Biomedical Engineering, PhD

Program Overview

Biomedical Engineering, PhD

Degrees Awarded:

• Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

Chair:

• Yi-Xian Qin, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Bioengineering Bldg., Room 215

Graduate Program Director:

• Jun Wang

Graduate Program Administrator:

• Vacant

Department Website:

• [Insert website URL]

Overview

Biomedical engineering is at the forefront of medicine’s technologic revolution; its many successes have raised expectations for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. Faculty at Stony Brook University have been active contributors to the cutting edge of this technology, and our University is building on internationally acclaimed strengths in Bioelectromagnetics, Biomechanics, Biomaterials, Biotechnology, Tissue Engineering, Instrumentation, and Medical Imaging. These disciplines thrive through active interdisciplinary collaborations among the faculty in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the School of Medicine, and the College of Arts and Sciences, all of which are in close proximity. This ongoing biomedical research, combined with unique facilities at the University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have helped distinguish Stony Brook as a superb resource for education in both the engineering and health sciences. With these intellectual and physical resources, the program in Biomedical Engineering is positioned to provide a rigorous, cross-disciplinary graduate training and research environment for our students.

Admission Requirements

• A four-year undergraduate degree in engineering or related field such as the physical sciences, or mathematics.
• An official transcript of undergraduate record and of any work completed at the graduate level.
• Letters of recommendation from three previous or current instructors/employers.
• Submission of a personal statement outlining your background, interests, and career goals in the field of biomedical engineering.
• Acceptance by both the Program and the Graduate School.

Degree Requirements

Completion of the M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering or equivalent graduate program

Satisfactory completion of the BME qualifying exam

Plan of Study

• Student matriculating in to the doctoral (Ph.D.) degree program must complete all the requirements for the M.S. degree in BME at Stony Brook or enter the program with a relevant M.S. degree.
• This latter option is termed admission with “Advanced Standing.”
• After completion of the M.S. degree or admission with Advanced Standing, there are no course requirements per se, though certain courses may be required to fill any gaps in the student’s knowledge.
• Following completion of a qualifying exam, an independent basic research program will be undertaken.
• Subsequently, the student will present and defend their dissertation proposal.
• Successful completion of this stage will enable the student to “Advanced to Candidacy.”
• One semester of teaching practicum must be satisfactorily performed.
• Completion of the research program will culminate in the submission and oral defense of a doctoral dissertation.
• The University requires at least two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study.

Teaching Requirements

• The BME teaching requirement for the Ph.D. degree can be fulfilled in any of the following three manners:
  • Deliver 4 lectures in a BME undergraduate or graduate course, and present a seminar that covers the state-of-the-art in your field of research.
  • Teach a BME course, either as the instructor of record (if you have G5 student status) or as the principal instructor (for G4 student status).
  • Petition for something else that is equivalent to the above.

Thesis Proposal Examination

• After successful completion of the qualifying examination, the student selects a thesis advisor and writes a proposal for thesis research.
• After approval by the thesis advisor, the proposal is orally defended before a thesis committee.

Advancement to Candidacy

• After successful completion of all required and elective courses, the qualifying examination, and the thesis proposal examination, the student will be recommended to the Graduate School for advancement to candidacy.

Dissertation

• The research for the Ph.D. dissertation is conducted under the supervision of the thesis committee.
• The dissertation must represent a significant contribution to the scientific and/or engineering literature.
• Upon approval of the completed dissertation by the thesis committee, a formal public oral defense of the dissertation is scheduled at which the student presents their findings and is questioned by members of the examining committee and by other members of the audience.
• On acceptance of the dissertation by the thesis committee, all requirements for the degree will have been satisfied.

Time Limit/Residency Requirements

• All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be completed within seven years after completing 24 credits of graduate study.
• The University requires at least two consecutive semesters of full-time graduate study.