Bioengineering, MS

Program Description

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 non-engineering 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.

The Department offers a Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering, and a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Bioengineering. The MEng is a professional degree program designed for completion within one calendar year. The curriculum for the MS degree consists of a core of recommended bioengineering courses supplemented by elective courses that provide the student greater depth in a specific area of interest. Two degree options are offered at the master’s degree level: a thesis and a non-thesis option. The minimum time necessary to complete the master’s degree is normally 16 months, out of which at least one academic semester must be undertaken in residence as a full-time student at Clemson University.

For more information, please visit clemson.edu/bioengineering.

Combined Bachelors/Graduate Programs

The Department of Bioengineering offers a combined BS/Graduate plan. Under the plan, Clemson students may reduce the time necessary to earn both a BS degree in Bioengineering or Biological Sciences and a graduate degree in Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering by applying graduate credits to both undergraduate and graduate program requirements.

Students are encouraged to obtain the specific requirements for the dual degree from the undergraduate department or the Department of Bioengineering as early as possible in their undergraduate programs to ensure that all prerequisite and other program requirements are met. Enrollment guidelines and procedures can be found at http://www.clemson.edu/cecas/departments/bioe/academics/bs-graduate.html.