Biomedical Engineering
Offered jointly with University of South Dakota (USD). Biomedical engineering (BME) is concerned with the application of engineering and science methodologies to the analysis of biological and physiological problems and to the delivery of health care. The biomedical engineer serves as an interface between traditional engineering disciplines and living systems and may work in either direction, applying the patterns of living organisms to engineering design or engineering new approaches to human health.
Both the master of science and doctor of philosophy degrees are cross-disciplinary degrees. The objective of the M.S. program is to prepare a student for research and development careers in biomedical industry and further research at the doctoral level. The Ph.D. program will prepare a student for a career as a researcher who advances the frontiers of biomedical science and engineering with attention to generating new ideas for commercialization.
Current focus areas of faculty activity within the program are (1) cardiovascular mechanics, pathology, and devices (heart valves, stents, etc.), (2) biomaterials (nanomaterials, bioadhesives, tissue engineering, etc.), (3) computational biomedical engineering (biomechanics, imaging, advanced modeling/simulations, etc.), and (4) assistive technology/rehabilitation engineering (advanced prosthetics, control, biomimetics, etc.). Students in the programs will be associated with one or more of several existing and newly formed research centers and laboratories, e.g., the Cardiovascular Research Institute, the Center for Accelerated Applications at the Nanoscale, the Center for Development of Light Activated Materials, the Computational Mechanics Laboratory, or the Direct Write Technology Laboratory.
Admission to either program will be based on the established graduate admission standards at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), three letters of recommendation, and a GPA of 3.00 or better are expected of all applicants for the Ph.D. program. The TOEFL exam is required for students whose native language is not English. Students seeking exceptions warranted by special circumstances are requested to contact the biomedical engineering graduate program coordinator.
Students completing their M.S. degrees will graduate with a high level of competence in
- understanding of cardiovascular systems and devices;
- the application and characterization of various forms of biomaterials;
- the acquisition and processing of medical signals and images;
- the computation and simulation of phenomena in biomechanical systems; and
- transferring their understanding of biomaterials, biomechancis, and signal processing to the creation of new applications.
Students completing their Ph.D. degrees will graduate with a higher level of expertise in transferring their understanding of one of the program focus areas - cardiovascular mechanics/pathology/devices, biomaterials, computational biomedical engineering, or rehabilitation engineering/assistive technology to the creation of new knowledge and applications.
In addition, doctoral students will possess a high level of expertise in their specialized area of research. This competency will be developed through focused research objectives which culminate in the doctoral dissertation. Graduates of the programs will also demonstrate
- the ability to communicate effectively in written and oral presentations,
- intellectual honesty when working with data and ideas, and
- the ability to make an original contribution to their field.
Courses are offered at both SDSM&T and USD campuses, and students may elect either campus as their campus of residence. Courses offered at SDSM&T are relayed to students at USD by video, and vice versa.
Students who have already completed an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering or a related field are eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program. All other applicants will be admitted to the M.S. program and will be considered for the Ph.D. program upon successful completion of the master’s degree.
Financial Support
The Biomedical Engineering program has a limited number of Teaching Assistantships and Research Assistantships. All students admitted to the program are automatically considered for financial support.
Note(s):
Elective courses in the area of the student’s intended research are to be selected in consultation with the student’s advisory committee.
*A list of possible BME electives can be found in the course description section of this catalog.
**Each Ph.D. program of study is individually designed to meet the goals fo the student. Courses from a variety of areas, including materials and metallurgical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematics and computer science, may be used to fulfill the elective requirements in a manner intended to complement the student’s research.
Each student is also required to pass a comprehensive examination and defend the dissertation. There is no language requirement for the BME Ph.D. program. Detailed information on examination policies, admission to candidace, and defense of dissertation may be found in the Graduate Education section of this catalog.
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