The Master of Science in Bioengineering requires 45 units of coursework. The curriculum consists of core bioengineering courses, technical electives, seminars and unrestricted electives.
Core courses focus on quantitative biology and biological systems analysis. Approved technical electives are chosen by students in consultation with their graduate advisor (who is matched to the student after matriculation in the weeks before they start classes), and can be selected from graduate course offerings in mathematics, statistics, engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, medicine, and many other disciplinary fields. Seminars highlight emerging research in bioengineering and provide training in research ethics. Unrestricted electives can be freely chosen by students in association with their advisor.
Students will be assigned an initial faculty advisor, who will assist the student in designing a plan of study that creates a cohesive degree program with a concentration in a particular bioengineering focus area. These focus areas include (but are not limited to):
- Biomedical Computation
- Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering
- Molecular and Cell Bioengineering
- Biomedical Imaging
- Biomedical Devices
Students and advisors should work together to design a program of courses that offers depth in a particular area and breadth across at least two areas of bioengineering.
Department requirements for the MS in Bioengineering
It is expected that the requirements for the MS in Bioengineering can be completed within approximately one year. There is no thesis requirement for the MS.
1. Bioengineering courses — 10 units
- BIOE 300A Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering (Win)
- BIOE 300B Physiology and Tissue Engineering (Aut)
- and two of the following:
- BIOE 301A Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering Lab (Spr)
- BIOE 301B Clinical Needs and Technology (Win)
- BIOE 301C Diagnostic Devices Lab (Spr)
- BIOE 301D Microfluidic Device Laboratory (Spr)
These courses, together with the Approved Technical Electives, should form a cohesive course of study that provides depth and breadth.
2. Approved technical electives — 26 units
These units must be selected from graduate courses in mathematics, statistics, engineering, physical science, life science and medicine. They should be chosen in concert with the bioengineering courses to provide a cohesive degree program in a bioengineering focus area. Up to 9 units of directed study and research may be used as approved electives.
3. Seminars — 3 units
- BIOE 393 Bioengineering Departmental Research Colloquium (1 unit; 2 quarters required)
- MED 255 The Responsible Conduct of Research (1 unit)
4. Unrestricted electives — 6 units
Students must complete a proposed MS degree form listing their proposed courses during their first quarter at Stanford to assure that the planned program provides appropriate depth and breadth. The student's faculty advisor and the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies must approve this list of courses.
