This is a course-based named option within the Biomedical Engineering MS.
The Biomedical Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship named option in the Biomedical Engineering MS program is designed to provide additional graduate-level, project-based experiences in design, prototyping, and manufacturing, as well as an understanding of business fundamentals, entrepreneurship, and project management. Upon completion, students will be prepared for careers at the interface of engineering and business.
Admissions
Please consult the table below for key information about this degree program’s admissions requirements. The program may have more detailed admissions requirements, which can be found below the table or on the program’s website.
Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s). Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.
| Fall Deadline | December 15* |
| Spring Deadline | September 1 for international applicants; November 1 for domestic applicants |
| Summer Deadline | December 15 |
| GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) | Not required. |
| English Proficiency Test | Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Requirements for Admission policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1241. |
| Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT) | n/a |
| Letters of Recommendation Required | 3** |
- *
Fall application deadline: Rolling admission will begin after October 1, with a final application deadline of April 15 (as space allows).
- **
Not required for applicants with a UW–Madison Biomedical Engineering bachelor’s degree.
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in engineering (biomedical, chemical, electrical, industrial, mechanical, etc.) or science (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics, immunology, physics, etc.). Each application is judged on the basis of:
- Official academic transcripts
- English proficiency test scores (if applicable)
- Three letters of recommendation
- For applicants with a UW–Madison Biomedical Engineering bachelor’s degree, these are not required.
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
All applicants must satisfy requirements that are set forth by the Graduate School. Applicants admitted to the program may be required to make up deficiency course requirements.
To apply to the Biomedical Engineering program, the online applications including supportive materials, must be submitted as described below and received by the deadline.
Official Academic Transcript
Electronically submit one copy of your transcript of all undergraduate and previous graduate work in your online application to the Graduate School. Unofficial copies of transcripts will be accepted for review. Official copies are required after an applicant is recommended for admission. Please do not send transcripts or any other application materials to the Graduate School or the Biomedical Engineering department unless requested. If you have questions, please contact bmegradadmission@engr.wisc.edu.
English Proficiency Test Scores (if applicable)
International degree-seeking applicants must prove English proficiency. Refer to the Graduate School's requirements.
Three Letters of Recommendation
These letters are required from people who can accurately judge the applicant's academic or research performance. Letters of recommendation are submitted electronically to graduate programs through the online application. Applicants should not send any more than three letters (if more than three are sent, only the first three will be considered). See the Graduate School for FAQs regarding letters of recommendation. Recommendation letters are not required for applicants with a UW–Madison Biomedical Engineering bachelor’s degree
Statement of Purpose
In this document, applicants should explain why they want to pursue further education in Biomedical Engineering. See the Graduate School for more advice on how to structure a personal statement.
Resume
Upload your resume in your application.
Application Fee
Submission must be accompanied by the one-time application fee. It is non-refundable and can be paid by credit card (Master Card or Visa). This fee cannot be waived or deferred. Fee grants are available through the Graduate School under certain conditions.
Funding
Graduate School Resources
The Bursar’s Office provides information about tuition and fees associated with being a graduate student. Resources to help you afford graduate study might include assistantships, fellowships, traineeships, and financial aid. Further funding information is available from the Graduate School. Be sure to check with your program for individual policies and restrictions related to funding.
Program Information
Students enrolled in this program are not eligible to receive tuition remission from graduate assistantship appointments at this institution.
Minimum Graduate School Requirements
Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.
Named Option Requirements
Mode of Instruction
| Face to Face | Evening/Weekend | Online | Hybrid | Accelerated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Mode of Instruction Definitions
Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion. Students typically take enough credits aimed at completing the program in a year or two.
Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UW–Madison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules. Students have the advantages of face-to-face courses with the flexibility to keep work and other life commitments.
Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats. Contact the program for more specific information.
Online: These programs are offered 100% online. Some programs may require an on-campus orientation or residency experience, but the courses will be facilitated in an online format.
Curricular Requirements
| Minimum Credit Requirement | 30 credits |
| Minimum Residence Credit Requirement | 16 credits |
| Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement | 15 credits must be graduate-level coursework. Refer to the Graduate School: Minimum Graduate Coursework (50%) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1244. |
| Overall Graduate GPA Requirement | 3.00 GPA required. Refer to the Graduate School: Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirement policy: https://policy.wisc.edu/library/UW-1203. |
| Other Grade Requirements | n/a |
| Assessments and Examinations | There are no degree-specific assessments and examinations outside of those given in individual courses. |
| Language Requirements | n/a |
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Seminar | ||
| Students must complete 2 semesters of the following course: | 2 | |
| Seminar in Biomedical Engineering | ||
| Engineering Courses in Design, Prototyping and Manufacturing | ||
| Relevant courses include: 1 | 9 | |
| Orthopaedic Biomechanics - Design of Orthopaedic Implants | ||
| Medical Instrumentation | ||
| Computers in Medicine | ||
| Tissue Engineering Laboratory | ||
| Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering (Design for Rehabilitation) | ||
| Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering | ||
| Special Topics in Bioinstrumentation and Medical Devices | ||
| Special Topics in Biomedical Imaging and Optics | ||
| Special Topics in Biomechanics | ||
| Special Topics in Biomaterials, Cellular and Tissue Engineering | ||
| Design and Human Disability and Aging | ||
| Redesign and Prototype Fabrication | ||
| Product Design | ||
| Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Systems | ||
| Introduction to Manufacturing Systems, Design and Analysis | ||
| Decision Making in Health Care | ||
| Human Factors Engineering Design and Evaluation | ||
| Human Factors Engineering for Healthcare Systems | ||
| Special Topics in Human Factors | ||
| Special Topics in Engineering Analytics and Operations Research | ||
| Special Topics in Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Special Topics in Healthcare Systems Engineering | ||
| Tools for Prototyping and Manufacturing | ||
| General Business, Entrepreneurship and Strategic Innovation Courses | ||
| Complete two courses, with at least one of the B M E courses, from the following relevant courses: | 6 | |
| Medical Devices Ecosystem: The Path to Product | ||
| Biomanufacturing Entrepreneurship | ||
| Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Non-Business Majors | ||
| Fundamentals of Management and Marketing for Non-Business Majors | ||
| Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Technology | ||
| Strategic Management of Innovation | ||
| Entrepreneurial Management | ||
| Venture Creation | ||
| Wisconsin Applied Ventures in Entrepreneurship (WAVE) | ||
| Sustainability, Environmental and Social Risk Management | ||
| Technical Elective Engineering Courses | ||
| Relevant courses include: 1 | 0-6 | |
| Biomechanics of Human Movement | ||
| Biological Interactions with Materials | ||
| Biofluidics | ||
| Introduction to Tissue Engineering | ||
| Stem Cell Bioengineering | ||
| Introduction to Energy-Tissue Interactions | ||
| Engineering Extracellular Matrices | ||
| Introduction to Biological and Medical Microsystems | ||
| Systems Biology: Mammalian Signaling Networks | ||
| Biochemical Engineering | ||
| Mathematical Methods in Medical Physics | ||
| Non-Ionizing Diagnostic Imaging | ||
| Tissue Mechanics | ||
| Microscopy of Life | ||
| Biological Optical Microscopy | ||
| Machine Learning in Ultrasound Imaging | ||
| Polymer Science and Technology | ||
| Introduction to Optimization | ||
| Image Processing | ||
| Introduction to Artificial Neural Networks | ||
| Engineering Management of Continuous Process Improvement | ||
| Polymer Additive Manufacturing | ||
| Intermediate Fluid Dynamics | ||
| Experimental Mechanics | ||
| Computational Fluid Dynamics | ||
| Optimum Design of Mechanical Elements and Systems | ||
| Advanced Polymeric Materials | ||
| Data Science in Medical Physics | ||
| Women and Leadership: Science, Health and Engineering | ||
| Advanced Design or Research Project | ||
| Complete the following course: | 3-6 | |
| Advanced Independent Study | ||
| Additional credits taken from the lists above | ||
| Choose in consultation with advisor | 1-10 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
- 1
At least 6 credits in "Engineering courses in design, prototyping, manufacturing" and/or "Technical elective engineering courses" need to be from biomedical engineering courses.
Other Policy
Students in this program may not take courses outside the prescribed curriculum without faculty advisor and program director approval. Students in this program cannot enroll concurrently in other undergraduate or graduate degree programs.
Graduate School Policies
The Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously. Note some policies redirect to entries in the official UW-Madison Policy Library. Programs may set more stringent policies than the Graduate School. Policies set by the academic degree program can be found below.
Named Option-Specific Policies
Prior Coursework
Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy. Contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information.
Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison
A student who has completed their bachelor's degree at UW-Madison may transfer 6 credits of coursework with program approval. These courses must be engineering or advanced biological sciences coursework numbered 400 or above. These credits are not allowed to count toward the 50% graduate coursework minimum unless numbered 700 or above from UW-Madison. Credits earned at other institutions are not allowed to transfer. Coursework earned ten or more years prior to admission to a master's degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements. These courses may not be used to satisfy the Graduate School's minimum residence credit requirement.
Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison (Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary careers)
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UW–Madison
Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy. Contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information.
Probation
Refer to the Graduate School: Probation policy.
Advisor / Committee
Every biomedical engineering graduate student must have a faculty advisor. A faculty advisor provides the graduate student with academic guidance in their course program and research oversight in their thesis, project, or engineering report. Graduate students should always seek advice from their advisor and other faculty in their interest area prior to enrolling for courses.
Credits Per Term Allowed
15 credits maximum. Refer to the Graduate School: Maximum Credit Loads and Overload Requests policy.
Time Limits
The Biomedical Engineering MS Biomedical Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurship program is typically completed in less than 18 months.
Refer to the Graduate School: Time Limits policy.
Grievances and Appeals
These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
- Bias or Hate Reporting
- Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
- Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
- Employee Assistance (for personal counseling and workplace consultation around communication and conflict involving graduate assistants and other employees, post-doctoral students, faculty and staff)
- Employee Disability Resource Office (for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities to have equal employment opportunities)
- Graduate School (for informal advice at any level of review and for official appeals of program/departmental or school/college grievance decisions)
- Office of Compliance (for class harassment and discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence)
- Office Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) (for all students to seek grievance assistance and support)
- Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (for conflicts involving students)
- Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff (for employed graduate students and post-docs, as well as faculty and staff)
- Title IX (for concerns about discrimination)
BME Grievance Procedures
If a student feels unfairly treated or aggrieved by faculty, staff, or another student, the University offers several avenues to resolve the grievance.
Step 1
The student is encouraged to speak first with the person toward whom the grievance is directed to see if a situation can be resolved at this level. Students are also encouraged to talk with their faculty advisors regarding concerns or difficulties, or reach out to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator or Associate Chair of BME Graduate Advising for additional assistance. These activities do not rise to the level of a formal grievance; however, the student is encouraged to keep documentation of these interactions as they may be useful if a formal grievance is pursued.
Step 2
Should a satisfactory resolution not be achieved, a formal grievance can be filed with the BME Grievance Committee. To do so, the student contacts the Department Administrator, who will provide the student with the name of the current chair of the Grievance Committee. The student will then contact the Chair of the Grievance Committee, who will reply within seven calendar days. If the grievance is with the current Chair of the Grievance Committee, please let the Department Administrator know and they will identify an alternate committee member to contact. It is advised that grievances are filed within 60 calendar days of the alleged unfair treatment to enable a thorough investigation.
Step 3
If the student does not feel comfortable working through the departmental process, they are encouraged to seek out other campus resources including:
- The Assistant Dean for Graduate Affairs in the College of Engineering
- The Graduate School
- UW Division of Diversity, Equity & Educational Achievement (DDEEA)
- McBurney Disability Resource Center
- Employee Assistance Office
- Ombuds Office
- University Health Services
Step 4
At this point, if either party (the student or the person toward whom the grievance is directed) is unsatisfied with the decision of the faculty committee, the party may file a written appeal. Either party has ten working days to file a written appeal to the School/College. For more information, students should consult the College of Engineering Academic Advising Policies and Procedures.
Step 5
Documentation of the grievance will be stored for at least seven years. Significant grievances that set a precedent will be stored indefinitely. The Graduate School has procedures for students wishing to appeal a grievance decision made at the school/college level. These policies are described in the Graduate School’s Academic Policies and Procedures.
Other
Students are strongly discouraged to pursue positions as Project Assistants, Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants during their time in this program, as the rigor and accelerated nature of this program may not accommodate those work time commitments. Students in this program will not receive the tuition remission that is typically part of the compensation package for a graduate assistantship.
Professional Development
Graduate School Resources
Take advantage of the Graduate School's professional development resources to build skills, thrive academically, and launch your career.
Program Resources
The Individual Development Plan (IDP)
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) helps graduate students and postdoctoral researchers:
- assess current skills, interests, and strengths;
- make a plan for developing skills to meet academic and professional goals; and
- communicate with supervisors, advisors, and mentors about evolving goals and related skills.
The IDP is a document to be revisited again and again, to update and refine as goals change and/or come into focus, and to record progress and accomplishments.
The university recommends IDPs for all postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, and requires IDPs for all postdoctoral researchers and graduate students supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. See the Graduate School for more information and IDP resources.
Engineering Career Services
The Engineering Career Services staff offer assistance to students searching or preparing for internships, co-ops, and jobs with well-recognized organizations.
The Writing Center
The Writing Center is a campus-wide organization that provides free of charge, face-to-face and online consultations for students writing papers, reports, resumes, and applications.