Bioengineering, PhD

Program Requirements

Bioengineering is the application of engineering and scientific principles to understand and solve medical problems. As medical technology has rapidly developed over the past four decades, the demand for qualified bioengineers has dramatically increased. Career opportunities for bioengineers range from teaching and conducting basic research in academia, to research and development work in the growing medical product industry. Employment opportunities are also available in independent research laboratories, hospitals and federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration or the National Institutes of Health.

Applicants to the Bioengineering programs typically hold a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or applied science. Students with nonengineering backgrounds are required to take remedial courses in engineering (e.g. materials science, statics and mechanics, and calculus through differential equations) in addition to their regular bioengineering curriculum, which may be taken either before or after enrollment.

Students interested in obtaining a doctoral degree are encouraged to apply directly to the PhD program from their BS degree program, with the PhD program typically requiring about five years to complete following the BS degree or about four years following the MS degree. The selection of courses for the doctoral degree is flexible and depends on the background and objectives of each candidate. A typical program includes 12 or more credit hours of graduate-level courses beyond the MS degree requirements and a total of 60 hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. Candidates for the PhD degree must provide evidence of their potential success in advanced graduate study. This is demonstrated by passing the candidacy exam. The PhD program culminates with the presentation and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation, which is scheduled following the completion of the student’s approved research plan. More detailed information is available in the website: http://www.clemson.edu/ces/bioe/