The course requirements for the BME graduate programs have changed. The requirements for 2018W onwards are outlined below. If you started your program prior to 2018W, please review the “Pre-2018W Program Requirements” table.
The following tables outlines degree requirements for each of the MEng, MASc and PhD programs.
- Start at the top and work your way down the requirements columns to complete your course choices. Numbers in brackets refer to number of credits, and the plus sign indicates possible additional credits; i.e., (3+) means “3 or more credits.”
- Courses descriptions are available from the UBC Course Calendar.
- Note that not all courses listed are offered every year.
- If you are exempt from a particular course (e.g., if you completed an undergraduate option and have credit for BMEG 410 and 456), you are expected to replace those credits with additional credits in the same category. In particular, BMEG 510 should be replaced with another life sciences course and BMEG 556 should be replaced with another core BME course.
Please note that ALL course plans require program approval. Please contact the BME Program Office with any questions. Students who do not get their course plan approved by the program run the risk of not meeting program requirements for graduation.
2018W or Later Program Requirements
| MEng | MASc | PhD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite | BASC or Equivalent | BASc or Equivalent | MASc or Equivalent* |
| Minimum Required Credits | 30** | 30** | 13** |
| Required Courses | 10 credits BMEG 591A (3) BME Signature Course BMEG 597 (6) Master of Engineering Project BMEG 598 (1) Biomedical Engineering Seminar*** | 19 credits BMEG 591A (3) BME Signature Course BMEG 591B (3) Modules in Biomedical Engineering BMEG 598 (1) Biomedical Engineering Seminar*** BMEG 599 (12) MASc Thesis† | 7 credits BMEG 591A (3) BME Signature Course BMEG 591B (3) Modules in Biomedical Engineering BMEG 598 (1) Biomedical Engineering Seminar*** BMEG 699 (0) Doctoral Dissertation† |
| Core Life Sciences Courses | 3+ credits | 3+ credits | 3+ credits |
| Any of the following are acceptable and have been taken by BME students previous. Students may also select their own course (subject to approval by the Graduate Advisor) ANAT 511 (3) Fundamentals of Body Design: Basic Principles in Human Anatomy as Illustrated by the Organization of the Back and Upper Limb APBI 490 (3) Advanced Topics in Applied Biology BIOL 530 (3) The Biology of the Cell BMEG 510 (4) Anatomy and Physiology with Applications to Biomedical Devices BMEG 511 (2) Fundamentals of Applied Pathophysiology in Biomedical Engineering BMEG 591I (1.5) Topics in Biomedical Engineering - Cellular and Molecular Immunotherapies BMEG 591V (1.5) Topics in Biomedical Engineering - Vaccines CAPS 426 (3) Physiological Basis of Central Nervous System Functions CELL 501 (3) Cell and Developmental Biology Research Literature CELL 502 (1.5) Current Topics in Developmental Biology CELL 503 (1.5) Current Topics in Cellular Communication CELL 504 (1.5) Current Topics in Cytoskeleton and Cell Motility CELL 505 (1.5) Current Topics in Intracellular Trafficking CELL 506 (1.5) Fluorescence Microscopy CELL 507 (1.5) Special Techniques and Protocols in Cell and Developmental Biology CELL 508 (1.5) Molecular Genetic Analysis CELL 509 (1.5) Cell Systems Biology CELL 511 (1.5) Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Human Disease KIN 390 (3) Human Functional Musculoskeletal Anatomy KIN 473 (3) Neuroanatomy of Human Movement PHAR 516 (2) Polymeric Drug and Protein Delivery PHAR 517 (2) Lipid-Based Drug Delivery PHAR 518 (4) Diagnostic Imaging and Radiopharmaceuticals PHYS 545 (3) Anatomy, Physiology and Statistics for Medical Physicists |
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| Core Applied Sciences Courses | 3+ credits | 3+ credits | 3+ credits |
| Any of the following are acceptable and have been taken by BME students previously. Students may also select their own course (subject to approval by the Graduate Advisor) BMEG 550 (3) Biomedical Engineering Technology BMEG 556 (3) Clinical and Industrial Practice of Biomedical Engineering BMEG 557 (1) Statistical Methods for Evaluating Medical Technologies CHBE 470 (3) Transport in Biological Systems CHBE 560 (3) Biological Engineering CHBE 564 (3) Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory CPEN 541 (3) Human Interface Technologies (formerly EECE 518) CPSC 530P (3) Sensorimotor Computation EECE 542 (3) Computer Integrated Surgery ELEC 422 (3) Biosignals and Systems ELEC 473 (3) Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems ELEC 474 (3) Biophotonics ELEC 521 (3) Biomedical Microdevices (formerly EECE 532) ELEC 524 (3) Advanced Biophotonics (formerly EECE 535) ELEC 523 (3) Medical Imaging (formerly EECE 544) MECH 433/533 (3) Biofluids MECH 436/536 (3) Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics MECH 535 (3) Orthopaedic Biomechanics MTRL 495 (3) Biomaterials MTRL 595 (3) Advanced Biomaterials |
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| Electives | 0+ credits | 0+ credits | 0+ credits |
| Various graduate courses offered in the Faculty of Applied Science, Faculty of Medicine, and other allied departments (Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Human Kinetics, etc. that are relevant to a program of study in biomedical engineering Must have approval of the BME graduate advisor prior to taking course. Examples of courses previously approved include: CPSC 544 (3) Human Computer Interaction EECE 570 (3) Fundamentals of Visual Computing MECH 507 (3) Analytical Dynamics MECH 555 (4) Fundamentals of Microelectromechanical Systems††† MINE 553 (3) Modeling of Industrial Systems MTRL 471/571 (3) Advanced Nanofibre Technology PHYS 540 (3) Radiological Imaging PHYS 541 (3) Nuclear Medicine PHYS 542 (3) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging PHYS 543 (3) Biomedical Optics Business/Entrepreneurship Courses APSC 512 (3) Intellectual Property Management and Technology Commercialization APSC 540 (3) Business Decisions for Engineering Ventures APSC 541 (3) Technology Entrepreneurship for Engineers and any 300 level or above business management course Statistics, Healthcare Policy and Economics, Ethics, etc. Various graduate courses as approved by your supervisor and the program office. Other courses may be acceptable as electives; please consult the BME Program Office. |
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| Engineers in Scrubs | 4+ credits of the following (may be used in place of electives) | 4+ credits of the following (may be used in place of electives) | 4+ credits of the following |
| Required (restricted to students in the Engineers in Scrubs Program) BMEG 500 (1) Orientation to the Clinical Environment BMEG 501 (3) Interdisciplinary Team Project in Medical Innovation Optional (open to all students) BMEG 590 (1) Professional Skills Workshop Course |
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| Special Topics | These courses are offered on an occasional or trial basis. Contact the Graduate Faculty Advisor if interested. BMEG 554 (1-3) Directed Studies in Biomedical Engineering (normally restricted to MASc/PhD) BMEG 591 (1-3) Topics in Biomedical Engineering |
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*Applicants to the PhD program normally hold a master’s degree. Applicants without a master’s degree may be considered in special circumstances. Please review our application and admissions page
**A maximum of 6 credits at an undergraduate level (courses numbered 300-499) may be counted toward the requirements of a degree
*** BMEG 598 incorporates both the monthly public seminars and the annual Biomedical Engineering Conference. Students are required to remain registered for and attend all BME Seminars during the duration of their program. Pass or Fail standing is awarded based on the attendance and final standing or credits for the course will not be given until the program completion. Prior to 2014W, students were only required to attend seminars for the first 2 (MASc/MEng) or 4 (PhD) years of the program.
† Students must remain registered in their thesis course year round for the entirety of their program.
Pre 2018W Program Requirements
| MEng | MASc | PhD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite | BASC or Equivalent | BASc or Equivalent | MASc or Equivalent |
| Minimum Required Credits | 30* | 30* | 6-12** |
| Required Courses | BMEG 556(3) Clinical and Industrial Practice of Biomedical Engineering BMEG 557(3) Statistical Methods for Evaluating Medical Technologies – strongly recommended for students enrolled in BMEG 556.*** BMEG 598 (1) Biomedical Engineering Seminar† Life Sciences Anatomy/Physiology (3+) – normally students will take BMEG 510†† (4 credits) (Anatomy and Physiology with Applications to Biomedical Devices) to satisfy a portion of this requirement; other acceptable options include: BMEG 510 (4) Anatomy and Physiology with Applications to Biomedical Devices BMEG 511 (2) Fundamentals of Applied Pathophysiology in Biomedical Engineering PHAR 516 (2) Polymeric Drug and Protein Delivery PHAR 517 (2) Lipid-Based Drug Delivery PHAR 518 (4) Diagnostic Imaging and Radiopharmaceuticals PHYS 545 (3) Anatomy, Physiology and Statistics for Medical Physicists |
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| Degree Specific Required Courses | BMEG 550 (3) Biomedical Engineering Technology BMEG 597 (6) Master of Engineering Project†† | BMEG 599 (12) MASc Thesis††† | BMEG 699 (0) Doctoral Dissertation††† |
| Core Technical Courses | 6+ credits | 6+ credits | Have satisfied the equivalent of the BME MASc program |
| Any of the following are acceptable. Students may also select their own course (subject to approval by the Graduate Advisor) BMEG 511 (2) Fundamentals of Applied Pathophysiology in Biomedical Engineering‡ BMEG 591I (1.5) Immunoengineering CHBE 470 (3) Transport in Biological Systems CHBE 560 (3) Biological Engineering CHBE 564 (3) Industrial Biotechnology Laboratory CPSC 530P (3) Sensorimotor Computation ELEC 473 (3) Biological Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems ELEC 473 (3) Biosignals and Systems ELEC 474 (3) Biophotonics EECE 518 (3) Human Interface Technologies EECE 532 (3) Biomedical Microdevices EECE 535 (3) Advanced Biophotonics EECE 542 (3) Computer Integrated Surgery EECE 544 (3) Medical Imaging EECE 571S (3) Machine Learning for Medical Image and Signal Analysis (not currently offered) MECH 433/533 (3) Biofluids MECH 436/536 (3) Fundamentals of Injury Biomechanics MECH 535 (3) Orthopaedic Biomechanics MTRL 495 (3) Biomaterials MTRL 595 (3) Advanced Biomaterials Please note these courses may not be offered every year. Other BME-focused courses may be introduced from time to time in various departments in the Faculty of Applied Science; such courses will normally be accepted as BME core courses; if you are in doubt about a particular course you are interested in, please consult the BME Program Office. |
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| Engineers in Scrubs | 5 credits of the following (may be used in place of core technical courses) | 5 credits of the following (may be used in place of core technical courses) | 5 credits of the following (may be used in place of core technical courses) |
| Required (restricted to students in the Engineers in Scrubs Program) BMEG 500 (1) Orientation to the Clinical Environment BMEG 501 (3) Interdisciplinary Team Project in Medical Innovation BMEG 590 (1) Professional Skills Workshop Course‡‡ |
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| Technical Electives | 3+ credits | 0+ credits | As required by supervisory committee |
| Any of the following are acceptable. Students may also select their own course (subject to approval by the Graduate Advisor) Various graduate courses offered in the Faculty of Applied Science, Faculty of Medicine, and other allied departments (Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Human Kinetics, etc. that are relevant to a program of study in biomedical engineering Must have approval of the BME graduate advisor prior to taking course. Examples of courses previously approved include: CPSC 544 (3) Human Computer Interaction EECE 570 (3) Fundamentals of Visual Computing MECH 507 (3) Analytical Dynamics MECH 555 (4) Fundamentals of Microelectromechanical Systems‡‡‡ MINE 553 (3) Modeling of Industrial Systems MTRL 471/571 (3) Advanced Nanofibre Technology PHYS 540 (3) Radiological Imaging PHYS 541 (3) Nuclear Medicine PHYS 542 (3) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging PHYS 543 (3) Biomedical Optics Other courses may be acceptable as electives; please consult the BME Program Office. |
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| Free Electives | 0+ credits | 0+ credits | 0+ credits |
| As desired to customize a student’s program; these choices should be approved by the student’s supervisor and the BME Graduate Advisor. Common free electives include: Business/Entrepreneurship Courses APSC 512 (3) Intellectual Property Management and Technology Commercialization APSC 540 (3) Business Decisions for Engineering Ventures APSC 541 (3) Technology Entrepreneurship for Engineers and any 300 level or above business management course Note: MEng and MASc students may count a maximum of 3 credits of business or entrepreneurship-related courses towards their program total (e.g., APSC 512, 540 or 541 as shown above). Statistics, Healthcare Policy and Economics, Ethics, etc. Various graduate courses as approved by your supervisor and the program office. |
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| Special Topics | These courses are offered on an occasional or trial basis. Contact the Graduate Faculty Advisor if interested. BMEG 554 (1-3) Directed Studies in Biomedical Engineering (normally restricted to MASc/PhD) BMEG 591 (1-3) Topics in Biomedical Engineering |
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* Applicants to the BME program should normally hold an engineering degree or a closely-related degree with significant technical, analytical and mathematical components (e.g., physics, biophysics, chemistry, computer science). Students with degrees in other fields (e.g., life sciences, kinesiology, physical therapy) may be considered for the program if they have adequate technical preparation. Students in such situations should consult with the graduate advisor prior to applying. Applicants with credit for BMEG 410 or 456 (or equivalent) will be exempt from the requirement to take BMEG 510 and 556, but must replace them with additional courses of equivalent credit value.
** There is no explicit course requirement for the PhD, but students will normally be asked by their supervisory committee to take 2-4 courses to establish suitable breadth in their area of specialization and to make up any deficiencies in their background. PhD students are required to demonstrate substantial equivalence to the BME MASc program in their previous work.
*** Prior to 2017W, BMEG 557 was listed as BMEG 591S. Effective 2017W, BMEG 557 is a required course for incoming students.
†BMEG 598 incorporates both the monthly public seminars and the annual Biomedical Engineering Conference. Students are required to remain registered for and attend all BME Seminars during the duration of their program. Pass or Fail standing is awarded based on the attendance and final standing or credits for the course will not be given until the program completion. Prior to 2014W, students were only required to attend seminars for the first 2 (MASc/MEng) or 4 (PhD) years of the program.
†† BMEG 597 (previously called BMEG 554): MEng students will normally register for this course in summer term. For example, if you start in 2015W, you should register in BMEG 597 in 2016S.
†††Research students should register in their thesis course for every term of the entirety of their program
‡Prior to 2017W, BMEG 511 was listed as BMEG 591P
‡‡EiS students should remain registered in BMEG 590 throughout the entirety of their project. This will help the BME program office and the course instructor keep track of and communicate with current students.
‡‡‡Prior to 2016W, MECH 555 was listed as a ‘Core Course’. Students who took MECH 555 prior to 2016W can use it towards their ‘Core Course’ requirement.