The master of science in Biomedical Engineering degree is designed to be completed in two years or less of full-time study beyond the Bachelor of Science Degree. The MS in Biomedical Engineering can be completed with a thesis, requiring 4 units of BME 594abz, or without a thesis, requiring coursework only.
International Students: This program is eligible for the OPT STEM extension.
Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.- A minimum of 28 units is required to earn the general MS in Biomedical Engineering degree
- Required Core Courses: 15 units
- Elective Courses: 13 units
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
CurriculumSchedule of ClassesAPPLICATION CRITERIA- An undergraduate degree in engineering, math or hard science from a regionally-accredited university.
- Satisfactory cumulative undergraduate GPA (grade point average)
- Satisfactory GRE test scores. All scores must be officially reported to the university directly by ETS.
- Satisfactory performance in previous coursework related to the intended major.
USC GRADUATE APPLICATION
APPLICATION DEADLINES| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
|---|
| Summer 2019 (Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent) | March 15, 2019 |
| Fall 2019 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | December 15, 2018 |
| Fall 2019 (Final Deadline) | January 15, 2019 |
| Fall 2019 (Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent) | May 1, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | August 31, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Final Deadline) | September 15, 2019 |
Visit our Application Deadlines page for more information.
APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR ALL APPLICANTSSpring 2018 and Fall 2018 Applicants
Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
GRE General Test: Satisfactory and valid test scores. Valid GRE scores must be dated within five years of the start of the intended application semester. The fall semester starts in August, and the spring semester starts in January. Official scores must be reported from ETS directly to USC using ETS school code 4852. A department code is not required.
Resume/CV (Required)
Statement of Purpose (Required): The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
Letters of Recommendation (3 Required): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTSEnglish Language Proficiency: In addition to the general admission criteria listed above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the TOEFL or IELTS examination to be considered a candidate for admission. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score. For more details on English Proficiency Criteria for the University of Southern California, please visit USC Graduate Admission – Proficiency in English.
The following is a sample course plan for tuition & fees for the 2017-2018 academic year
TUITION AND SAMPLE COURSE PLAN FOR 28 UNIT PROGRAM| Fall 2017 | |
| Graduate Engineering Tuition (8 Units) | $15,496 |
| Mandatory Fees | $450 |
| Health Insurance* | $646 |
| Spring 2018 | |
| Graduate Engineering Tuition (8 Units) | $15,496 |
| Mandatory Fees | $400 |
| Health Insurance* | $1,170 |
| Fall 2018 | |
| Graduate Engineering Tuition (8 Units) | $15,496 |
| Mandatory Fees | $400 |
| Health Insurance* | $646 |
| Spring 2019 | |
| Graduate Engineering Tuition (4 Units) | $7,748 |
| Mandatory Fees | $400 |
| Health Insurance* | $1,170 |
| Total Tuition & Fees | $55,886 |
| Total Cost (including Health Insurance) | $59,518 |
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online.
If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student.
Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS
The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
| Required Courses |
| All courses are required – 15 units total. |
| BME 501 | Advanced Topics in Biomedical Systems (4 units) |
| BME 502 | Advanced Studies of the Nervous System (4 units) |
| BME 511 | Physiological Control Systems (3 units) |
| BME 513 | Signal and Systems Analysis (3 units) |
| BME 533 | Seminar in Bioengineering (1 unit) |
| Approved Technical Electives |
| 13 units total. |
| The following list of technical electives may be used in your program without prior approval. If you wish to take a course as a technical elective not listed below, please consult the Graduate Student Affairs Coordinator. |
| BME 416 | Development and Regulation of Medical Products (3 units) |
| BME 525 | Advanced Biomedical Imaging (3 units) |
| BME 527 | Integration of Medical Imaging Systems (3 units) |
| BME 528 | Medical Imaging Informatics (3 units) |
| BME 535 | Ultrasonic Imaging (3 units) |
| BME 650 | Biomedical Measurement and Instrumentation (3 units) |
| CSCI 561 | Foundations of Artificial Intelligence (3 units) |
| CSCI 564 | Brain Theory and Artificial Intelligence (3 units) |
| CSCI 574 | Computer Vision (3 units) |
| EE 479 | Analog and Non-Linear Integrated Circuit Design (3 units) |
| EE 482 | Linear Control Systems (3 units) |
| EE 559 | Mathematical Pattern Recognition (3 units) |
| EE 562a | Random Processes in Engineering (3 units) |
| EE 563 | Estimation Theory (3 units) |
| EE 565a | Information Theory (3 units) |
| EE 566 | Optical Information Processing (3 units) |
| EE 569 | Introduction to Digital Image Processing (4 units) |
