approach to provide a foundation in systems biology and pathology informatics. Students are provided with hands-on experience in the application of genomic, proteomic, and other large-scale information to biomedical engineering as well as experience in advanced computational methods used in systems biology: pathway and circuitry, feedback and control, machine learning, stochastic analysis, and biostatistics.
Biomedical Technology Development
This concentration area aims to provide engineers with the comprehensive education and training necessary to succeed in careers in business, industry, non-profit organizations, and government agencies involving biomedical technology development.
Pediatric Engineering
This concentration provides a foundation for future scientific and technical careers in pediatric engineering, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Neuroengineering
This concentration aims to train students to develop a fundamental understanding of neural systems, operational principles of neurotechnologies, and approaches to apply scientific and engineering concepts to repair nervous system for clinical applications or enhance its functional performance.
| Required Courses | ||
| BMES 505 | Mathematics for Biomedical Sciences I | 3.0 |
| BMES 506 | Mathematics for Biomedical Sciences II | 3.0 |
| BMES 507 | Mathematics for Biomedical Sciences III | 3.0 |
| BMES 510 | Biomedical Statistics | 4.0 |
| BMES 511 | Principles of Systems Analysis Applied to Biomedicine I | 3.0 |
| BMES 512 | Principles of Systems Analysis Applied to Biomedicine II | 3.0-4.0 |
| or BMES 543 | Quantitative Systems Biology | |
| or BMES 611 | Biological Control Systems | |
| BMES 515 | Experimental Design in Biomedical Research | 4.0 |
| BMES 538 | Biomedical Ethics and Law | 3.0 |
| BMES 546 | Biocomputational Languages | 4.0 |
| or BMES 550 | Advanced Biocomputational Languages | |
| BMES 864 | Seminar (Must be taken 3 times) | 0.0 |
| BMES Electives - Select a minimum of 9.0 credits from the list below | 9.0-15.0 | |
| Cardiovascular Engineering | ||
| Entrepreneurship for Biomedical Engineering and Science | ||
| Intermediate Biostatistics | ||
| Interpretation of Biomedical Data | ||
| Introduction to Biosensors | ||
| Advanced Biosensors | ||
| Pediatric Engineering I | ||
| Pediatric Engineering II | ||
| Chronobioengineering I | ||
| Chronobioengineering II | ||
| Design Thinking for Biomedical Engineers | ||
| Introduction to Product Design for Biomedical Engineers | ||
| Nano and Molecular Mechanics of Biological Materials | ||
| Quantitative Systems Biology | ||
| Genome Information Engineering | ||
| Machine Learning in Biomedical Applications | ||
| Structural Bioinformatics and Drug Design | ||
| Genomic and Sequencing Technologies | ||
| Biomedical Signal Processing | ||
| Medical Device Development | ||
| Pharmacogenomics | ||
| Medical Imaging Systems I | ||
| Medical Imaging Systems II | ||
| Medical Imaging Systems III | ||
| Tissue Engineering I | ||
| Tissue Engineering II | ||
| Biomedical Mechanics I | ||
| Biomedical Mechanics II | ||
| Transport Phenomena in Living Systems I | ||
| Biomaterials I | ||
| Biomaterials II | ||
| Biosimulation I | ||
| Biosimulation II | ||
| Experimental Methods in Neuroengineering | ||
| Neural Signals | ||
| Principles in Neuroengineering | ||
| Neural Aspects of Posture and Locomotion I | ||
| Medical Instrumentation | ||
| Medical Instrumentation II | ||
| Hospital Administration | ||
| General Electives in the fields of science, engineering, or medicine including additional BMES classes | 6.0-12.0 | |
| The sum of electives, core credits, and/or thesis credits must total 45.0 credits. Elective choices would depend upon the student's area(s) of focus or concentration but must be within the fields of science, engineering, or medicine. A concentration may substitute for elective credits. A minimum of 15.0 credits of BMES elective courses are required. | ||
| Thesis | 0.0-9.0 | |
| Research | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Optional Coop Experience * | 0-1 | |
| Career Management and Professional Development for Master's Degree Students | ||
| Total Credits | 45.0-68.0 | |
- *
Co-op is an option for this degree for full-time, on-campus students. To prepare for the 6-month co-op experience, students will complete COOP 500. The total minimum required credits for this degree with the co-op experience is 46. Students not participating in the co-op experience will need a minimum of 45.
Biomedical Technology Development Concentration (Optional)
Students enrolled in this concentration will develop an understanding of critical regulatory, economic, and legal issues in addition to the project management skills that facilitate the development of new medical devices and positive working relationships with intellectual property lawyers, insurance companies, and the federal government.
| BMES 509 | Entrepreneurship for Biomedical Engineering and Science | 3.0 |
| BMES 534 | Design Thinking for Biomedical Engineers | 3.0 |
| BMES 538 | Biomedical Ethics and Law | 3.0 |
| BMES 588 | Medical Device Development | 3.0 |
| BMES 596 | Clinical Practicum | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 15.0 | |
Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Concentration (Optional)
This concentration is designed to provide students with advanced training in cellular and molecular biology relevant to tissue engineering and behavior of materials used in biomedical applications
| BMES 631 | Tissue Engineering I | 4.0 |
| BMES 632 | Tissue Engineering II | 4.0 |
| BMES 660 | Biomaterials I | 4.0 |
| BMES 661 | Biomaterials II | 4.0 |
| BMES 675 | Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering III | 4.0 |
| Total Credits | 20.0 | |
Bioinformatics Concentration (Optional)
This concentration emphasizes a systems engineering approach to provide a foundation in systems biology and pathology informatics. Students are provided students with hands-on experience in the application of genomic, proteomic, and other large-scale information to biomedical engineering as well as experience in advanced computational methods used in systems biology: pathway and circuitry, feedback and control, cellular automata, sets of partial differential equations, stochastic analysis, and biostatistics.
| BMES 543 | Quantitative Systems Biology | 4.0 |
| BMES 544 | Genome Information Engineering | 4.0 |
| BMES 547 | Machine Learning in Biomedical Applications | 3.0 |
| or BMES 549 | Genomic and Sequencing Technologies | |
| BMES 551 | Biomedical Signal Processing | 3.0 |
| BMES 604 | Pharmacogenomics | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 17.0 | |
Pediatric Engineering Concentration (Optional)
This concentration aims to train students: 1) to develop a fundamental understanding of childhood injury and disease, healthcare, and treatment, and 2) to apply scientific and engineering concepts, methods, and approaches to address healthcare challenges with direct relevance to pediatric patients.
| BMES 509 | Entrepreneurship for Biomedical Engineering and Science | 3.0 |
| BMES 528 | Pediatric Engineering I | 3.0 |
| BMES 529 | Pediatric Engineering II | 3.0 |
| BMES 538 | Biomedical Ethics and Law | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 12.0 | |
Neuroengineering Concentration (Optional)
This concentration aims to train students 1) to develop a fundamental understanding of neural systems from cellular, to whole brain level, and 2) operational principles of neurotechnologies that can interface with nervous systems, 3) to apply scientific and engineering concepts to repair nervous system for clinical applications or enhance its functional performance.
| BMES 710 | Neural Signals | 3.0 |
| BMES 711 | Principles in Neuroengineering | 3.0 |
| BMES 715 | Systems Neuroscience and Applications I | 3.0 |
| BMES 718 | Brain Computer Interfaces | 3.0 |
| BMES 725 | Neural Networks | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 15.0 | |
Sample Plan of Study
No Co-Op
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| BMES 505 | 3.0 | BMES 506 | 3.0 | BMES 507 | 3.0 | VACATION | |
| BMES 510 | 4.0 | BMES 511 | 3.0 | BMES 538 | 3.0 | ||
| BMES 546 or 550 | 4.0 | BMES 515 | 4.0 | BMES 864 | 0.0 | ||
| BMES 864 | 0.0 | BMES 864 | 0.0 | Choose one of the following courses: | 3.0-4.0 | ||
| 11 | 10 | 9-10 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | ||||
| Elective Courses and/or Research* | 9.0-12.0 | Elective Courses and/or Thesis** | 6.0-9.0 | ||||
| 9-12 | 6-9 | ||||||
| Total Credits 45-52 | |||||||
With Co-op
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| BMES 505 | 3.0 | BMES 506 | 3.0 | BMES 507 | 3.0 | BMES 538 | 3.0 |
| BMES 546 or 550 | 4.0 | BMES 510 | 4.0 | BMES 515 | 4.0 | Electives | 6.0 |
| BMES 864 | 0.0 | BMES 511 | 3.0 | BMES 864 | 0.0 | ||
| COOP 500 | 1.0 | BMES 864 | 0.0 | Choose one of the following courses: | 3.0-4.0 | ||
| Elective/Concentration | 3.0 | ||||||
| 11 | 10 | 10-11 | 9 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| COOP EXPERIENCE | COOP EXPERIENCE | Electives | 6.0 | ||||
| 0 | 0 | 6 | |||||
| Total Credits 46-47 | |||||||
Intensive Medical Sciences Pathway to the MS in Biomedical Science
The School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems collaborates with the Drexel College of Medicine, specifically with the Intensive Medical Sciences program (IMS), to offer a unique pathway to a master's in Biomedical Science degree. Students take one year of studies in the MS Biomedical Science program and another year in the IMS program (described below). This involves completing the core sequence and a thesis or taking a non-thesis option with additional coursework.
Intensive Medical Sciences Program Curriculum
The IMS curriculum involves a full-time commitment to rigorous coursework with strong academic requirements. Six major medical school equivalent courses are taken over two semesters. These include Medical Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, Medical Microanatomy, Medical Immunology, Medical Neuroanatomy, and Medical Nutrition. The courses are taught by the medical school faculty and students are guided by advisors when completing their medical school applications.
In addition to rigorous science courses, students also take a medical ethics course in the fall semester, followed by a professionalism course in the spring. The campuses are approximately five miles apart, and a University shuttle provides free transportation between the two.
Additionally, course conferences and laboratory components for IMS students are conducted at the Health Sciences Campus where the program is based. The IMS curriculum allows exposure to both medical school lectures and individual attention from medical school professors in small group conferences.
Additional Information
For more information, visit Drexel's College of Medicine's Intensive Medical Sciences program webpage.
Program Level Outcomes
- Understands the fundamentals and analytical approaches relevant to quantitative biomedical science to enhance human health.
- Take advantage of cutting edge tools, information and knowledge to address complex problems in the development and delivery of health care solutions. The graduate evaluates models and hypotheses using the appropriate experimental, mathematical and statistical approaches.
- Innovate from an analytic and synthetic perspective using multiple approaches, integrating life sciences and engineering with a global and interdisciplinary perspective.
- Acquire skills and knowledge necessary to specialize in an area of quantitative biomedical science, to perform research or design and develop a system.
- Recognize ethical issues, consider multiple points of view, and use critical ethical reasoning to determine the appropriate behavior to follow in the practice of biomedical science in a global context. The graduate thus demonstrates a thorough understanding of the ethical implications and obligations associated with the practice of biomedical science.