Catalogue 2012/13

Biomedical Engineering

Degree Requirements

Educational Program Objectives

Graduates of our undergraduate program are expected to:

• engage in a professional career in the biomedical or other related industries, or enroll in advanced graduate studies including medical school;
• work in a technically competent manner to address challenges in engineering or their chosen professions, taking into consideration ethical and societal concerns;
• work in multidisciplinary teams and communicate effectively with other engineers and professionals;
• continue to develop their technical knowledge and professional skills, as evidenced by participation or leadership in relevant professional societies; continuing education; or attendance at relevant workshops, meetings or seminars.

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering. Additionally, there are three possible areas of emphasis within this biomedical engineering program major. These are biochemical engineering, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering. An area of emphasis appears in parenthesis after the primary major name on the transcript. The requirement for the degree is 128 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required in all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken.

See common requirements for undergraduate degrees.

Technical electives are to be selected from an approved list available in the department office.

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
Emphasis in Biochemical Engineering
The requirement for the degree with an emphasis in biochemical engineering is 132 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required in all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken. See general education and additional common requirements for undergraduate degrees.

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering Emphasis in Electrical Engineering
The requirement for the degree with an emphasis in electrical engineering is 133 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required in all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken. See common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering Emphasis in Mechanical Engineering
The requirement for the degree with an emphasis in mechanical engineering is 132 units. A cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) is required in all upper division courses applied towards the major, regardless of the department in which the courses are taken. See common requirements for undergraduate degrees section.

Minor in Craniofacial and Dental Technology

For a complete listing, see the USC Ostrow School of Dentistry.

Minor in Engineering Technology Commercialization

See Special Educational Opportunities.

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

The Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering is awarded in strict conformity with the general requirements of the Viterbi School of Engineering. At least 28 approved units must be satisfactorily completed, of which at least 19 units must be at the 500 level or above. Four of these units may be thesis BME 594abz.

The master’s degree program provides students with a broad background, linking physiology with engineering science, necessary for entering interdisciplinary careers in medical technology or pursuing further graduate studies in a related field.

Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Medical Imaging and Imaging Informatics)

Completion of the Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering (Medical Imaging and Imaging Informatics) requires that at least 29 approved units must be satisfactorily completed of which at least 19 units must be at the 500 level or above.

Master of Science in Medical Device and Diagnostic Engineering

This program is designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed for the development of medical devices and diagnostic techniques, including aspects of medical product regulation and product development. The course of study requires successful completion of 28 units of course work and has been designed to be completed in three semesters of full-time study. Students in the program will complete a 19-unit core as well as selecting a 6-unit specialization (or “track”) and one elective from a list provided by the department.

Technical Elective (one course)

Applicable courses include: AME 503, BME 511, BME 535, BME 551, ISE 507, ISE 508, ISE 544, MPTX 517, RSCI 528 and courses listed in alternate tracks to that chosen. Other courses may be applicable; please see an adviser for approval.

Viterbi Integrated Master of Science Program (VIP) for the General Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering

The Viterbi Integrated Master of Science Program (VIP) will allow selected undergraduates from U.S. institutions partnered with the Viterbi School to complete a general Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering with a 6-unit reduction of the total 28 units required.

The VIP Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering is subject to the following requirements: (1) a total of at least 22 units is required; (2) all units must be taken in biomedical engineering; (3) all units must be taken at the 500 or 600 level; (4) minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be earned on all course work applied toward the master’s degree in biomedical engineering. This average must also be achieved on all course work attempted at USC beyond the bachelor’s degree.

The students will complete 400-level preparatory courses at their undergraduate institution before entering USC. The 400-level courses may be taken toward the undergraduate requirements. They must be acceptable equivalents to at least two of the USC courses listed below:

After admission, students will complete the following courses (22 units) within three semesters:

Students applying to the VIP must be recommended by a faculty representative at a partner undergraduate institution; complete the regular graduate admission application (with exception of the GRE); and hold junior standing in biomedical engineering with a 3.5 GPA or better on major related course work.

Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

The objective of the Doctor of Philosophy is to produce independent investigators who can make original scholarly contributions and apply advanced engineering concepts and techniques to the understanding and solution of biomedical problems. This program is intended to prepare the student for a career in academic research and teaching, or as an independent investigator in industrial or government laboratories.

The requirements listed are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements of the Graduate School.

This program is designed to be normally completed in four years of full-time work beyond the Bachelor of Science degree (including summers). The first two years are devoted primarily to formal course work and the last two to research. In view of the flexible program, each student is assigned an adviser who will guide him or her in the selection of courses. By the end of the third semester of graduate study the student must have completed the Ph.D. screening examination. Subsequently, he or she is required to make a tentative major field selection (e.g., biomedical imaging, signal processing, neural engineering) and pass a qualifying examination. In accordance with the requirements of the Graduate School, at least 60 units of credit beyond the Bachelor of Science degree are required, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students are required to take BME 533, the graduate biomedical engineering seminar course, for three semesters during their studies.

Requirements for Admission

Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or a natural science, and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations. Undergraduate work should include a basic course in biology, physics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, differential equations and digital computation. Students lacking any of these will be required to make up the deficiency during the first two years of graduate work.

Students who have completed all requirements for the Master of Science degree offered in this department may apply for admission to the Ph.D. program. In this case, all courses taken in the M.S. program may be applied toward the requirements of the doctoral degree.

Screening Examination Process

By the end of the third semester of graduate study, all students must have completed the screening examination process to determine whether or not they will be allowed to continue in the Doctor of Philosophy program. Those who fail will be dropped from the program, although they may be permitted to complete the additional requirements necessary to obtain the Master of Science degree.

Guidance Committee

During the third semester, the student must make a tentative major field selection as described above and form a guidance committee. The latter administers the qualifying examination.

Qualifying Examination

The qualifying examination will normally be taken during the fourth semester of full-time academic study. The examination requires the preparation of a comprehensive written research proposal that presents a research question, critically reviews the pertinent literature and outlines the proposed experimental, analytical and computational procedures required to answer the question. The proposal must be defended in an oral examination.

Graduate Certificate in Engineering Technology Commercialization

See Special Educational Opportunities.

Graduate Certificate in Health, Technology and Engineering (HTE@USC)

Academic Director: Terry Sanger, M.D., Ph.D., Provost Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Neurology, Biokinesiology, and Physical Therapy

Administrative Director: George Tolomiczenko, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Neurology

This program offers current second-year USC Ph.D. engineering students and first-year M.D. students an opportunity to learn about and gain experience in medical device and process innovation. Through project-based and interdisciplinary collaboration, students will augment their current programs with a set of courses and lab experiences linking medical and engineering research groups. By applying design-informed approaches toward problem identification and solution prototyping, students will be involved in all the steps of medical device or process innovation from conception to commercialization. The program aims to create interdisciplinary, boundary-spanning, inventive entrepreneurs seeking early practical experience with device and method innovation in health care. Program participants will form bonds with a group of like-minded medical students and engineers who will be their mentors, colleagues and contacts as they advance in their careers.

The courses unique to the program include a seminar sequence (Topics in Health, Technology and Engineering), which must be taken during the first two years of involvement with the HTE@USC program, a case studies sequence taken during the second year and a research course to earn project-related credits:

Candidates interested in applying should contact HTE@USC via email at hte@usc.edu.

PDF reflects print version of the catalogue