Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology
MS, PhD

The Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (BMEBT) program is a nationally recognized program at the intersection of biology and engineering that:

is suitable for individuals with an undergraduate degree in a wide range of life science or engineering/physical science fields
addresses contemporary biomedical/health research problems
prepares you to work in the biomedical and healthcare industry

The BMEBT is an interdisciplinary program that includes coursework from the following disciplines: bioengineering, biology, chemistry, biochemistry, computer information science, electrical and computer engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, and medical laboratory science. The program addresses contemporary biomedical and health research problems and contributes significantly to meeting the need of industry, government, and education for biomedical and biotechnology researchers.

Because the degree brings together biomedical engineering with biotechnology, it is designed equally for students with life sciences or engineering and physical science backgrounds.

MS degree: Students may elect to take the MS degree in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology at the end of two years. This degree is well suited to students with undergraduate degrees in the sciences and engineering who want to advance within medical or biomedical fields. It provides focused technical skill development as well as management and communication competencies for the clinical or biotechnology laboratory setting as well as the larger healthcare-related environment.

PhD degree: This degree prepares students for careers in research, industry, and academia. You will develop skills and competencies to function as an independent researcher; gain an appreciation of contemporary biomedical ethical issues; increase your knowledge of intellectual property, patent and regulatory issues; and prepare to seek pre-doctoral and post-doctoral extramural private/federal research funding.

The Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology (BMEBT) program is offered jointly by the UMass campuses of Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, and Worcester (UMass Medical).

Student success

Ramina Behzad '25

Biomedical engineering and biotechnology PhD student Ramina Behzad studies diabetes and bone health in Dr. Lamya Karim's lab.

Average starting salary for UMassD biomedical engineering and biotechnology graduate degree recipients:
$$98,667

NACE AY 2023 Data Collection of Graduate Alumni

Program objectives

The program aims to provide its students with the following knowledge, skills, and abilities.

You will develop the ability to:

formulate/test multiple, original scientific hypotheses related to dissertation research
design/carry out detailed experiments or develop theoretical models/numerical simulations
apply research in solving current biomedical/health problems, especially in relationship to new discoveries in nanoscience and technology
function as independent researchers with strong critical thinking, inquiry-based analytical skills
work on integrated problems in multidisciplinary research teams
critically interpret research results, synthesizing findings from other investigators/previous studies, that will serve as the basis for developing new hypotheses

You will develop the following skills:

cutting-edge technical, laboratory, and computer skills related to a wide range of instrumentation and procedures
presentation skills resulting in the publication of findings and presentation of results at professional conferences
advanced problem-solving skills using a multidisciplinary approach
appreciation of the challenges of conducting and publishing research associated with contemporary biomedical ethical issues
grantsmanship skills to obtain pre-doctoral and post-doctoral extramural private and federal research funding

You will gain the following knowledge and understanding:

knowledge about intellectual property, patents, and regulatory issues
understanding of how theory/concepts are related to applied research
understanding of how applied research is conducted in an industrial setting
understanding of how industry applies experimental research to equipment design, manufacturing, and product development

Learn more: BMEBT program outcomes

Degree requirements

The program of courses includes core course requirements, a specialization requirement, and a capstone requirement. The interdisciplinary nature of this program requires close contact between students and their advisors.

MS: A minimum of 31 credits in statistics and ethics, and advanced clinical laboratory specialty areas such as biochemistry, hematology, immunology and microbiology. It also requires the successful presentation of the capstone project to earn the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology.

PhD: The PhD requires the completion or transfer of at least 63 total credits (or a minimum of 44 credits for students with advanced standing due to an existing MS degree).

In addition to the satisfactory completion of courses, you must:

participate in seminars and symposiums
pass a qualifying examination
defend a dissertation proposal
complete a dissertation and defend it

Learn more: BMEBT program requirements

A limited number of assistantships are available on a competitive basis. This award is subject to the work needs of the position and department, your satisfactory performance of duties, your academic record, and availability of funds, and may be subject to change.

Learn more about assistantships at UMass Dartmouth

International (F-1) students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may be eligible to apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). To learn about the eligibility criteria and detailed steps to apply, please review the International Student & Scholar Center (ISSC) OPT page and USCIS resources. F-1 students must consult with the ISSC to apply for STEM OPT.

Graduate admissions requirements

University requirements for graduate admissions

Submit an application via the online portal. Be sure to provide your full legal name and to capitalize the first letter of all proper nouns.
Pay non-refundable $60 application fee (American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa) via the online portal. For Nursing applicants, the non-refundable application fee is $75.
Statement of Purpose, minimum 300 words. Unless otherwise indicated in the program requirement details, indicate your graduate study objectives, research interests and experience, and business or industry experience if applicable. If you are applying for a teaching or research assistantship, include any special skills or experience that would assist us in making assistantship decisions.
Resume
Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions attended (regardless of whether a credential is earned or not). Unofficial transcripts are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled a final official transcript is required. International students applying with an transcript evaluation, please submit that document with your unofficial transcripts. International applicants for Data Science must submit semester-by-semester transcripts as well as consolidated transcripts.
Many programs have specific recommendations/requirements, please see the additional program-specific requirements for more information.
International students: official TOEFL iBT, IELTS, Pearson PTE or Duolingo (if accepted by program) score. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted). This is required of any applicant who did not earn a bachelor’s degree or higher degree from an accredited academic institution in the U.S. or accepted English-speaking country, see exemptions for more details. We require an overall/total minimum score of 72 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.0 on the IELTS or a 52 on the Pearsons PTE Academic for entrance to any program and a minimum score of 79 on the TOEFL iBT or BAND 6.5 on the IELTS for consideration for a teaching assistantship. Some programs require higher minimum scores (see program-specific requirements). Most programs also accept the Duolingo with a minimum score of 95. The following programs do not accept the Duolingo: Art Education, Biology/Marine Biology, Nursing (MS, DNP, PhD), Psychology: Clinical, and Public Policy.
All official documents are required for enrollment, please have documents (ie. test scores) sent prior to the expiration.

Program-specific requirements

Candidates must submit the required application materials, university requirements and program-specific requirements, for consideration.

Individuals holding a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the life sciences or engineering/physical science fields (or the U.S. baccalaureate equivalents from a foreign institution) are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants generally have had undergraduate coursework in statistics/experimental design and in life science/biomedical science.

As we review your application, we put strong emphasis on your

personal and career goals
demonstrated academic ability and research potential
commitment to an interdisciplinary, team-work approach

Requirements

Must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher to be considered.
Applicant must have a minimum of 2 semesters (or 3 quarter sequence) of calculus and have strong quantitative skills.
GRE is required, but waived (but strongly recommended) for applicants with cumulative baccalaureate degree GPA > 3.00. Unofficial scores are accepted for admissions application review, once enrolled official scores are required and must be sent by the testing agency (copies/scans not accepted).
1 letters of recommendation. Applicants will be required to provide the recommenders name and email address so we can contact the recommender for the letter of recommendation.

Statement of purpose (300 words)

include your academic and professional background, research credentials, and career plans as they relate to the degree program. Discuss research experience (academic, industrial) and any publications, grants, or patents.
indicate your specific areas of interest within Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology so that an appropriate fit in the program can be determined. If you have a specific interest in working with one or more of the program’s faculty, describe that specific interest and identify those faculty members.