Bioengineering, MSE
The Bioengineering master's program provides an interdisciplinary education in scientific and engineering fundamentals, with an emphasis on new developments in the field of Bioengineering. The primary goal of the Penn Bioengineering master's program is to provide students with a customized curriculum designed to prepare them to function creatively and independently in industry, research and development, government or academia.
The master's degree program provides rigorous and advanced training in engineering with a focus on biological and medical sciences. The flexible curriculum allows students to select their own graduate coursework in math, biomedical sciences, bioengineering, and other science and engineering disciplines. The University of Pennsylvania has a "one university" philosophy, and students may register for courses from any School in the University. Our students typically take courses in the Schools of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, and Medicine.
Bioengineering master's degree candidates select either the thesis or non-thesis degree track during their first year, in consultation with the Director of Master's Advising. Students typically complete their degree program in twelve to eighteen months.
The MSE in Bioengineering is a "terminal degree," meaning that students interested in pursuing a PhD must apply to the program through the PhD graduate admissions process.
For more information: http://www.be.seas.upenn.edu/current-students/masters/degree-requirements.php
Curriculum
A total of 10 course units are required for the MSE degree.1,2
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses 3 | ||
| Select 1 Math course | 1 | |
| Select 1 Biological Science course | 1 | |
| Select 2 Bioengineering graduate courses 4 | 2 | |
| Select 3 SEAS and or Biomedical Science electives | 3 | |
| Select 1 general elective | 1 | |
| Thesis/Non-Thesis Requirements | ||
| BE 9990 | Master's Thesis (or 2 science and engineering electives) | 2 |
| Total Course Units | 10 | |
Thesis Option Requirements
If you choose to write a thesis, you will enroll in 2 units of thesis research, BE 9990 Master's Thesis.
Be sure to read the Master's Thesis Guidelines. In choosing the thesis option, your thesis advisor may provide additional guidance on course selection and will supervise your thesis research. The director of the bioengineering MSE program will help you find a mentor, traditionally selected from the Bioengineering Graduate Group.
Non-Thesis Option Requirements
If you choose not to write a thesis, you will enroll in an additional 2 course units (2 CU) of science and engineering electives (of which 1 may be BE 5990 Master's Independent Study)
- 1
The program director helps you develop a program of study for the fall and spring semester of your first year. You can also access a list of suggested graduate courses broken down by discipline.
- 2
Please work with the BE master's administrator/program on the curriculum and course plan. Once your course selection is approved, you will be permitted to register through PATH.
- 3
Must be taken by students in both the thesis and non-thesis tracks. All courses must be 5000 level or above.
- 4
Select any BE 5000+ level courses
Concentrations
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Data Science and Computational Medicine | ||
| Employs concepts and infrastructure from computer science and broad-based principles from engineering, applied mathematics, physics, and chemistry, to navigate large data sets of biological information and model biomolecules to gain insight into complex biological systems. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Biological Data Science II: Data Mining Principles for Epigenomics | ||
| Introduction to Neuroengineering | ||
| Brain-Computer Interfaces | ||
| Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience | ||
| Biomedical Image Analysis | ||
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering | ||
| Quantitative Principles of Drug Design | ||
| Multiscale Modeling of Chemical and Biological Systems | ||
| Networked Neuroscience | ||
| Special Topics in Bioengineering | ||
| Cryo-Em | ||
| Biological Foundations for Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Genomics and Omics Technologies | ||
| Statistics for Biologists | ||
| Mathematical Modeling in Biology | ||
| Introduction to Biomedical and Health Informatics | ||
| Data Science for Biomedical Informatics | ||
| Natural Language Processing for Health | ||
| Molecular Modeling and Simulations | ||
| Applied Machine Learning | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Introduction to Bioinformatics | ||
or BIOM 5350 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | |
or MTR 5350 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | |
| Big Data Analytics | ||
| Programming Languages and Techniques | ||
| Statistics for Genomics and Biomedical Informatics | ||
or BMIN 5330 | Statistics for Genomics and Biomedical Informatics | |
or IMUN 5770 | Statistics for Genomics and Biomedical Informatics | |
| Fundamentals of Computational Biology | ||
or BIOL 5536 | Fundamentals of Computational Biology | |
or CIS 5360 | Fundamentals of Computational Biology | |
| Advanced Computational Biology | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Devices | ||
| Design of instruments, implants or other biotechnologies that are used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease. They require design, fabrication, manufacturing and interfacing with biological systems. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| From Biomedical Science to the Marketplace | ||
| Introduction to Neuroengineering | ||
| Human Centered Design for Clinical Emergency Medicine | ||
| Rehab Engineering and Design | ||
| Optical Microscopy | ||
| Brain-Computer Interfaces | ||
| Applied Medical Innovation I | ||
| Applied Medical Innovation II | ||
| Biomicrofluidics | ||
| Molecular Diagnostics for Precision Medicine | ||
| Biomechatronics | ||
| Materials for Bioelectronics | ||
| Feedback Control Design and Analysis | ||
or MEAM 5130 | Feedback Control Design and Analysis | |
| Introduction to Micro- and Nano-electromechanical Technologies | ||
| Nanofabrication and Nanocharacterization | ||
| Management and Strategy in Medical Devices and Technology | ||
| Product Design | ||
| Smart Devices | ||
| Design of Mechatronic Systems | ||
| Design for Manufacturability | ||
| Introduction to Robotics | ||
| Micro and Nano Fluidics | ||
| Mechanical Properties of Macro/Nanoscale Materials | ||
or MEAM 5050 | Mechanical Properties of Macro/Nanoscale Materials | |
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular/Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials | ||
| Engineering of synthetic and/or biological materials to support or manipulate cellular or tissue growth. Constructs are used to understand cell behavior, as tissue implants or as platforms for therapeutic applications. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Bioengineering III: Biomaterials | ||
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering | ||
| Principles, Methods, and Applications of Tissue Engineering | ||
| Principles of Biological Fabrication | ||
| Multiscale Modeling of Chemical and Biological Systems | ||
| Developmental Engineering of Tissues | ||
| Systems Biology of Cell Signaling Behavior | ||
| Principles of Controlled Release Systems | ||
| Materials for Bioelectronics | ||
| Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery - Soft Matter Fundamentals | ||
| Design for Manufacturability | ||
| Biomedical Microsystems | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Physics | ||
| Physics of medical and biological imaging modalities, the use and effects of radiation in imaging and therapy, methodologies for image acquisition and processing, development of computer-based imaging theory and analysis methods, and the development and use of contrast media and molecular imaging agents. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Optical Microscopy | ||
| Biomedical Image Analysis | ||
| Fundamental Techniques of Imaging | ||
| Techniques of Magnetic Resonance Imaging | ||
| Physics of Medical / Molecular Imaging | ||
| The Mathematics of Medical Imaging and Measurement | ||
| Advanced Biomedical Imaging Applications | ||
| Fundamentals of Magnetic Resonance | ||
| Image-Based Anatomy | ||
| Radiation Biology | ||
| Modern Optics | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Systems and Synthetic Biology | ||
| Understanding the nature of molecular and cellular processes and how individual biological entities interact to produce function at the cellular and organism level. It also includes the development of new devices, biomolecules, or biomimetics to control or manipulate these interactions to introduce new functionality, improve function and/or impair function. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Principles of Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering | ||
| Principles of Biological Fabrication | ||
| Multiscale Modeling of Chemical and Biological Systems | ||
| Developmental Engineering of Tissues | ||
| Systems Biology of Cell Signaling Behavior | ||
| Biological Foundations for Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Genomics and Omics Technologies | ||
| Advancements and Applications in Genome Editing and Engineering | ||
| Engineering Biotechnology | ||
| Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery - Soft Matter Fundamentals | ||
| Mechanics of Macromolecules | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Neuroengineering | ||
| Neuroengineering involves the confluence of neuroscience, device development, computation, and mathematics in an effort to better understand, track, and modulate neural function in health, disease, and degeneration. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Brain-Computer Interfaces | ||
| Introduction to Neuroengineering | ||
| Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience | ||
| Networked Neuroscience | ||
| Special Topics - NeuroAI - A Principled Understanding of the Human Brain | ||
| Electrical Language of Cells | ||
| Systems Neuroscience | ||
| Foundations of Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience | ||
| A Neuroscience Perspective of Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Multiscale Biomechanics | ||
| Understand how biomolecules, cells, tissues, or living subjects interact mechanically with their environment and to use this knowledge to understand disease and repair processes and/or to guide the design of technological solutions to rehabilitate subjects with injuries or disabilities. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| Biomechanics and Biotransport | ||
| Rehab Engineering and Design | ||
| Continuum Tissue Mechanics | ||
| Musculoskeletal Biology and Bioengineering | ||
| Biomechatronics | ||
| Mechanics of Soft and Biomaterials | ||
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutics, Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine | ||
| Encompasses drug discovery, drug design, manufacturing, preparation of micro- and nanodelivery platforms, gene and cell therapy, innovations in targeting, controllable drug release, biodegradation and the mathematical modeling of these systems. | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Master's Independent Study | ||
| From Biomedical Science to the Marketplace | ||
| Immunology for Bioengineers | ||
| Immune Engineering | ||
| Nanoscale Systems Biology | ||
| Drug Discovery and Development | ||
or CBE 5620 | Drug Discovery and Development | |
| Principles of Controlled Release Systems | ||
| Medical Entrepreneurship: Commercializing Translational Science | ||
| Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics | ||
or IMUN 6090 | Vaccines and Immune Therapeutics | |
| Engineering Biotechnology | ||
| Stem Cells, Proteomics and Drug Delivery - Soft Matter Fundamentals | ||
| Drug Delivery Systems: Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine | ||
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2025 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.