2025-2026 Graduate Catalog
Department of Biomedical Engineering
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 Return to: College of Engineering
Email: bmeg-info@udel.edu
Department website: https://bme.udel.edu/graduate/
Faculty Listing: https://bme.udel.edu/people/
Overview
UD’s Department of Biomedical Engineering awards degrees of PhD, Masters and Masters 4+1. The Departments graduate programs build upon the established biomedical research strength at the University and trains future generations of researchers and professionals.
The PhD program is built on a first-year core curriculum with advanced curricula that are based on the research the student will perform for the thesis. PhD students must identify a faculty advisor during the application process who may be selected to be the responsible lead for defining the student’s research and for evaluating the student’s performance. (Students enrolled in the PhD program also have the option of completing a MS degree in Biomedical Engineering with an optional thesis as an intermediate step toward completing the PhD. Students are not admitted directly into the MS program).
The Master of Science in Quantitative Systems Pharmacology graduate program is a new, cutting-edge master’s degree that combines pharmacology, engineering and computational modeling to understand how drugs interact with biological systems. It plays a vital role in modern drug development by helping researchers Identify targets based on disease mechanisms, simulate drug effects and optimize dosing, improve safety and efficacy trial design, and personalize treatments for patients. The program is completed using 6 credits of research that can be completed with either a thesis or industry internship. Graduates of this program will be ready to make an immediate impact in the pharmaceutical industry, government or Ph.D. research.
Research Facilities
The Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Center is an iconic new UD building on the STAR campus that opened February 2020. This six story lab building is intentionally designed to be a flexible space to house the BME, NIIMBL and DBI programs, among others, and to encourage a collaborative research environment.
STAR Health Science Complex research and innovation programs focus on prevention, health monitoring and rehabilitation with more than 120 faculty members in seven different departments who collaborate on research programs that address everything from cardiovascular health to neurological diseases to orthopedics to aging to pediatrics and so much more. Collaboration across the University and with external partners - in the health sciences and an array of other disciplines. Emphasis is on the importance of ‘education as research’ and in seeking better ways to develop a workforce for today’s healthcare; finding better and more innovative ways to teach students and prepare them for careers.
The Patrick T. Harker Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Laboratory (Harker Lab) is a hub of teaching and research on campus. The 194,000-square-foot facility brings together students and faculty from various disciplines to teach, learn and conduct research in a collaborative environment. Research provides content for the curriculum and students learn through the exploration of real-world problems. The research wing houses core facilities for teams of researchers, including:
Center for Biomedical & Brain Imaging (CBBI) is the home for neuroimaging research at the University of Delaware. The centerpieces of the facility are the state-of-the-art Siemens 3T Magnetom Prisma and Brucker Biospec 94/20 MRI scanners. Researchers from Biomedical Engineering and the STAR campus use MRI to image various bones, joints, and muscle to understand how these structures are affected by various disorders to assess the efficacy of therapeutic interventions such as physical therapy.
Local Clinical Partners: Nemours/ A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, Christiana Care Health Systems, and Thomas Jefferson University.
Financial Aid / Funding
The majority of students in the BME PhD program will be supported on research contracts and grants obtained by their Faculty Advisors. Students pursuing a terminal MS degree are not generally funded by the department.. Students in the PhD in Biomedical Engineering program that do not have external funding are generally provided Graduate Assistantships for up to five (5) years based on academic progress.
Biomedical Engineering, PhD
Website: http://bme.udel.edu/academics/graduate/
Requirements for Admission
Applicants to the PhD program in BME should meet the following requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree or higher in engineering, physical, or biological sciences from an accredited 4-year college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
- Engineering, science, and math courses from the following list, while not required for admission, are highly recommended: Calculus, Differential Equations, Calculus-based Physics, Biology, Physiology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Signal Processing, Statics and Dynamics, Probability and Statistics, and Computer Programming. It is understood that very few applicants will have completed all of these courses, but all provide a foundation that will help with the required courses in the Biomedical Engineering graduate program.
- For international applicants, a TOEFL exam taken within the last 2 years with a minimum score of 550 for the paper basede and 79 for the iBT with an 18 for the iBT speaking component. Or degree from a primary English-speaking University conistent with policies from the UD Graduate College (
- https://www.udel.edu/apply/undergraduate-admissions/requirements/internationalstudents )
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals acquainted with the student and his/her academic work or from employers or others who have had a supervisory relationship with the applicant and are able to assess the applicant’s potential for success in graduate studies.
- A personal statement (1-2 page) that indicates:
- The reason for the student’s interest in graduate study
- A discussion of previous research experience and/or industrial experience.
- The student’s area of research interest and a list of faculty with whom they would like to work
- The student’s career objectives
We encourage applications from students of all backgrounds. Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, and those who fail to meet all of those requirements are not necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. Required courses can be found through the link below. Apply using the central UD graduate application.
Quantitative Systems Pharmacology, MS
Requirements for Admission
Applicants to the PhD program in BME should meet the following requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science discipline or applied mathematics
- Bachelor’s degree in physics, chemistry or biology if the following competencies are met:
- Calculus through differential equations
- Basic programming experience
- Biology coursework is recommended
- University minimum requirements for TOEFL for international applicants
- GRE not required
Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths. Apply using the central UD graduate application.
Quantitative Systems Pharmacology, MS (4+1)
Requirements for Admission
Applicants for the 4+1 Masters of Science in Quantitative Systems Pharmacology should meet the following requirements:
- Currently open to B.S. in Biomedical Engineering students who are enrolled as full-time undergraduates at UD at the time of application
- Achieved at least 75 hours earned at the time of application (typically occurring in the final semester of junior year)
- Minimum Grade Point Average of 3.00
- Completion of the 4+1 form with approvals
- Complete the abbreviated 4+1 graduate application, which includes uploading the completed 4+1 form, and an unofficial UD undergraduate transcript
- GRE scores are not required
Admission to the graduate program is competitive. Those who meet stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
Application deadlines
Biomedical Engineering majors may apply to the 4+1 program during the Spring Semester of their Junior Year, not later than May 31.
Individual degree requirements associated with this department are listed below:
ProgramsMaster’sDoctorate4+1
Return to: College of Engineering
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