Institute for Biology, Engineering and Medicine (I-BEAM)
Master's Program Overview
Program Requirements
The following list is an overview of the requirements for the 3 program tracks for the Master of Science Degree in Biomedical Engineering (BME). For more specific details, please refer to the Graduate Program Guidelines.
- Must complete a minimum of 8 tuition units.
- up to 3 courses can be independent research credits
- at least 5 should be structured (non-independent study) advanced-level (1000 or 2000 level) courses
- at least 2 courses in biological topics
- at least 2 courses in engineering topics
- Must complete ethics training module.
- Must receive a grade of B or better, courses must be taken for a grade rather than credit/no credit.
- Must choose a thesis advisor in the first month of the first semester.
- Must carry out independent research through two academic years.
- Must present work as a seminar and pass final oral examination by Thesis Committee.
- The Thesis Committee is jointly selected by the student and the advisor. It consists of the thesis advisor and two other Brown faculty (one must have a primary faculty appointment in the School of Engineering, one with a primary faculty appointment in the Division of Biology and Medicine, and one listed as a primary faculty member in the Center for Biomedical Engineering).
- Must submit final thesis according to the Master's Thesis Guidelines.
- Must complete a minimum of 8 tuition units.
- ENGN1930L and ENGN1931L: Biomedical Engineering Innovation and Design I and II are required
- up to 1 course can be independent research
- at least 5 should be structured (non-independent study) advanced-level (1000 or 2000 level) courses
- at least 2 courses in biological topics
- at least 2 courses in engineering topics
- at most 1 design based course
- Must complete ethics training module.
- Must receive a grade of B or better, courses must be taken for a grade rather than credit/no credit.
- May work in a team up to 4 students.
- Must work on design project through two academic years.
- Must present prototype for critique and pass final oral examination by Thesis Committee.
- The Thesis Committee is jointly selected by the student and the advisor. It consists of the thesis advisor and two other Brown faculty (one must have a primary faculty appointment in the School of Engineering, one with a primary faculty appointment in the Division of Biology and Medicine, and one listed as a primary faculty member in the Center for Biomedical Engineering). It is also encouraged that one panel member have a design, industry, or clinical background.
- Each team member must submit final thesis according to the Master's Thesis Guidelines.
- Must complete a minimum of 8 tuition units.
- no independent research credits
- all 8 should be structured (non-independent study) advanced-level (1000 or 2000 level) courses
- at least 3 courses in biological topics
- at least 3 courses in engineering topics
- Must receive a grade of B or better, courses must be taken for a grade rather than credit/no credit.
- Time to completion can be less than two academic years depending on the preference of the student.
For All Tracks
- Credit for graduate level courses taken at Brown or elsewhere is not accepted or transferable.
- Do not register to audit a course. If you do, you will be charged for the course. An audited course does not count towards your degree.
- Do not register for BIOL 2230 or BIOL 2240: Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology Seminar Course. If you register for BIOL 2230 or 2240, you will be charged for the course, and it will not count towards your degree.
- A master's student taking 2 or more courses per semester is considered a full-time student. Any student taking 1 course per semester is considered a part-time student for that semester. Part-time status can have implications for student loan repayments and visa status of international students.
Deadlines and Links
For Incoming 2-year Master's Students
| Deadlines and Links | Dates |
|---|---|
| Registration for 1st semester | 9/1/2024 |
| Finalize 1st semester schedule (shopping period ends) | 9/17/2024 |
| Finalize choice of thesis advisor | 10/1/2024 |
| Registration for 2nd semester | 11/4/2024-11/15/2024 |
| Classes of the 2nd semester begin | 1/22/2025 |
| Finalize 2nd semester schedule (shopping period ends) | 2/4/2025 |
| Registration for 3rd semester | 4/16/2025-4/23/2025 |
For Concluding 2-year Master's Students
| Deadlines and Links | Dates |
|---|---|
| Finalize semester schedule (shopping period ends) | 9/1/2024 |
| Registration for final semester | 11/4/2024-11/15/2024 |
| Classes of the 2nd semester begin | 1/22/2025 |
| Confirm thesis committee or critique panel with Masters Program Director | 2/7/2025 |
| Finalize semester schedule (shopping period ends) | 2/4/2025 |
| Schedule defense | 2/28/2025 |
| Submit written thesis to committee or panel | Two weeks before YOUR defense |
| Apply to graduate | 5/1/2025 |
| Submit thesis to grad school | 5/1/2025 |
Before Coming to Brown
- Admitted Students Guide
- Finding a research advisor:
- Any of our core faculty or affiliated faculty can be a research advisor. The core faculty page can be sorted by research interests.
- Descriptions of projects recruiting Masters students are available from the Masters Program Director.
- Students can also search on Researchers @ Brown for other research interests.
- Students are encouraged to reach out to faculty ASAP to inquire about availability in their lab and setting up an interview.