This section describes any changes from the prior version of the handbook, released "Sep  2023" (PDF version):

1. Updated handbook format

   • Split the PhD and MS handbooks into separate documents

   • Incorporated minor clarifications throughout

   • Added updated summary / flow-chart figures in mutiple sections

• Possible paths for students to follow during their graduate career in BME at Case. 

MS Program

• For individuals graduating with a BS in an engineering, biomedical, or related scientific field, they can apply for the MS through the onine portal: https://applygrad.case.edu/portal/applygrad

BS/MS Program

• The BS/MS program is designed to allow highly qualified undergraduate students from the Case BME program to integrate B.S. courses and project work with M.S. courses and research. Nominally, the combined program can be completed in 5 years that includes 3 summers starting after the junior year. The BS/MS program can reduce the time required to receive an M.S. degree because up to three courses taken during the undergraduate program at Case can be “double counted” towards M.S. requirements and because a research project can begin before the completion of the B.S. degree.

• Admission to the BS/MS program is typically open to BME juniors from Case with a grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Students with slightly lower GPA but with significant research experience and a strong faculty champion can petition the GEC for admission. Applications to the BS/MS program should be submitted before the end of Spring semester in the junior year. The final deadline for BS/MS admissions is August 1 before the senior year. This will enable the GEC sufficient time to review the application and allow students to make any required changes to their POS for fall semester. 

• In general the following steps should be taken to apply to the BS/MS program:

  1. See Advisor to discuss interests (typically in junior year or earlier).

  2. Contact the School of Undergraduate Studies office to discuss intentions.

  3. Complete a School of Graduate Studies application and submit to the Graduate Studies Office for the program of interest (BME).

  4. Complete a planned Program of Study form (must be signed by student, Faculty Advisor, Department Chair, and Dean of Undergraduate Studies). The BS/MS PPOS form is located at this webpage. The PPOS form is first submitted to the MS Program Director for the first signature. Then, it must be approved by both the School of Undergraduate Studies and School of Graduate Studies.

• Additional Information

  1. An eligible BME faculty member (primary or secondary) must agree to serve as the M.S. research advisor and a primary BME faculty member (who might be the same person as the research advisor) must agree to be the academic advisor. Obtaining this agreement is the responsibility of the applying student. The BS/MS application must include letters of recommendation from both the research and academic advisor that states that they agree to serve in these roles and that they support the BS/MS application. 

  2. The BME department does not guarantee financial support during the M.S. portion of this program. However, the GEC requires students and potential research advisors to discuss and agree to some financial arrangement. The letter of recommendation from the proposed research advisor must therefore indicate that the issue of financial support has been discussed and that some arrangement has been agreed upon. The details of this arrangement do not need to be included in the letter.

  3. Prepare the application package that includes the following:

     • A current transcript

     • The proposed M.S. Program of Study. Make sure that the Program of Study specifies both the academic and research advisors and includes both of their signatures. This form also needs to indicate the courses that are intended to be “double counted”.

       • Only graduate-level courses (400 or higher) can be double counted. This typically means that students should register for 400 level courses to satisfy undergraduate technical electives.

       • It is possible to “double count” three credit hours of EBME 398. To do this, three credit hours of EBME 651 (Thesis Option) or EBME 695 (Non-Thesis Option) should replace EBME 398 in the fall or spring of the senior year. You should register for EBME 651 or EBME 695 (but NOT EBME 398). However, you must attend the meetings of EBME 398 and also fulfill all of the course requirements for EBME 398.

       • A maximum of nine (9) credit hrs can be double counted. Typically, these are two 3-credit courses (400 level or high) + 3 credits of EBME 651 or EBME 695 (in place of EBME 398).

     • Three (3) reference reports (in sealed envelopes), including letters from your proposed academic and research advisor(s).

  4. Submit the proposed POS, transcript, and letters of recommendation to the BME Graduate Coordinator.

• No admission decision will be made until the POS is approved by the GEC. After a positive recommendation by the GEC, a letter of conditional admission will be sent. The condition for admission is the submission of GRE scores within 2 months of the completing the B.S. requirements. The student cannot graduate from the B.S./M.S. program without official GRE scores. This is a BME requirement and not a CSE requirement. Note that it is strongly recommended that students plan to take the GRE exam in the Fall semester of their senior year to be eligible for pre-doctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation or other sources.

BS/MS Practice Oriented Option

• 18 hrs in engineering (5 courses and a capstone projects)

• EPOM 400: Engineering Professionalism

• EPOM 401: Introduction to Business for Engineers

• EPOM 403: Product and Process Design

• EPOM 405: Applied Engineering Statistics (can be double-counted)

• EPOM 407: Engineering Economics and Financial Analysis

• EPOM 409: Master of Engineering Capstone Project

• 12 hrs (4 BME technical Courses)

Requirement for Completion: 30 hrs and a comprehensive examination. 

Students can double-count 3 courses (only one at the undergraduate level)

The MD/MS program is available to qualified medical students from the Case School of Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. Students in this program receive some credit for their medical school studies in completing the M.S. degree. There are specific admission requirements. 

The MD/MS degree is open to Case School of Medicine students in the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM) or the University Program (UP), which will award the MD component of the dual degree. An undergraduate degree in engineering is desirable for students entering this program, but other students with an adequate undergraduate preparation (calculus with differential equations, physics, chemistry, and electronic circuits) will be considered. Additional undergraduate courses in instrumentation and signals/systems would be helpful.  Students with an insufficient background will be admitted conditionally until they take the remedial undergraduate courses. Remedial courses will not count toward the M.S. requirements.

Interested students should submit their applications through the BME department, as the department taking responsibility for program management. Students will normally apply to the program during their first year of medical school. Students should submit their medical school application instead of a separate graduate school application, including MCAT scores instead of GRE scores. The application should include a letter specifying the intended track, the department/major field designation, and a statement of purpose for seeking the combined degree. 

The M.S. requirements are the same as the rest of the Case School of Engineering Thesis Option M.S. degree, i.e., 30 credit hours including nine to twelve hours of thesis registration (EBME 651). Please note that only the Thesis Option (Plan A) is available to MS/MD students. Students must complete the normal MD requirements in either the UP or CCLCM program. Portions of the medical school curriculum earn graded credit toward the M.S. portion of this degree. Specifically, students in the University Program register for Integrated Biological Science courses (IBIS 401-405), as in the MD/PhD program. Students in the CCLCM Program enroll in the 6-credit IBIS 434 Process of Discovery course in the second year of the CCLCM curriculum. Six credit hours of these medical school courses are applied to the M.S. component of the dual degree. The balance of required formal courses (12-15 hours or 4-5 courses) must be graduate level engineering concentration courses that provide rigor and depth in a field of engineering relevant to the area of research. All courses must be listed on the BME Program of Study, which must be submitted and formally approved by the BME Graduate Education Committee and subsequently transmitted to the School of Graduate Studies. The Program of Study must be approved prior to registration for the second engineering course. Students must earn a minimum of a B grade in each graduate engineering course, and have a minimum overall GPA of 3.25.

Summary of the requirements 6 hrs Life science courses (medical school curriculum) 12-15 hrs (4-5 courses) in biomedical engineering 9-12 hrs of thesis research (EBME 651) 

Requirements for Completion: 30 hrs, written Master’s thesis, thesis defense: http://bme.cwru.edu/Graduate/CurrentStudents

For more detailed information on this program, please see http://casemed.case.edu/admissions/education/dual_programs.cfm?program_id=11. 

This Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering/Translational Health Technology is designed to develop expertise in translating biomedical ideas into clinical implementation. This degree can be completed in one year for full time students. It is offered by the Biomedical Engineering department at CWRU, and takes advantage of the large pool of expertise in Biotechnology on the campus of CWRU. It combines aspects of bioengineering, marketing, entrepreneurship, bioregulatory affairs, with ethics and experimental design. The program will require students to take a minimum of 30 credits including a design project. 

Prerequisite: Biomedical Engineering Degree or equivalent or consent of program director 

Special Features: 

• 26 credit hrs of courses plus 4-hours of project 

• Portions available through Distance Learning  

• Flexible program to accommodate professionals schedule 

• Lock-Step Program. Duration 1 year: August to August 

• Projects can be done within the place of work 

http://engineering.case.edu/Translational-Health-Technology 

• The Master of Engineering program is typically followed by professional engineers who are already employed in industry. This is a practice oriented degree, not a research oriented degree, so course work is emphasized and no thesis is required. Please see http://www.engineering.case.edu/meng/ for more information on this program. Please note that this program is not intended to be used by students ultimately seeking a Ph.D. degree. 

• Master of Engineering and Management (MEM) The BME department participates in the MEM program, but this is administered directly by the Case School of Engineering. The Master of Engineering and Management Degree program is designed to meet the needs of industry by offering young engineers the critical skills needed to be successful in an engineering career. Engineering and Business Management do not happen independently in industry. Rather, they are fully integrated into a 42 credit hour program that only takes three semesters to complete. Please see http://www.mem.case.edu/index.html for more information on this program.