Department of Biomedical Engineering

University of Utah

Department of

Biomedical Engineering

Graduate Program Handbook

Version 2021 – 07/01

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Welcome to the Department of Biomedical Engineering!

The Department’s M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs are designed and intended to be transient but intensive

professional technical training experiences, best pursued and completed as directly and expediently as possible.

Efficient student progression through various requirements and diverse opportunities offered by our graduate

programs 1) ensures best use of student time and faculty resources, and 2) minimizes the “opportunity cost” of time

away from the workplace. As such, our training program is neither a vocation nor a job. Each advanced degree from

our department must be earned. Award of our graduate degree comes with new entitlements and privileges resulting

from our formal recognition of new technical and workplace skills and Biomedical Engineering capabilities endowed to

each of our graduates by virtue of their program accomplishments. Our Department’s Graduate Handbook provides

the road map to our graduate program requirements, expectations, best practices, and deadlines for student

performance and progress. The Chair expects adherence to the prescriptive requirements of the graduate programs

as described in the Handbook, and a direct, disciplined and motivated path to the student’s future workplace as

enabled by the program checkpoints, milestones and expectations.

The Utah graduate school experience is expected to be enriching, enabling and rigorous; our graduate students are

expected to be productive, professional, focused and efficient. Financial support provided to our graduate students

during graduate training is awarded as a stipend at the discretion of our faculty advisors, with specific technical

objectives, deliverables and intellectual products anticipated and expected. Such support is a privilege for study;

hence, student research productivity is an expected deliverable in return. It is not a wage since program participation

is not formal employment; it is support for completion of the program requirements, a training experience and a

productive student-mentor relationship that produces research results and progress: progress both in student

capabilities relevant to a career, and in applications of biomedical principles to compelling world problems. This

student-advisor relationship is best augmented by fulfilling the formal M.S. or Ph.D. didactic training components, the

essential research requirements, and by regular critical review and input of the student’s graduate supervisory

committee. Effective communication and technical dissemination are expected learnings. Teaching and mentoring

are also a formal expectation of all students: capabilities to assist others in team-based approaches is a real-world

asset. Professional service is also an important opportunity: outreach, service learning, and efforts beyond the campus

program are essential to our discipline.

As the Department can only improve its performance and impact through the collective work and dedicated group

efforts involving our students and faculty, consistent student participation in the wide variety of required and elective

department activities is encouraged and expected of all students. Student leadership, initiative and visible

contributions to Department progress and growth can take numerous forms. In addition to student research

productivity, additional student-based efforts in teaching/curriculum improvement, inter-student and peer networking

and morale-building exercises, seminar attendance, research support and grant writing, interfacing with various

graduate and student groups, faculty committees and College leaders, and outreach services to our off-campus lay-

persons and on-campus undergraduate communities are some possible opportunities to assist the Department’s

continual quest for improved impact, visibility and international recognition.

We hope that this Biomedical Engineering Graduate Handbook provides all resources necessary to efficiently and

effectively guide and expedite graduate student progression through our various graduate degree opportunities and

expectations. We also hope that program training and milestones produce graduates highly qualified, confident and

capable to improve the world around us in their diverse future careers.

David W. Grainger, Ph.D., Department Chair

 
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BME GRADUATE PROGRAM HANDBOOK 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
I. Overview ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3 
I.A. Department of BME ................................................................................................................................................ 3 
I.B. Admissions to BME .................................................................................................................................................. 6 
I.C. Important Deadlines ................................................................................................................................................ 8 
II. Department Graduate Programs ................................................................................................................................... 9 
II.A. Graduate Degrees .................................................................................................................................................. 9 
II.B. BME Core Curriculum ........................................................................................................................................... 23 
II.C. Graduate Track Specialization .............................................................................................................................. 26 
II.D. Program Timelines ............................................................................................................................................... 38 
III. Graduate School Policies ............................................................................................................................................ 40 
III.A. Graduate School Registration Requirements ...................................................................................................... 40 
III.B. Graduate Program Transfer Credits .................................................................................................................... 42 
III.C. Academic Performance, Standards, and Standing .............................................................................................. 44 
III.D. Laboratory Performance and Expectations ........................................................................................................ 46 
IV. Finance & Benefits ..................................................................................................................................................... 47 
IV.A. Graduate Student Stipends ................................................................................................................................. 47 
IV.B. Graduate Student Benefits ................................................................................................................................. 49 
IV.C. Leave & Employment .......................................................................................................................................... 52 
V. Student Resources....................................................................................................................................................... 56 
V.A. Student Safety ...................................................................................................................................................... 56 
V.B. Student Services ................................................................................................................................................... 56 
VI. Handbook Disclaimer ................................................................................................................................................. 56 
 
   

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I. OVERVIEW

This handbook should serve as a guide to help graduate students, graduate advisors, supervisory committee members,

and other faculty and staff to understand the overall goals and requirements of the BME department’s graduate

program. Additionally, this vital reference identifies resources to help students navigate the training and experiences

integral to the graduate program and details the administrative steps required for students to complete their degrees.

I.A. DEPARTMENT OF BME

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Utah is an internationally renowned center of basic and

applied interdisciplinary research. We are one of the oldest Biomedical Engineering Departments globally, descending

from the University’s Division of Artificial Organs and Institute for Biomedical Engineering founded over 50 years ago.

We prepare graduate students to lead the next era of bioengineering and medical innovation by teaching them the

core knowledge of our field and collaborating with them on novel biomedical engineering research and development

projects in our more than one-hundred affiliated research laboratories.

The mission of the Department of Biomedical Engineering is to

• advance human understanding, health, and quality of life through internationally recognized research, discovery,

and invention in the area of biomedical engineering;

• educate world-class Ph.D. scientists and engineers for accomplishment in research, academics, medicine, and

industry;

• educate nationally-recognized B.S. and M.S. graduates for success and leadership in industry and in preparation for

future study in medicine, science, and engineering;

• transfer scientific discoveries and biomedical technology to the private sector nationwide; and

• train students throughout the College of Engineering in biobased solutions to traditional engineering problems and

applying their specialty to biological and biomedical science.

I.A.1. BME GRADUATE PROGRAM

The BME department offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs, as well as multiple

dual-degree programs through the Graduate School at the University of Utah. These programs seek to prepare

graduate students to function independently, competently, and technically in various settings, including academic,

research, technical, administrative, business management, legal, regulatory, and investment career tracks. The BME

department accomplishes these goals through formal didactic courses, seminars and journal clubs, laboratory research

rotations, technical projects, and thesis and dissertation research. Faculty and staff together seek to assist graduate

students to complete these programs in a timely fashion.

I.A.2. CONTACT INFORMATION

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building (SMBB), Suite 3100

36 South Wasatch Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112 Phone: 801.581.8528

Website: bme.utah.edu

Dr. David Grainger, Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Office: 3227 SMBB, Email: david.grai[email protected], Phone: 801.587.9263

The Department Chair oversees all research, academic, service, and administrative functions of the BME department.

The chair is responsible for setting the BME department’s strategic direction and ensuring that resources are provided

for its different functions in serving the university mission.

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Dr. Alan (Chuck) Dorval, Director of Graduate Studies

Office: 4535 SMBB, Email: chuck.dorv[email protected], Phone: 801.587.7631

The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) oversees policies and procedures for all graduate degrees offered through the

BME department. Throughout a student’s stay in the graduate program, the DGS serves as an advocate for the student.

The DGS is always available to answer questions about the graduate program and to provide recommendations on

coursework. They also serve as the default faculty advisor for new students who have not yet identified their own.

Laura Olsen, Graduate Academic Advisor

Office: 3223 SMBB, Email: laura.[email protected], Phone: 801.581.8559

The Graduate Academic Advisor assists students in all aspects of the BME graduate program, including applications,

admissions, policies and procedures, graduation, tuition benefit, and student health insurance. Students are expected

to meet regularly with the Graduate Academic Advisor to ensure that procedures and forms are completed properly

and submitted on schedule.

Heather Palmer, BS/MS Academic Advisor

Office: 3221 SMBB, Email: heather.j.palm[email protected], Phone: 801.585.3651

The B.S./M.S. Academic Advisor assists undergraduate students in determining progress in the B.S. degree and

necessary steps that must be completed for students to matriculate into the M.S. program.

Alexis Ulrich, Academic Programs Coordinator

Office: 3225 SMBB, Email: alexis.ulrich@utah.edu, Phone: 801.587.0723

The Academic Program Coordinator assists the Graduate and BS/MS Academic Advisors and serves as the department

liaison for the Graduate Student Advisory Committee. They also coordinate events, recruitment, community outreach,

and social media for the department.

Sheila Olson, Administrative Manager

Office: 3226 SMBB, Email: sheila.ols[email protected], Phone: 801.581.8953

The Administrative Manager works with faculty advisors to manage paid graduate student’s fellowships, scholarships,

stipends, and salaries. All students should correspond regularly with the Administrative Manager and Graduate

Academic Advisor concerning compensation, tuition benefits, and eligibility.

I.A.3. BME DEPARTMENT FACULTY

The Department of Biomedical Engineering faculty is dispersed across the University of Utah campus. All facilities are

located on a single, continuous plot of land nestled against the western front of the Rocky Mountains and constituting

the northeast corner of Salt Lake City. The offices and laboratories of our approximately 30 primary faculty are housed

in the Sorensen Molecular Biotechnology Building (SMBB), the Warnock Engineering Building (WEB), the Merrill

Engineering Building (MEB), and the Biomedical Polymers Research Building (BPRB). Our approximately 80 adjunct

faculty members are located across the academic Main Campus, the Health Sciences Campus, and the Research Park

campus, including in University Hospital, Primary Children’s Hospital, the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, the Veterans

Affairs Medical Center, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Up-to-date primary and adjunct faculty contact information

is available on the BME Faculty Directories.

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I.A.4. BME GRADUATE STUDENT GROUPS

Students in the BME department have created a vibrant culture of peer mentorship and camaraderie. The following

student groups, focused primarily on BME students, work together to foster a community in which graduate students

from all backgrounds can develop, thrive, and thoroughly enjoy their time at the University of Utah:

Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)

The Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) is run by BME graduate students to support BME graduate students,

liaise between students and the BME Department, and organize events to strengthen our BME community. GSAC

supports our BME department and graduate student community by:

•

Organizing the annual Utah Biomedical Engineering Conference (UBEC);

•

Coordinating the prospective Biomedical Engineering graduate student visit weekend;

•

Planning student and student-faculty social events; and

•

Volunteering for local science and engineering outreach activities.

Graduate Women in Biomedical Engineering (GWBE)

The Graduate Women in Biomedical Engineering (GWBE) is run by BME graduate students and aims to encourage

diversity and equality through departmental community building, professional development, and outreach. GWBE

aims to create a productive, inclusive environment in which women and other biomedical engineering students can:

• Seek peer and faculty mentorship;

• Engage in career development with academic and industry professionals; and

• Connect with the surrounding community through STEM outreach and research dissemination.

Professional Society Student Chapters

The BME department hosts active student chapters of the two professional societies with the broadest coverage of all

biomedical engineering subdisciplines: the BioMedical Engineering Society (BMES) and the IEEE Engineering in

Medicine & Biology Society (EMBS). Both chapters collaborate — with each other, GWBE, GSAC, and USAC

(Undergraduate Student Advisory Committee) — to strengthen our local biomedical engineering culture. To that end,

they host invited speakers from academia and industry, promote professional development, and encourage social

cohesion. Graduate students are encouraged to join either or both student chapters and to present their research at

annual conferences of the BMES and EMBS.

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I.B. ADMISSIONS TO BME

Graduate students must have received, before commencing graduate study, a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited

institute, college, or university. Although no single field of undergraduate specialization is required, applicants to the

program should have a thorough background in engineering and life sciences.

I.B.1. ACCEPTANCE STANDARDS

The BME department employs a holistic review process to evaluate applicants to the graduate program. Therefore, no

simple performance metrics make one eligible or ineligible for admissions; the entirety of an application will be

considered during the evaluation process. However, successful applicants typically have at least a cumulative GPA of

~3.5 and GRE scores of ~156 verbal, ~165 quantitative, and ~4 analytical writing. In addition, international students

should have a minimum TOEFL score of 90 or an IELTS score of 7.5, and meet all other requirements of the University

of Utah Graduate School.

Most applicants have an undergraduate-level mastery of a life science or engineering discipline, and the strongest

applicants have both. Before students begin graduate study, they are expected to have basic knowledge in:

• Mathematics: statistics & calculus through linear algebra & differential equations

• Physics: calculus-based mechanical and electrical physics

• Chemistry: basic chemistry through organic chemistry biochemistry

• Materials science: introductory materials or strength of materials

• Biology: cell & molecular biology, physiology, or human anatomy

As part of the holistic review process, achievements beyond academic success are critical components of a strong

application. Research experience is highly valued, particularly when supported by evidence of research dissemination

and strong evaluations from principal investigators or faculty advisors. Engineering internships, volunteer efforts in

medical settings, entrepreneurial endeavors, and other beneficent extracurricular activities all strengthen an

application. Letters of support from professors and senior supervisors are critical components of the evaluation

process. The BME department encourages applicants to seek letter writers who know them personally and can speak

to their strengths without merely rephrasing their resume. Finally, while the department considers all aspects of both

M.S. and Ph.D. applications, acceptance into the Ph.D. program — and its financial benefits — is harder to attain.

I.B.2. APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applicants are required to use the online Apply Yourself (AY) system. Below is a list of materials you will need to

complete the process, but please follow instructions within AY to ensure a complete application.

• Transcripts for Applicants: Unofficial copies of transcripts from all colleges and universities attended should be

uploaded into the AY system at the time of application. For foreign institutions, include transcripts in the original

language, plus official English translations if the original language is not English. Upon acceptance to the program,

official transcripts must be sent directly from the academic institutions to the Graduate School Admissions Office:

University of Utah Office of Admissions

201 S. 1460 East, Rm 250 S.

Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

• GRE Scores: Test scores are generally required for the graduate program. If applicants are unable or unwilling to

take the GREs, please contact the Graduate Academic Advisor, Laura Olsen, to request an exception. Otherwise,

scores may be self-reported on your AY application. Upon acceptance to the program, an official report of scores

from the General Test of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) should be sent directly by the Educational Testing Service

(ETS) to the Graduate School Admissions Office at the address indicated above. Please use the institutional code

for the University of Utah, #4853. Note: MCAT scores may be accepted in lieu of GRE scores.

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• Letters of Reference: Applications must include at least three letters of personal reference from course instructors,

research supervisors, or employers familiar with your abilities and performance. Please include the names and

contact information for your references in the AY application. Once your application is submitted, your reference

letter writers will be automatically notified to submit their recommendations through the AY system.

• Statement of Purpose: A one-page personal statement (~500 words) outlining your background, research interests

(including possible faculty advisors), career goals, and reasons for applying to our graduate program.

• Resume or CV: A professional resume or academic curriculum vitae is required.

• Writing Sample (optional): A sample of original writing —a brief article, abstract, or essay — may be submitted

with the rest of an application. However, a writing sample is optional and may be skipped without penalty.

• Potential Research Areas: Applicants should select one or more Graduate Track Specializations and identify faculty

members with whom they may be interested in working. See the Directory of Faculty by Research Areas.

• For International Students only: (check with the International Student Office for details)

o TOEFL scores. An official report of scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the

International English Language Testing System (IELTS). You will need to use code #4853.

o I-20 Certificate of Eligibility. Upon acceptance to the graduate program, applicants seeking an I-20 must

provide the following items for full admission to the University and I-20 certification:

▪ a financial statement with supporting documents showing a minimum amount in U.S. dollars to

cover the first-year tuition and living expenses,

▪ a copy of the first page of the applicant’s current passport or national ID card, and

▪ other documents may be required. See the International Admission Office for details.

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I.C. IMPORTANT DEADLINES

Deadlines for various events change on an annual basis. Links to the most relevant deadlines are included below.

I.C.1. DEPARTMENTAL DEADLINES

Progress Reports

All graduate students in the BME department must submit semi-annual progress through the College of Engineering

Graduate Student Progress Tracker. This database allows students to upload the various forms and other documents

that verify completion of their graduate program milestones, and for their faculty advisor, track director, and the

Director of Graduate Studies to monitor their progress through graduate school. Each year, progress reports are due

on May 15 and November 15.

Application Deadlines

Ph.D. application deadline is December 15: eight months prior to intended fall enrollment or thirteen months prior to

intended spring enrollment. Applications received after that will continue to be considered on a space-

available basis through the University deadline of April 1. However, the department offers limited Ph.D.

funding to first-year students: applicants seeking funding in their first year should consider December 15 a hard

deadline, whether they plan to enroll the following fall semester or the subsequent spring.

M.S. applications deadline is April 1: 4 months prior to intended fall enrollment or nine months prior to intended spring

enrollment. Late applications are subject to a $30 late fee and may be considered on a space-available basis.

B.S./M.S. applications for summer/fall semester are due April 1: 13 months prior to a transition into graduate school.

B.S./M.S. applications for spring semester are due December 1: 13 months prior to a transition into graduate school.

I.C.2. UNIVERSITY DEADLINES

Academic calendar deadlines:

https://registrar.utah.edu/academic-calendars

International Teaching Program deadlines:

https://gradschool.utah.edu/ita/important-dates-and-deadlines

University Fellowship deadlines, including Teaching Assistantship & Research Assistantship deadlines:

https://gradschool.utah.edu/tbp/graduate-fellowship-opportunities

Thesis Office manuscript submission deadlines:

https://gradschool.utah.edu/thesis/calendar

Graduation deadlines:

https://registrar.utah.edu/graduation

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II. DEPARTMENT GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Department of Biomedical Engineering bestows graduate degrees at both the master's and doctoral levels. To earn

their degree, students must specialize in one of many Biomedical Engineering Track Specializations. For mentorship

and to help them proceed through their graduate career, students select a graduate Faculty Advisor and a Supervisory

Committee from the available faculty. Graduate school requires both coursework and extra-curricular achievements

commensurate with the degree being attained. This section details the degrees, tracks, mentorship, coursework, and

additional expectations for graduate students in the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

II.A. GRADUATE DEGREES

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers both Masters of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

degrees. These can be earned simultaneously with other degrees by students in the B.S./M.S., M.S./M.B.A, and

M.D./Ph.D. joint programs. Students must select one of seven Graduate Track Specializations.

• bioInnovate

• Biomaterials & Therapeutics

• Biomechanics

• Cardiovascular Engineering

• Computational Biological Systems

• Imaging

• Neuroengineering

Each specialization is led by a track director who advises all of its students, with an emphasis on those in their first year.

Because students enter with a variety of backgrounds, individual programs of study must be uniquely tailored: a task

best performed with the help of advisors specializing in a student’s academic focus. Thus, students are directed to

identify a faculty advisor and supervisory committee as soon as possible. Students should meet with their faculty

advisor weekly and must convene their supervisory committee annually: more frequent meetings are encouraged.

II.A.1. MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.) PROGRAM

The master’s program is targeted at students seeking a breadth of knowledge in biomedical engineering and mastery

over a specialized subfield thereof. The M.S. degree program takes 1–2 years to complete the minimum 30 credit hours

of graduate study and demonstrate mastery within a subfield of their choosing. Students will be mentored through the

process by a supervisory committee that they must select in their first year, as described below.

M.S. Supervisory Committee

Students must form a (minimum) three-member supervisory committee within the first semester of their M.S.

program. The chair of that committee — the faculty advisor — must have an appointment in the BME department. If

the student seeks to complete research in an affiliated laboratory, the faculty advisor should be the Principal

Investigator of that lab; otherwise, the faculty advisor should be the student’s track specialization director. Students

are responsible for contacting prospective committee members about their willingness and availability to serve as

supervisory committee members. The student forms a committee by filing a Request for M.S. Supervisory Committee

form with the Graduate Academic Advisor for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Committee Membership

The supervisory committee must comprise at least three faculty members with affiliations at the University of Utah.

The Graduate School requires that 1) a majority of the committee members hold tenure-line appointments within the

BME Department, and 2) the chair of the committee holds a tenure-line appointment within the BME Department.

Students may file petitions for exceptions to either, but not both, of those requirements, according to the following:

1) The BME Department will consider petitions to the tenure-line majority rule if at least three of the committee

members, constituting no less than three-fourths of the committee, hold their primary faculty appointments —

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career-line or tenure-line — in the BME Department. Note that the chair of the committee must have a tenure-

line appointment in BME.

2) The BME Department will consider petitions to the tenure-line committee chair rule if the committee chair has

an appointment — career-line or adjunct — in the BME Department. Note that the majority of the committee

members must have tenure-line appointments in BME.

Supervisory committees are responsible for guiding their students through their graduate degree process, including

approving most of the milestones thereof. When necessary, they arbitrate disputes, resolve conflicts, or mitigate

difficult strategic programming decisions between students and their faculty advisors. The supervisory committee

exists to help the student, and its members serve at the student’s pleasure. With the consent of their faculty advisor,

a student may replace members of their supervisory committee, including the faculty advisor themself, at any time by

filing a Change Supervisory Committee form with the Graduate Academic Advisor for approval by the Director of

Graduate Studies.

Committee Meetings

Students must convene their full supervisory committees at least once annually and are encouraged to meet more

frequently. Meeting privately with individual committee members is encouraged but is not a substitute for regular

meetings of the entire supervisory committee. The purpose of these meetings is for the committee as a whole to review

the student’s academic progress and discuss strategies for continued success. The student must ensure that the

discussions and outcomes of these meetings are retained via one of the parties — themselves or a committee member

— taking notes or with a video recording. The student must generate written minutes from the notes or recordings,

distribute them to the committee within two weeks of each meeting, and upload them as a permanent record in the

COE Progress Tracker. Because the Project Presentation and Thesis Defense are oral examinations, students are not

responsible for recording or generating minutes for either of those two extraordinary committee meetings.

M.S. Degree Options

To earn an M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering, students must demonstrate mastery within a subfield of their

choosing. Students demonstrate this subfield-specific mastery through one of the following three optional pathways.

Thesis Option M.S.

This option requires at least 9 credit hours of thesis research (BME 6970), culminating in an M.S. Thesis. Students must

effectively apply the scientific method, demonstrate the significance of their contribution to the field, and

professionally communicate their results in both written and oral form. Thesis option M.S. students must successfully

defend their thesis in a public forum according to the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Graduate School

rules. The student’s supervisory committee will evaluate both the written thesis and its oral defense to determine

whether the student has demonstrated topical mastery sufficient to merit an M.S. degree.

The written thesis must conform to the Graduate School requirements and be provided to each supervisory committee

member at least two weeks before its oral defense. University thesis regulations are available in “A Handbook for

Theses and Dissertations,” which can be downloaded from the Graduate School Thesis Office website. At least two

weeks before their public defense, students must inform the Graduate Program Coordinator of its location and time,

and their thesis title and abstract. At the defense, the student presents their thesis and then fields questions from the

general audience. Immediately following the public defense, the student will undertake an oral examination

administered in a closed session by the supervisory committee. The oral examination should focus on scientific

knowledge and engineering processes specifically relevant to the thesis. Immediately following the oral examination,

the majority opinion of the supervisory committee determines whether or not the student passes their thesis defense:

thesis option M.S. students have two opportunities to pass the thesis defense.

Project Option M.S.

In lieu of thesis research, this option requires at least 9 credit hours of advanced coursework (6000 level or above)

within a Biomedical Engineering track specialization culminating in an M.S. Project. Each student selects a project

related to their specialization to serve as the foundation for their M.S. scholarly work. Though the basis of the project

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can derive from a class, laboratory, or internship, the student must utilize graduate-level scientific-or-engineering

principles or methods to develop their project beyond the sophistication level expected within regular courses.

To demonstrate depth of knowledge within the field, students must present their projects to their supervisory

committee. The student is allowed to invite non-committee members to this presentation, but no public presentation

is required. The presentation should demonstrate that the student can integrate the scope and necessary details from

their technical training into a cogent, professional presentation. Following the presentation, the supervisory committee

administers a closed session oral examination. The oral examination should cover material drawn from the student’s

Biomedical Engineering Track specialization courses, with particular attention to topics relevant to the M.S. project.

Immediately following the oral examination, the majority opinion of the supervisory committee determines whether

or not the student passes their project presentation: project option M.S. students have two opportunities to pass the

project presentation.

Course Option M.S.

In lieu of a thesis or project, this option requires at least 9 credit hours of advanced coursework (6000 level or above)

within a Biomedical Engineering track specialization culminating in a comprehensive examination. To demonstrate

breadth of knowledge in biomedical engineering and depth of expertise within their track specialization, students may

satisfy the comprehensive examination by passing either a written exam offered by their track specialization or an oral

exam administered by their supervisory committee. Course option M.S. students have two opportunities to pass the

comprehensive exam, regardless of whether they take the written or oral format.

• Written examinations are offered once annually, typically in August or September. These are the same

examinations offered as Written Qualifying Exams to Ph.D. students. For more information, see the track-

specialization guidelines for each exam in the subsequent Ph.D. Program section. Course Option M.S. students

seeking to take the written examination must notify the Graduate Program Coordinator of their intentions by the

end of the corresponding spring semester. Faculty members within the track evaluate the written examinations to

determine whether or not each student passes their comprehensive examination.

• Oral examinations by the supervisory committee can occur throughout the year. Oral examinations should cover

material drawn from the student’s Program of Study and focused on their track specialization courses. Immediately

following the oral examination, the majority opinion of the supervisory committee determines whether or not the

student passes their comprehensive examination.

M.S. Degree Requirements

To earn an M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering, students must successfully complete a minimum of 30 credit hours

of graduate study (5000 level and above) — including at least 9 credit hours at the advanced graduate level (6000 level

and above) — and demonstrate mastery within a subfield of their choosing. While the specific requirements vary by

track specialization and M.S. option, the following general guidelines apply to all M.S. students.

M.S. Program of Study

The M.S program of study lists all courses taken beyond the baccalaureate degree — including any research credits

(BME 6970) if appropriate — and applied toward the M.S. degree. Subsequent sections of this handbook detail the

BME Core Curriculum and Graduate Track Specialization requirements. The academic coursework comprises the BME

core curriculum and other graduate-level science and engineering courses relevant to the student’s research focus and

career goals. Before selecting specific courses, the student should consult with their faculty advisor and supervisory

committee to ensure compliance with the BME department and their track specialization. By the end of their first

semester, each M.S. student must submit an official Program of Study, approved and signed by their supervisory

committee, to the Graduate Academic Advisor.

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Thesis-Option M.S. Programs of Study must contain:

• 21 credit hours of coursework (minimum) including:

- At least 13 credits hours of Core Curriculum (or approved substitutes);

- At least 8 credit hours of graduate-level science and engineering elective courses.

• 9 credit hours (minimum) of dedicated research: BME 6970, M.S. Thesis Research.

Project-Option and Course-Option M.S. Programs of Study must contain:

• 30 credit hours of coursework (minimum) including:

- At least 13 credits of Core Curriculum (or approved substitutes);

- At least 9 credits of advanced (6000 level) courses within a track specialization;

- At least 8 credit hours of graduate-level science and engineering elective courses.

M.S. Milestones

Students must complete the following milestones to receive their degree. These achievements must be registered in

the College of Engineering Progress Tracker by uploading the appropriate forms or other documentation.

• Establish a Supervisory Committee

• Finalize a Program of Study

• Pass a Final Comprehensive Exam

II.A.1A. BME B.S./M.S. DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM

This dual degree program allows students to begin their M.S. studies while still enrolled as undergraduates at the

University of Utah. This program enables students to complete their M.S. degree in only one year beyond the time

required for their B.S. degree. Students who complete this program receive their B.S. and M.S. degrees simultaneously.

B.S./M.S. Degree Requirements

Students in this joint program must meet all requirements specified by the Department of Biomedical Engineering and

the University of Utah Graduate School. Unless otherwise stated, students must abide by all requirements for the

standard B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, as listed in the Undergraduate Handbook. Students should reference the

handbook that correlates with their catalog year, i.e., the academic year of their admission to major status. Similarly,

students must abide by all requirements for the standard M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, as listed in this handbook.

The following credit hour stipulations supersede credit hour requirements for students in only the B.S. program or only

the M.S. program.

• Before advancing to graduate student status, undergraduates must complete a minimum of 122 credit hours that

meet the Biomedical Engineering B.S. requirements;

• Students must complete a minimum of 30 graduate-level credit hours — beyond the 122 designated for their B.S.

degree — that meet the Biomedical Engineering M.S. requirements;

• A maximum of 12 graduate-level credit hours — of the required 30 designated for their M.S. degree — may be

completed while students are still in undergraduate status.

B.S./M.S. Application Eligibility and Procedures

To be eligible, students must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents, with full major status in the Biomedical

Engineering B.S. program, have completed a minimum of 90 undergraduate credit hours by the end of the semester of

application, have not yet completed the Senior Thesis I course (BME 4991), and have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Admission into the B.S./M.S. program requires two separate applications. The Department application allows students

to join the program before their senior year while maintaining full undergraduate status and privileges: undergraduate

financial aid, tuition rates, etc. The University of Utah Graduate School application is required for promotion to

graduate student status, as is necessary for them to complete the M.S. portion of their degree.

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Step 1: Department Application Procedure:

Before applying to the B.S./M.S. program, students are encouraged to meet with the Department B.S./M.S. Program

Academic Advisor and the Graduate Academic Advisor. The application form and instructions can be found on the

Biomedical Engineering Graduate Studies website. The application deadlines are April 1 for fall semester admission and

November 1 for spring semester admission. Students submit the application to the Graduate Academic Advisor.

Supporting documents will include a one-page Personal Statement, an unofficial Transcript (or DARS), and a

professional résumé or CV. Additionally, applicants with a cumulative GPA between 3.000 and 3.499 will be required

to provide three letters of recommendation, including at least one from a Biomedical Engineering core faculty member.

Applicants are not required to submit GRE scores for admission to the B.S./M.S. Dual Degree program.

Step 2: University Application Procedure

Students apply for graduate status after completing at least 122 semester credit hours of qualified studies. Students

must follow regular University of Utah Graduate School application procedures to apply online using the “Apply

Yourself” application system. Once students attain graduate status, all Graduate School rules apply, e.g., graduate

tuition structure, tuition benefit program (TBP), health insurance program, etc. When deciding on the timing for their

change of status from undergraduate to graduate, students should read the TBP guidelines and weigh the pros (e.g.,

tuition benefit and health insurance) against the cons (e.g., no scholarships, more costly tuition).

Step 3: Petitioning for Graduate Credit

Students may request up to 12 credit hours of coursework taken as undergraduates to be applied to their M.S.

Program of Study. All courses must be at the 5000 level or above, and students must submit the “Request for Graduate

Credit in the B.S./M.S. Program” to the Registrar’s office during their first semester in graduate status. The Biomedical

Engineering Graduate Academic Advisor will review this form before submitting it to the Office of the Registrar. The

Registrar’s Office will update the DARS from all B.S./M.S. students, noting that the requested courses have been

reserved for graduate credit. When completed, these updates are final and cannot be reversed. Requested courses

that have been approved by the Office of the Registrar be “Reserved” on the student’s undergraduate record and no

longer eligible to apply toward the B.S. degree. However, they will be eligible for credit toward the M.S. degree and

may be included on the student’s M.S. Program of Study for approval consideration from their supervisory committee.

Criteria for inclusion of graduate courses taken as an undergraduate into the graduate program of study:

▪ The requested courses must have a letter grade of B or better;

▪ The requested courses may not be used to fulfill requirements toward any other degree, including B.S. core

courses. However, up to 6 credit hours may come from the undergraduate elective requirements approved by the

Director of Undergraduate Studies;

▪ Once requested courses have been approved through the Office of the Registrar, students who subsequently

withdraw from the B.S./M.S. program will not be allowed to apply those reserved credits toward their B.S. degree

and will be restricted in the extent to which they may apply them toward future M.S. degree requirements;

▪ B.S./M.S. candidates must maintain two separate enrollment records (undergraduate and graduate) and register

for the remaining undergraduate courses on their undergraduate enrollment and graduate courses under their

graduate enrollment.

B.S./M.S. Program Completion

Following successful completion of all requirements in both degree programs, the B.S. and M.S. degrees are both

conferred simultaneously. Therefore, students must apply for graduation in the same semester for both degrees. See

the Graduation Office website for application deadlines, etc.: https://registrar.utah.edu/graduation/index.php. The

M.S. degree will not be awarded to any student who has not completed all requirements for the B.S. program.

Students who request to exit the B.S./M.S. dual-degree program may do so without penalty while remaining an

undergraduate. Upon promotion to graduate student status, qualified coursework will be applied toward the

traditional B.S. and M.S. degree requirements. Students with graduate status who seek to leave the program without

completing the M.S. portion will need to complete the full cadre of coursework expected of traditional B.S. students.

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They may petition the BME department to request that courses designated toward their M.S. degree be included in

the department’s evaluation of their undergraduate coursework.

B.S./M.S Typical Course Load

To complete both programs within five years requires a standard course load for the first three years of study, plus

additional credit hours in the fourth and fifth years. One possible example timeline is included below:

Year Four:

Fall Semester: Normal course load for BME BS students (15 credits), plus 0.5 extra MS core credits;

3.0 of the BS credits plus the 0.5 MS credits will be reserved for the MS degree.

Spring Semester: Normal course load for BME BS students (15 credits), plus 0.5 extra MS core credits;

3.0 of the BS credits plus the 0.5 MS credits will be reserved for the MS degree.

Summer Semester = 3 credit hours of MS electives or thesis research.

Year Five:

Fall Semester = 10 credit hours (3.0 MS core + 7.0 MS electives and/or thesis research).

Spring Semester = 10 credit hours (3.0 MS core + 7.0 MS electives and/or thesis research).

II.A.1B. BME M.S./M.B.A. DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM

This dual degree program enables students to earn both a two-year Biomedical Engineering Master of Science (M.S.)

degree and a two-year Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree in as little as 2.5 years. This program

combines students’ applied interests and training in engineering with comprehensive business exposure, providing

them the professional flexibility to transition between technical and commercial domains. Graduates are qualified to

direct and manage the creation, transition, and improvement of products, processes, and systems from the laboratory

to the boardroom. Students who complete this program receive their M.S. and M.B.A. degrees simultaneously. For

additional information on the M.B.A. portion of this program, please visit the David Eccles School of Business website.

M.S./M.B.A. Degree Requirements

• Students must apply and be accepted to both the Biomedical Engineering M.S. and full-time M.B.A. programs to

complete these degrees simultaneously.

• Students must complete at least 74 credit hours: 24 exclusively in Biomedical Engineering, 44 exclusively in

Business Administration, and 6 Capstone credits applicable to both programs.

- Biomedical Engineering minimums: 6 credits of Life Science Fundamentals, 6 credits of Biomedical Engineering

Fundamentals, 1 credit of Department Seminar (BME 6090), and 11 credits of supervisory committee-

approved electives;

- Business minimums: 32 MBA Core credit hours and 12 Business Elective credit hours (at 6000 level or above);

- Joint/Combined minimums: 6 credit hours of Capstone courses.

• The Biomedical Engineering M.S. requirements for this program are the same as the standard M.S. requirements

listed in this handbook, except for the 6 credit hours of Capstone courses shared with the M.B.A. program and

applied to both Programs of Study.

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M.S./M.B.A. Typical Course Load

To complete both programs within 2.5 years requires a course load of 16-18 credits hours each semester, as follows:

Year One:

Fall Semester = 18 credit hours ( 14.5 MBA core + 3.5 MBA electives)

Spring Semester = 17 credit hours ( 13.5 MBA core + 3.0 MBA electives + 0.5 MS core)

Summer Semester = MBA Internship Strongly Recommended

Year Two:

Fall Semester = 16 credit hours ( 7.0 MBA core + 6.0 MS core + 3.0 MS electives)

Spring Semester = 15 credit hours ( 2.5 MBA core + 6.5 MS core + 6.0 MS/MBA Capstone)

Summer Semester = MBA Internship Strongly Recommended

Year Three:

Fall Semester = 8 credit hours ( 8.0 MS electives)

While the Graduate School limits most graduate students to a maximum of 16 credit hours per semester, M.S./M.B.A.

students can take up to 18. Registration above 18 credit hours requires a petition to the Graduate School.

II.A.2. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PH.D.) PROGRAM

The doctoral program is targeted at students seeking a breadth of knowledge in biomedical engineering and world-

class expertise within a specialized subfield thereof. Students must meet all requirements specified by the University

of Utah Graduate School and the BME Department. The Ph.D. degree program typically takes 4–6 years to complete.

Ph.D. Supervisory Committee

In the first year of their Ph.D. program, students must form a (minimum) five-member supervisory committee. The

chair of that supervisory committee, also known as the faculty advisor, must have an appointment in the BME

department. In their first semester here, if not before, Ph.D. students should find a department-affiliated laboratory in

which to conduct the research necessary for their dissertation. By accepting the student into that research laboratory,

its Principal Investigator agrees to serve as the student’s faculty advisor. Unless the student has their own funding, the

faculty advisor must provide an offer letter committing the lab to support the student until they have been in the

graduate program for five years.

The student should work with their faculty advisor to identify potential supervisory committee members appropriate

to their research goals. Students are responsible for contacting prospective committee members about their

willingness and availability to serve. The student forms a committee by filing a Request for Ph.D. Supervisory

Committee form with the Graduate Academic Advisor for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.

The supervisory committee must comprise at least five faculty members. At least one member of the supervisory

committee must have a primary appointment outside the BME Department. The Graduate School additionally requires

that 1) a majority of the committee members hold tenure-line appointments within the BME Department, and 2) the

chair of the committee holds a tenure-line appointment within the BME Department. Students may file petitions for

exceptions to either, but not both, of those requirements, according to the following:

1) The BME Department will consider petitions to the tenure-line majority rule if at least three of the committee

members, constituting no less than three-fifths of the committee, hold their primary faculty appointments —

career-line or tenure-line — in the BME Department, and if at least two of the committee members, constituting

no less than one-third of the committee, hold tenure-line appointments in the BME Department. Note that the

chair of the committee must have a tenure-line appointment in BME.

2) The BME Department will consider petitions to the tenure-line committee-chair rule if the committee chair has

an appointment — career-line or adjunct — in the BME Department. Note that the majority of the committee

members must have tenure-line appointments in BME.

Supervisory committees mentor students through the program and ensure that their achievements are consistent with

the work expected of those with a doctoral degree in biomedical engineering. Supervisory committees advise and

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consent to a student’s academic program of study, evaluate and approve their research proposal, read and accept their

written dissertation, and administer and judge their oral dissertation defense. In addition, supervisory committees

should help arbitrate disputes, resolve conflicts, and mediate difficult strategic programming decisions between

students and their faculty advisors. The supervisory committee exists to support the Ph.D. student, and its members

serve at the student’s pleasure. With the consent of their faculty advisor, a student may replace members of their

supervisory committee, including the faculty advisor themself, at any time by filing a Change Supervisory Committee

form with the Graduate Academic Advisor for approval by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Ph.D. Academic Program

To earn a Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering, students must successfully complete a minimum of 72 credit hours

of graduate study and demonstrate expertise within a subfield of their choosing. The ultimate goal for this program is

for students to demonstrate the ability to apply the scientific method to perform independent, impactful research that

advances the state of knowledge within their specific subfield.

Academic Credit Hours

The Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. program requires at least 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate level, including

at least 38 credit hours of dissertation research (BME 7970), 4 credit hours of teaching mentorship (BME 7880), and 30

credit hours of academic courses. The minimum allowable grade for any course counted toward a Ph.D. degree in

Biomedical Engineering is a B-. Dissertation research involves significant, independent, peer-reviewed, original

research, and constitutes a majority of the credit hour requirements. Essential to obtaining any doctoral degree,

students earn the teaching mentorship credits by serving as a teaching assistant for 1–2 semesters.

The Ph.D. program of study lists all courses taken beyond the baccalaureate degree and applied toward the Ph.D.

Subsequent sections of this handbook detail the BME Core Curriculum and Graduate Track Specialization requirements.

The academic coursework comprises the BME core curriculum (at least 17 credit hours of fundamental courses or

approved substitutes) and at least 13 credit hours of additional graduate-level science and engineering courses relevant

to the student’s research focus and career goals.

Ph.D. Programs of Study must contain:

• 30 credit hours of coursework (minimum) including:

- At least 17 credits hours of Core Curriculum (or approved substitutes);

- At least 13 credit hours of graduate-level science and engineering elective courses.

• 4 credit hours (minimum) of teaching mentorship: BME 7880, Teaching Mentorship.

• 38 credit hours (minimum) of dedicated research: BME 7970, Ph.D. Dissertation Research.

Before selecting specific courses, students should consult with their faculty advisor and supervisory committee to

ensure compliance with the BME Department and their track specialization. The supervisory committee may require

students to take additional courses depending on their academic preparedness, performance on the written qualifying

exam or research proposal, or other factors. Up to 30 credit hours previously applied toward an M.S. degree in

Biomedical Engineering can be included as part of the Ph.D. program of study. If the supervisory committee and

Director of Graduate Studies approve any prior courses as substitutes within the program of study, those courses must

be listed on all relevant forms as having been taken for zero credits.

By the end of their second spring semester, each Ph.D. student must submit a Preliminary Program of Study, approved

and signed by their supervisory committee, to the Graduate Academic Advisor. This preliminary plan establishes a set

of academic courses, including the semesters in which they were, or will be, taken. Students must submit their Final

Program of Study to the Graduate Academic Advisor during the semester immediately preceding that in which they

defend their dissertation. This final program must detail all credits taken for the Ph.D., including dissertation research

(BME 7970) credits and their corresponding semesters. Note: the Continuous Registration course (BME 7990) does not

count toward fulfilling the Ph.D. degree and should not be listed on the program of study. After receiving all necessary

approvals, the final program of study is reviewed by the Graduate School.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 17

Written Qualifying Exam

Ph.D. students must demonstrate expertise of the subject matter within their track specialization. After completing

the relevant coursework, they meet this requirement by passing a written qualifying exam within their track. This exam

satisfies the Graduate School Written Qualifying Exam requirement. Exams for all track specializations are given

simultaneously on a single day — typically in August. Each 8-hour exam comprises a pair of 4-hour sessions, divided by

a one-hour break for lunch. Books and notes are not allowed in the exam. After submitting a Preliminary Program of

Study, students inform the Academic Graduate Advisor of their intent to take the exam at least three months before

the exam date. Students must attempt an exam before the end of their fifth non-summer semester in the program.

Each exam is prepared and graded by a committee of Biomedical Engineering faculty members with expertise in the

relevant graduate track specialization. The exam format varies between tracks but generally consists of in-depth

questions from the specialization field that may rely on comprehensive knowledge from the Biomedical Engineering

core. Some track-specific guidance is available in the Graduate Track Specialization section, and students may contact

their track director to discuss the exam format.

Students have two opportunities to pass the written qualifying exam before being removed from the program. Passing

this exam qualifies the students to receive a milestone M.S. degree once they have also completed the coursework

required for a Course Option M.S. For more information, see the Inline Promotions section below.

Ph.D. Research Efforts

Ph.D. students must complete at least 38 credit hours of dissertation research, BME 7970, and advance the state of

knowledge in their chosen field. They must design and propose a research project, complete the proposed research

effort, disseminate their research results in peer-reviewed manuscripts, present their results at scientific meetings,

and write and defend their dissertations before their supervisory committee and the public.

Research Proposal

Students must develop a plan for the research that will constitute their dissertation. The Research Proposal is a two-

step process — a written proposal and an oral proposal — through which students formally propose their dissertation

plan to the public and their supervisory committee. To pass the research proposal, students must demonstrate

adequate preparation to begin effective independent research. They must be well-versed in the fundamentals, have

sophisticated familiarity with the primary literature in the proposed area of research, and demonstrate an ability to

design and effectively communicate a competent, sound research plan.

Students must take two courses — BME 7070 and BME 7071, typically in their 4

and 5

non-summer semesters —

that help them prepare for both portions of the research proposal. Students are expected to complete their research

proposal by the end of their third year in the program; students who fail to pass their research proposal by the end of

their fourth year will lose their tuition benefit eligibility. Students are responsible for scheduling their oral proposal —

including securing the requisite physical or virtual space — in coordination with their committee members’ availability.

Students must deliver their complete written proposal to the supervisory committee at least two weeks before their

oral proposal. Students must notify the Graduate Academic Advisor at least one week prior to their oral proposal,

including information necessary for a public announcement: proposal title, project summary or abstract, faculty

advisor, location, date, and time.

The written portion of the research proposal should follow the NIH R01 format, including page limit and formatting

requirements, and with all relevant technical sections for the proposed research. These technical sections include the

Project Summary / Abstract, Specific Aims, Research Plan, Protection of Human Subjects (if required), and Vertebrate

Animal Section (if required).

The oral portion of the research proposal must be a public, formal presentation of the proposed research. Following

the presentation, the student will field questions from the public audience. The student should plan for the combined

presentation and public question-and-answer session to last an hour. Subsequently, the supervisory committee will

dismiss the public and the faculty advisor to finish the examination portion of the oral proposal in a closed-door session.

The committee will examine the student’s knowledge in their proposed research area and test their ability to respond

cogently to critiques of the research plan.

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By unanimous consent, the supervisory committee may allow the faculty advisor to remain present, generally to log

the other committee members’ recommendations for and adjustments to the proposed research. In such cases, the

committee and advisor should remember that this question-and-answer session is an examination only for the student.

Therefore, the committee may not address questions or comments to the faculty advisor; and the faculty advisor may

not assist the student in answering questions or clarifying any aspects of the proposed research.

The supervisory committee will vote separately on the written and oral proposals. Both votes will be recorded in the

Research Proposal Examination form, which the student should have prepared at their oral proposal. The committee

may choose to pass the candidate, fail the candidate, or pass the candidate contingent upon them successfully

responding to issues with their proposal (written, oral, or both). Contingencies can include written proposal revisions,

supplemental coursework, new supporting data or analyses, and additional oral presentations. Ph.D. students have

two opportunities to pass the Research Proposal — comprising both the written proposal and oral proposal — in

accordance with Graduate School policies.

Doctoral Dissertation

Dissertations must embody original insights, motivations, and results of the Ph.D. candidate’s independent creative

scientific conduct and scholarly research. They must show a mastery of relevant literature and be presented in a style

approved by the BME department. Above all, dissertations must provide clear evidence of the candidate’s scientific

maturity, unique expertise, innovation, and ability to perform independent research and contribute new knowledge.

Students must prepare a written dissertation and orally present and defend that dissertation publicly and before their

supervisory committee.

External Reviewer. The review of the Ph.D. dissertation by an external reviewer is not required but can be encouraged

by the supervisory committee. The Ph.D. candidate and their supervisory committee should consider this option,

notably if expertise on the dissertation topic is lacking at the University of Utah in general and on the supervisory

committee in particular. The external reviewer, who must hold an academic appointment at an institution outside the

University of Utah, should submit a written evaluation of the dissertation to be read at the time of defense.

Written Dissertation. The Approved Dissertation Style Guide for the Department of Biomedical Engineering is

registered with the thesis and dissertation editor, who approves dissertations in accordance with department and

Graduate School policy. Preparation of the dissertation must adhere to University of Utah Graduate School

requirements. Detailed policies and procedures are contained within A Handbook for Theses and Dissertations,

published by the Graduate School, and additional information is available from the Thesis Office.

Typically, a dissertation comprises one or two introductory chapters, a series of original research manuscripts — each

constituting its own chapter — and one or two concluding chapters. The introductory chapter(s) should provide context

to the biomedical problems being addressed and include a sophisticated academic review of the existing knowledge

within the field. They may also include methodological or engineering details critical to the research, but that did not

appear in other forms. The middle chapters should detail original research that may be published or in press; with the

publisher’s approval, these chapters may be inserted into the dissertation as published (i.e., complete publisher’s galley

proof or journal off-print) and with additional amendments or supplements as desired. This core of the dissertation

typically comprises at least three peer-reviewed, first-author publications, as detailed in Peer-Reviewed Publications.

The concluding chapter(s) should frame the dissertation in terms of what it adds to our understanding of biomedical

science, our ability to interact with human physiology, and our likelihood of improving the human condition. The

conclusion may also identify weaknesses in the research and propose future efforts to overcome them.

Ph.D. candidates are required to submit their dissertation to their faculty advisor and external reviewer (if applicable)

at least three weeks prior to the dissertation defense. Additionally, they are required to submit their dissertation to

their supervisory committee members and the Graduate Academic Advisor at least two weeks prior to the dissertation

defense. The BME Department staff will make a copy of the dissertation available for public viewing.

Oral Defense. The Ph.D. candidate must successfully defend his/her dissertation in a public forum in accordance with

the rules of the BME department and the Graduate School. The student should plan for the combined presentation

and public question-and-answer session to last an hour. Students must notify the Graduate Academic Advisor at least

two weeks prior to their oral defense, including information necessary for a public announcement: proposal title,

 
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project summary or abstract, faculty advisor, location, date, and time. The oral presentation is followed by general 
questions from the public audience in an open session. If relevant, the external review of the dissertation is presented 
near the end of the public session. If possible, the external reviewer should deliver the review themself; otherwise, the 
faculty advisor may read the review aloud. Following the public defense, the research supervisory committee further 
examines the candidate in a closed session — the external reviewer can be included in the closed session by supervisory 
committee invitation. 
To successfully defend the dissertation, the candidate must effectively apply the scientific method, demonstrate the 
significance of his/her contributions to the field relative to the state of the field, and professionally communicate the 
results in both written and oral form. Following the defense, the supervisory committee and the external reviewer (if 
any) dismiss the candidate and meet privately to discuss the candidate’s work and defense performance. Votes to pass 
the  candidate on  both  the  dissertation and  the  oral  defense are recorded  by the  committee  alone;  the external 
reviewer does not vote. 
The committee may choose to  pass the candidate, fail the candidate, or  pass  the  candidate contingent upon the 
candidate successfully responding to issues with their defense (either written, oral, or both). Ph.D. candidates have 
two opportunities to pass the dissertation defense in accordance with Graduate School policy. As recommended or 
required by the committee, changes to the dissertation must be incorporated into the student’s dissertation document 
before obtaining final dissertation reading approval from the supervisory committee on the Final Ph.D. Examination 
form. After completion, department chair approval is necessary for submission to the Graduate School thesis editor.  
Ph.D. Milestones 
Students must complete the following milestones to receive their degree. These achievements must be registered in 
the College of Engineering Progress Tracker by uploading the appropriate forms or other documentation. 
•  Principal Investigator Offer Letter 
•  Establish a Supervisory Committee 
•  Preliminary Program of Study 
•  Written Qualifying Exam 
•  Research Proposal Exam 
•  Teaching Assistant Mentorship 
•  Seminar Presentation 
•  Final Program of Study 
•  Dissertation Defense 
•  & Annual Committee Meetings  
Committee Meetings 
Students must convene their supervisory committees at least once annually — and are encouraged to do so more 
frequently — to facilitate supervisory committee involvement. Meeting privately with individual committee members 
is encouraged but is not a substitute for regular meetings of the entire supervisory committee. The purpose of these 
meetings is for the committee as a whole to review the student’s academic and research progress and discuss strategies 
for continued success. The student must ensure that the discussions and outcomes of these meetings are retained via 
one of the parties — themself or a committee member — taking notes or with a video recording. Subsequently, the 
student must generate written minutes from the notes or recordings, distribute them to the committee within two 
weeks of each meeting, and upload them as a permanent record in the COE Progress Tracker. Because the Research 
Proposal and Dissertation Defense are oral examinations, students are not responsible for recording or generating 
minutes for those two extraordinary committee meetings. 
Inline Promotions 
Milestone M.S. Passing this Written Qualifying Exam enables students to receive a milestone M.S. degree, once they 
have also completed the coursework for a Course Option M.S. After their coursework is properly reflected in their 
official Preliminary Program of Study, Ph.D. students may file with the University for graduation with an M.S. degree, 

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 20

bestowed while they continue their doctoral research. However, students who are (or are likely to be) funded as

Graduate Fellows should wait until they have received two full years of tuition benefit from the standard Tuition Benefit

Program before filing for their M.S. degree. To maximize their tuition benefit eligibility, students should consult with

the Academic Graduate Advisor before applying to receive their milestone M.S. degree.

Ph.D. Candidacy. Students in any Ph.D. program at the University of Utah advance from Ph.D. student to Ph.D.

candidate upon passing both their written and oral examinations. Within the BME Department, the Written Qualifying

Exam satisfies the written exam requirement, and the Research Proposal satisfies the oral exam requirement. Although

students typically pass the written qualifying exam before completing their research proposal, these two requirements

may be met in either order. Once a student has passed both requirements, they become a Ph.D. candidate.

Seminar Presentation

Students must deliver at least one oral podium presentation or seminar before applying to defend their dissertation.

While the public defense ensures the students can present their work orally, this seminar requirement provides

additional experience conveying scientific and engineering results to a general audience through public speaking in a

formal setting. Generally, students should deliver a podium presentation at a regional, national or international

conference, or deliver a seminar at an external university as an invited speaker. Poster presentations at such

conferences do not satisfy this requirement. Conferences hosted at the University of Utah can meet this requirement

so long as they are not strictly internal affairs. For example, the BME Department hosts an annual Utah Biomedical

Engineering Conference (UBEC), which includes students and faculty from other universities throughout the Mountain

West — students who deliver a podium presentation at UBEC have met the seminar presentation requirement.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

The primary requirement of the Ph.D. program is for students to demonstrate competency in independent research

and advance the state of knowledge in biomedical engineering. To complete this requirement, a Doctoral Dissertation

typically includes three or more peer-reviewed publications written by the candidate that have (or will) appear in

supervisory committee-approved journals. There is no explicit requirement that three manuscripts must be published

or even accepted for publication prior to the doctoral defense or final approval of the written dissertation. However,

the quality and quantity of the dissertation must be commensurate with three peer-reviewed manuscripts, as

determined by the supervisory committee. Therefore, the supervisory committee should be consulted for their

expectations regarding the publication status of research results before convening a dissertation defense.

Teaching Mentorship

Every Ph.D. student must fulfill the teaching mentorship requirement by completing 4 credit hours of the Teaching

Assistant Mentorship course (BME 7880) by the end of their eighth non-summer semester. Students should coordinate

with course instructors to reserve available teaching assistant slots in future semesters. However, teaching

assignments are handled by the Director of Graduate Studies. They will be determined based on the department needs

first, graduate track specialization second, and graduate student and course instructor preference third.

To earn TA Mentorship credit, a student may do one of the following:

•

Complete two semesters as a Half TA (2 credits each) of BME 7880 with an approved course: average time

commitment of 10 hours per week for the duration of each semester. This option is especially attractive for

students seeking to TA the same class in two consecutive years.

•

Complete one semester as a Full TA (4 credits) of BME 7880 with an approved course: average time commitment

of 20 hours each week for the duration of the semester.

The department discourages students from serving as a TA before their fifth non-summer semester in graduate school;

the first four non-summer semesters should be reserved for taking classes and initiating research projects in their

chosen labs. With the required course load diminishing in their third year of graduate school, students have the extra

time necessary to commit to teaching. Students who have not secured one or more courses to TA by the end of their

sixth non-summer semester will be assigned courses to TA by the Director of Graduate Studies.

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Teaching Assistantship requirements also include:

•

TAs must be proficient in the English language to interact with students effectively. The Graduate School requires

all non-native English-speaking graduate students to be cleared by the International Teaching Assistant Program

before any teaching is allowed. Thus, this clearance is compulsory for all international Ph.D. students in BME.

•

TAs must strictly abide by the regulations outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA. This

federal law protects the privacy of educational records of students. Information regarding FERPA is available at

www.registrar.utah.edu/faculty/ferpa-resources.php.

•

TAs are required to attend mandatory training provided by the College of Engineering (COE) near the start of each

semester. The student must ascertain the time and location of this once-per-semester offering from the COE.

•

TAs are required to meet with their assigned course instructor(s) before the beginning of the semester to initiate

organization and to identify the expectations of the TAs' roles and duties.

•

Unless otherwise instructed, TAs are expected to attend all their assigned course(s) lectures and be sufficiently

familiar with the course materials to tutor the students effectively.

•

TAs are expected to contribute in a substantive professional way to the pedagogical needs of their assigned

course(s). The instructor and the nature of the course determine these needs. For example, TAs should expect to

undertake any of the following activities: 1) deliver one or more course didactic lectures, 2) lead problem-solving

or discussion sessions, 3) prepare laboratory equipment and supplies, and 4) grade homework, reports, and exams.

•

The TA requirement is for credit. Ph.D. students are not eligible for paid TA positions until their four BME 7880

credit hours have been completed. If a student is supported by their faculty advisor as a Research Assistant, that

support will continue during their TA assignments.

Unsatisfactory student TA performance, either paid or through the BME 7880 requirement, will be subject to review

and possible punitive responses, including repeating the TA requirement. TA workshops and online teaching resources

are available through the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at the University of Utah.

II.A.2A. M.D./PH.D. PROGRAM

The M.D./Ph.D. program provides an outstanding education for future physician-scientists. Students develop clinical

skills and engage in rigorous scientific training. Through our top medical program and exceptional BME doctoral

program, we prepare students for careers as biomedical researchers and clinician-scientists.

M.D./Ph.D. Admissions

The M.D./Ph.D. program admissions criteria are the same as the M.D. program, but with a greater emphasis on

research experience. Please refer to the Preparing for Medical School website for details about premedical coursework

and eligibility. The MD-PhD Program Admissions website includes detailed information on admissions standards,

policies, and procedures.

Initial M.D./Ph.D. program applications must be submitted to the American Medical College Application Services

(AMCAS) and are available to U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents only. We encourage applications from qualified

students nationwide. Applicants will complete two additional essays for the M.D./Ph.D. Program application: the MD-

PhD Essay and a Significant Research Essay.

Applicants must have MCAT scores of 500 or higher and grade point averages above 3.0; GRE scores are waived in lieu

of MCAT scores. Competitive applicants will have substantial experience in community/volunteer service, leadership,

physician shadowing, and patient exposure, and an academic career that includes a strong focus on research.

If admitted by the School of Medicine, an additional application for admission to the BME department Ph.D. program

must be submitted through the “Apply Yourself” electronic application system by April 1 of the year in which the

student intends to begin their Ph.D. — i.e., typically during their second year of medical school. See the BME

department Application Procedure for details.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 22

M.D./Ph.D. Curriculum

In addition to the courses required by the Medical School, M.D./Ph.D. students must complete at least 14 credit hours

of BME coursework and 38 credit hours of Dissertation Research (BME 7970). The 14 credit hours of coursework must

include the (minimum 6 credit hours of) Biomedical Engineering Fundamentals required for their chosen track

specialization. The Medical School curriculum satisfies the Life Science Fundamentals (6 credit hours) and the Scientific

Communication Fundamentals (5 credit hours) requirements of the BME program, as well as 5 credit hours of graduate

electives. The TA Mentorship requirement (BME 7880) is waived for M.D./Ph.D. students. Although students are

encouraged to TA, credits earned for BME 7880 will not count toward the requisite 14 BME coursework credits.

Typical M.D./Ph.D. Students Timeline

Summer 0

- Lab rotation with Biomedical Engineering faculty (optional but encouraged)

Academic Year 1

- Medical School Year 1

Summer 1

- Lab rotation with Biomedical Engineering faculty

Academic Year 2

- Medical School Year 2

- Select PhD faculty advisor, lab & project and submit “AY” application to the BME Department

- Complete STEP 1 exam and request Leave of Absence from MD program

Summer 2

- Work on PhD research

Establish PhD Supervisory Committee

Academic Year 3

- Work on PhD research

- Start PhD coursework* and Submit Preliminary Program of Study**

- Prepare for PhD Written Qualifying Exam

Summer 3

- Work on PhD research

Pass for PhD Written Qualifying Exam

Academic Year 4

- Work on PhD research

Finish PhD coursework and submit Final Program of Study

Complete PhD Research Proposal***

Summer 4

- Work on PhD research

- Present a Seminar or oral conference presentation

Academic Year 5

- Complete PhD research

- Defend PhD Dissertation (by the end of Spring 5)

Summer 5

- Finalize PhD Dissertation review/release process with the Thesis Office

Academic Year 6

- Medical School Year 3

Summer 6

- Optional Post-Doc work in mentor's lab

Academic Year 7

- Medical School Year 4

- Graduate with M.D. and Ph.D. degrees

* MD/PhD students may participate in the eXtended Tuition Benefit Program (xTBP) if they are paid from qualifying

grants and meet the xTBP eligibility requirements. The xTBP program may support up to 24 credit hours of tuition per

year: 9-12 per academic semester and 0-6 per summer — details at gradschool.utah.edu/tbp/guidelines.

** By the end of Academic Year 3, each student is expected to form a 5-member PhD supervisory committee, with 3

BME tenure-line faculty members, 1 MD/PhD Operations Committee faculty member, and 1 outside faculty member.

Additionally, they will select a Biomedical Engineering Graduate Specialization Track.

*** MD/PhD students must present their Research Proposal no later than the Spring semester of year 4.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 23

II.B. BME CORE CURRICULUM

The Biomedical Engineering Department core curriculum builds upon course material introduced in undergraduate

biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Building on that undergraduate knowledge, students must

complete the graduate core curriculum (or committee-approved substitutes) as part of the required 30 course credit

hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate level.

Coursework should align with student’s educational goals and track specialization, and be an approved part of their

program of study. Supervisory committees may require students to take additional courses to supplement their

academic background, qualifying exam performance, or knowledge in their research focus area. The minimum

allowable grade for any course counted toward the requirements for a student’s graduate degree in Biomedical

Engineering is a B-. For information regarding the use of previously earned credit hours toward a current degree

program, please see the Graduate Program Transfer Credits section.

II.B.1. LIFE SCIENCE FUNDAMENTALS

Graduate students with a documented background in the life sciences must take a minimum of 6 credit hours of

advanced life science courses (6000 level), including at least 3 credits of systems physiology coursework and 3 credits

of cell-and-molecular biology coursework. Approved courses for each category are listed below.

Some graduate students may have already taken, and earned exemplary grades in, courses commensurate with the

nominally required graduate-level physiology or cell-and-molecular biology courses listed below. Therefore, those

students may substitute the required physiology or cell-and-molecular biology credits for equivalent credits from other

life science courses.

Graduate students without a background in the life sciences — e.g., those with undergraduate degrees in mathematics,

physics, or an engineering discipline other than biomedical — are expected to take another 3 credits, for a total of at

least 9 credit hours of advanced life science courses.

Approved Systems Physiology Courses

BME 6000

Systems Physiology: Cardiac, Respiratory & Renal

4 credits

BME 6430

Systems Neuroscience

4 credits

Approved Cell or Molecular Biology Courses

BME 6303

Cell and Tissue Engineering

3 credits

NEUSC 6040

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

4 credits

Additional Approved Life Science Courses

BME 6002

Molecular Biophysics

3 credits

BME 6003

Cell Electrophysiology & Biophysics

3 credits

BME 6230

Functional Anatomy for Engineers

3 credits

BME 6305

Cell & Tissue Engineering: Organ Design

3 credits

BME 6460

Electrophysiology & Bioelectricity of Tissues

3 credits

All substitutions must be approved by the student’s supervisory committee and, subsequently, the Director of

Graduate Studies. When considering substitutions, committees may ask for relevant transcripts and syllabi.

Committees should consider the breadth of a student’s life science background, the sophistication depth of the courses

taken, the student performance in those courses, and the relevance of the substitute life-science courses to the

student’s program of study and career goals. Committees should exercise considerable restraint when entertaining

substitutions for students with minimal life science experience and, conversely, should exercise considerable flexibility

when entertaining substitutions for students with solid life science backgrounds.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 24

II.B.2. SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION FUNDAMENTALS

All graduate students must take at least 1.0 credit hours of the BME Department Seminar (BME 6090), offered for 0.5

credits every semester. M.S. students must take this course in each of their first two semesters.

BME 6090

BME Department Seminar

0.5 Credits

BME 6090

BME Department Seminar

0.5 Credits

Additionally, Ph.D. students must take a 4.0 credit hour writing and presentations course sequence. Students should

take the first of these (BME 7070) in their second spring semester and the second (BME 7071) in the subsequent fall

semester. In these courses, students write fellowship proposals for external funding and develop the oral component

of the Research Proposal.

BME 7070

Proposal Writing and Presentations I

2 Credits

BME 7071

Proposal Writing and Presentations II

2 Credits

Substitutions for the BME Department Seminar will be considered only under extenuating circumstances — e.g., for a

student on an otherwise accelerated timeline with a required course time conflict — and must be replaced with

another seminar course of commensurate load and sophistication. Substitutions for either course in the writing and

presentations sequence will be considered rarely and only if a student has wholly passed their research proposal.

M.D/Ph.D. students are exempt from the 4.0 credit hour writing and presentation requirement.

II.B.3. TRACK SPECIALIZATION FUNDAMENTALS

Each BME track specialization requires graduate students to take at least 6 credit hours of engineering fundamentals

courses appropriate for their track, as detailed in the Graduate Track Specialization section. Some graduate students

may have taken, and earned exemplary grades in, courses commensurate with those nominally required by their track

specialization. Those students may substitute their track fundamentals credits for an equivalent number of credits

relevant to their academic pursuits. Regardless of track, a student’s program of study must include at least 6 credit

hours of track fundamentals or approved substitutions.

Graduate students without a background in engineering or the technical sciences — e.g., those with undergraduate

degrees in biology or chemistry — may be required to complete independent self-study or prerequisite coursework

before enrolling in their engineering track fundamentals courses. Additionally, students in this category are expected

to take an additional 3 credits from the track, for a total of at least 9 credit hours of engineering track fundamentals.

Note that this additional requirement does not apply to all track specializations because some tracks require 9 or more

credits of engineering track fundamentals for all of their graduate students.

II.B.4. CORE CURRICULUM SUBSTITUTIONS

Some students may have preexisting knowledge or expertise equivalent to what the BME Department requires in the

core curriculum, typically from previous degrees or academic experiences. Such students may consider alternative

courses, still relevant to the fundamental areas of study, that would better meet their needs and interests. Any core

curriculum substitutions must be requested in the form of a petition to be approved by the supervisory committee

before evaluation by the Director of Graduate Studies. Substitution petitions should indicate the following:

- The student’s experience/background in the core area, including a list of specific courses and when taken.

- The reason(s) the proposed course(s) meets the aim/scope of a fundamental requirement in that area.

- The student’s research focus and why the proposed course(s) would be in their best interest.

Petitions will be attached to and submitted with the M.S. Program of Study (or Ph.D. Preliminary Program of Study) for

their supervisory committee’s approval. Once signed by all committee members, the combined paperwork should be

submitted to the Graduate Academic Advisor, who will ensure its consideration by the Director of Graduate Studies.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 25

II.B.5. BME DEPARTMENT SEMINAR

During the academic semesters, the department hosts topical seminar speakers every 1-2 weeks. These speakers are

leaders in their fields from both the University of Utah as well as outside institutions. All graduate students are

expected to attend whether or not they are registered for the BME 6090 course. This seminar is an integral part of our

biomedical engineering community; many good ideas come from listening to seminars on topics outside the student’s

dissertation research area. Although attendance is not taken at these seminars, it is clear to the faculty, committee

members, and the BME department administration who attends the seminars and how often. All biomedical

engineering graduate students are expected to attend these seminars without exception.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 26

II.C. GRADUATE TRACK SPECIALIZATION

The graduate program provides an educational framework that encourages students to excel in a chosen track

specialization by building relevant technical competence. The graduate track specializations form the basis of Ph.D.

writing qualifying exams and M.S. programs of study. Each graduate track specializations is led by a track director who

must be a primary faculty member of the BME department. The track director guides the track’s curricular content,

establishes and oversees track courses, develops track requirements, recruits prospective graduate students, and

advises students in preparing for their M.S. comprehensive exam or their Ph.D. written qualifying exam. Because those

exams are structured around the track specializations, courses completed within the track serve as partial preparation.

II.C.1. BIOINNOVATE

Dr. Robert Hitchcock, Track Director

▪ Medical Device Design and Development

▪ Business Plan Development

The bioInnovate track aims to provide a comprehensive biomedical device design training program using a

multidisciplinary, hands-on teaching approach in classroom, clinical, and laboratory settings. The track focuses students

on clinical problem identification, medical device innovation, and commercial translation; all within the regulatory

framework of the FDA. Students immerse themselves within clinical environments and learn to evaluate observed

procedures and medical devices to uncover unmet clinical needs. By refining these needs into feasible medical device

products with commercial potential, student teams further develop these ideas into testable prototypes and potential

businesses. Upon completion of the bioInnovate track, students will be able to 1) observe and identify unmet needs in

clinical environments, 2) work effectively in multidisciplinary teams in asynchronous environments, 3) understand and

apply FDA QSR in the design and development of medical devices, and 4) develop a business plan, attract potential

funding sources, and start a company in the medical device industry.

Students in the bioInnovate track are expected to have general knowledge in the field. General knowledge includes

Biomedical Engineering fundamentals, clinical needs identification, concept generation, FDA QSR, medical device

design and development, prototyping and testing, business concepts, and business plan development. A student’s

program of study should include a hierarchy of courses selected to develop expertise in a focus area within bioInnovate.

A typical plan of study should consist of approximately five specialized courses and the bioInnovate track fundamentals

to reach the course credit requirement. The specific set of courses should be selected individually to maximize expertise

in an area closely related to the student’s project, thesis, or dissertation.

bioInnovate Students

M.S. students within this specialization must successfully complete the course requirements outlined below, as well as

those required for the M.S. degree program.

Ph.D. students in the bioInnovate track specialization must pass the bioInnovate written qualifying exam. The purpose

of the Ph.D. written qualifying exam in this track is to encourage students to revisit the fundamental principles in

Biomedical Engineering, regulatory compliance, medical device innovation, and business development. Students

should take the exam in their second year of study. Although the specific content of the exam changes each year,

approximately 25% of the exam covers material from the M.S. level Biomedical Engineering core curriculum, and 75%

of the exam covers topics specific to the field of medical device development and clinical needs finding. Although

particular courses are not required, the following set of courses serve as a basis for the qualifying exam.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 27

bioInnovate Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

Students in this track must follow the standard guidelines relevant to their Life-Science Fundamental courses.

bioInnovate Track Fundamentals

Mandated: 2 of 2 required

BME 6081

Biomedical Device Innovation I

3 Credits

BME 6082

Biomedical Device Innovation II

4 Credits

Selected: 2 of 4 required

BME 6250

Biomechanics II

3 Credits

BME 6302

Biomaterials II

3 Credits

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

Recommended: competitive admission optional courses

BME 6181

Clinical Problem Solving Through Strategic Analysis I

3 Credits

BME 6182

Clinical Problem Solving Through Strategic Analysis II

3 Credits

bioInnovate Advanced Electives

David Eccles School of Business

ACCTG 5620

Business Valuation and Analysis

3 Credits

ENTP 5770

Business Discovery and Creation

3 Credits

ENTP 5774

Funding the Social Enterprise

3 Credits

ENTP 6810

Venture Foundations

1.5 – 3 Credits

ENTP 6820

Venture Trends

1.5 – 3 Credits

ENTP 6830

Applied Venture Skills

1.5 – 3 Credits

ENTP 6840

Venture Planning

1.5 – 3 Credits

ENTP 6860

Lassonde Venture

1.5 – 3 Credits

FINAN 5300

New Venture Finance

3 Credits

FINAN 5881

Managing the Venture Process

1.5 – 3 Credits

FINAN 6300

Venture Capital

1.5 Credits

FINAN 6881

Venture Planning

1.5 – 3 Credits

MBA 6860

Technology Commercialization

3 Credits

MHA 6550

Marketing for Health Professionals

3 Credits

MHA 6553

Health Care Financial Management

1.5 – 3 Credits

MKTG 6551

The Environment of Healthcare I: Management and Administration

1.5 Credits

MKTG 6552

The Environment of Healthcare II: Management and Administration

MKTG 6715

Entrepreneurial Marketing

1.5 Credits

MKTG 6860

Marketing Research

1.5 – 3 Credits

MST 6020

Effective Leadership and Management for Scientists

1 Credit

MST 6021

Strategic Planning and Marketing for Scientists

1 Credit

MST 6022

Production and Operations Management for Scientists

1 Credit

MST 6600

Applied Statistical Techniques

3 Credits

STRAT 5750

Profiles of Leadership

1 – 3 Credits

STRAT 6710

Strategy and Technology

1.5 – 3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 28

S.J. Quinney College of Law

LAW 7051

Business Planning

3 Credits

LAW 7056

Corporate Finance: Mergers and Acquisitions

3 Credits

LAW 7065

Intellectual Property

3 – 4 Credits

LAW 7360

Health Law

3 Credits

LAW 7630

New Ventures Clinic

1 – 5 Credits

LAW 7760

Patent Law

3 Credits

LAW 7773

Intellectual Property Licensing

3 Credits

LAW 7788

New Ventures

2 Credits

LAW 7847

Bioethics and the Law

3 Credits

LAW 7889

Colloquium in Contemporary Issues in Law and the Health Sciences

1 Credit

College of Engineering

BME 6421

Fundamentals of Micromachining

3 Credits

BME 6701

Microfluidic Chip Design and Fabrication

3 Credits

ME EN 6010

Principles of Manufacturing Processes

3 Credits

ME EN 6030

Reliability Engineering

3 Credits

ME EN 6040

Quality Assurance Engineering

3 Credits

ME EN 6050

Fundamentals of Micromachining Processes

3 Credits

ME EN 6100

Ergonomics

3 Credits

ME EN 6120

Human Factors in Engineering Design

3 Credits

ME EN 6250

Object-Oriented Programming for Interactive Systems

3 Credits

ME EN 6620

Fundamentals of Microscale Engineering

3 Credits

II.C.2. BIOMATERIALS AND THERAPEUTICS

Dr. Tara Deans, Track Director

▪ Biomedical Polymers

▪ Biomolecular Engineering

▪ Synthetic Biology

▪ Tissue Engineering

▪ Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine

The Biomaterials and Therapeutics track covers an interdisciplinary field focused on the physical and biological study

of biomaterials and drug delivery systems and their applications to modern biomedical problems. It encompasses

synthetic materials, macromolecules, bioconjugates, modern drug delivery systems, genetically programmed materials

and networks, composites and hybrid materials, cell-material combinations, and self-assembling systems, as well as

their interactions with biological environments and physiological systems. Students in the Biomaterials and

Therapeutics track should understand the relationships between the structure and designs of biomaterials, synthetic

biology, and drug delivery systems and their interactions with complex biological systems.

Biomaterials and Therapeutics Students

Students within this specialization must successfully complete the course requirements outlined below, as well as those

required for their degree program.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 29

Biomaterials and Therapeutics Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

Students in this track must follow the standard guidelines relevant to their Life-Science Fundamental courses.

Biomaterials Track Fundamentals

Mandated: 1 of 1 required

BME 6302

Biomaterials II

3 Credits

Selected: 1 of 3 required

BME 6250

Biomechanics II

3 Credits

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

Biomaterials and Therapeutics Electives

Biomedical Engineering

BME 6140

Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering

2 Credits

BME 6405

Nanomedicine

3 Credits

BME 7160

Physics Nature of Surfaces

3 Credits

Pharmaceutics

PHCEU 7011

Fundamentals of Pharmacokinetics

3 Credits

PHCEU 7030

Macromolecular Therapeutics and Drug Delivery

4 Credits

PHCEU 7040

Biotechnology

4 Credits

II.C.3. BIOMECHANICS

Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, Track Director

▪ Molecular, Cell, Tissue, Organ and System Level Biomechanics

▪ Biosolids, Biofluids, and Biofluid-solid Interactions

▪ Biophysics

▪ Computational Biomechanics

▪ Mechanobiology

Biomechanics is a broad field directed at applying the principles of engineering mechanics, across multiple length

scales, to the study of biology and medicine. Topics in biomechanics range from understanding the role of stress in

cytoskeleton dynamics as related to cell growth, migration, and adhesion to establishing patient-specific modeling

techniques that predict in vivo biomechanical loading environments. The University of Utah has faculty conducting

biomechanics research in the following areas: molecular biomechanics, cellular biophysics, cell mechanotransduction,

computational biomechanics, hemodynamics, mechanobiology, medical device design, soft tissue mechanics (arteries,

cartilage, ligaments), ocular biomechanics, orthopedic biomechanics, cardiovascular biomechanics, tissue engineering,

and traumatic brain injury. Given the broad range of biomechanics research at the University of Utah, with faculty

spanning numerous departments, there exist ample collaborative opportunities and interdisciplinary projects with

faculty in the College of Engineering, College of Science, Huntsman Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, and the

Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute. The Biomechanics track aims to provide students with a strong,

quantitative foundation in engineering mechanics, physiology, and medicine that will serve them equally well for

careers in both academia or industry.

Biomechanics Students

M.S. students within this specialization must complete the Biomechanics Track Fundamental Courses and at least one

additional course from the list of Biomechanics Track Elective Courses (shown below). Please note that some of the

courses are offered every other year and plan accordingly.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 30

Ph.D. students within this specialization must successfully complete the Biomechanics Track Fundamental Courses and

the Biomechanics Track Elective Courses that support the student’s area of research. The written qualifying exam

ensures students are competent in the theoretical and conceptual fundamentals of biomechanics before undertaking

intensive research in their selected field of study. Students are expected to be proficient in the following topics: index

and direct notation, finite deformation kinematics, concepts of stress and strain, linear elasticity, material behavior of

biological materials, hyperelasticity, mixture theory, and fluid mechanics. These topics are covered in Biomechanics I

and II courses, so much of the written qualifying exam material will come from these courses. Additional information

on the written qualifying exam can be obtained by contacting the track director. Students should take the written

qualifying exam following completion of the second year of study.

Biomechanics Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

In addition to the standard guidelines for their Life-Science Fundamentals, students are advised to take the following

course to satisfy the life-science fundamentals requirement's cell & molecular biology credits.

BME 6303

Cell and Tissue Engineering: Stem Cells in Tissue Engineering

3 Credits

Biomechanics Track Fundamentals

Completing these core courses and proficiency in their content is required to pass the written qualifying exam and the

research proposal, which satisfies the University’s oral qualifying exam requirement.

Mandated: 3 of 3 required

BME 5250

Biomechanics II*

3 Credits

BME 6480

Biomechanics Research (3x)

1.5 Credits

BME 7210

Computational Biomechanics

3 Credits

*Students unfamiliar with Biomechanics I must audit BME 4250 (Biomechanics I) prior to enrolling in BME 5250.

Selected: 1 of 3 required

BME 6302

Biomaterials II

3 Credits

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

Biomechanics Advanced Electives

Optimal course selection will depend on a student’s project, thesis, dissertation, or area of interest. Where appropriate,

students should choose courses that provide both the scientific background and the technical skills required to carry

out their research. A typical set of elective courses would include approximately six specialized courses in addition to

the Track Fundamentals. Some example courses that have been included in the programs of study are provided below,

organized by the parent department. The specific set of courses, over and above the track fundamentals, should be

selected on an individual basis to maximize expertise in the area most closely related to the student's interest.

Biomedical Engineering

BME 6002

Molecular Biophysics

3 Credits

BME 6304

Introduction to Polymers and Biopolymers

3 Credits

BME 6305

Cell and Tissue Engineering

3 Credits

BME 6500

Mathematics of Imaging

3 Credits

BME 6702

Introduction to Image-based Modeling

2 Credits

Computer Science

CS 6210

Advanced Scientific Computing I

3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 31

Mathematics

MATH 5610

Introduction to Numerical Analysis I

4 Credits

MATH 5620

Introduction to Numerical Analysis II

4 Credits

MATH 6420

Partial Differential Equations

3 Credits

MATH 6610

Analysis of Numerical Methods I

3 Credits

MATH 6620

Analysis of Numerical Methods II

3 Credits

MATH 6830

Mathematical Biology I

3 Credits

Mechanical Engineering

ME EN 6510

Introduction to Finite Elements

3 Credits

ME EN 6520

Introduction to Continuum Mechanics

3 Credits

ME EN 6700

Intermediate Fluid Dynamics

3 Credits

ME EN 6720

Computational Fluid Dynamics

3 Credits

ME EN 7540

Advanced Finite Elements

3 Credits

ME EN 7525

Inelasticity

3 Credits

II.C.4. CARDIOVASCULAR ENGINEERING

Dr. Frank Sachse, Track Director

▪ Membrane Ion Transport and Ionic Channels

▪ Cell Action Potentials and Ion Currents, Ion Regulation, and Contraction

▪ Cell to Cell Coupling and Spread of Excitation

▪ Electrocardiography and Volume Conductors

▪ Experimental and Simulation Techniques

Cardiovascular Engineering is a discipline that covers a wide range of topics related to the function of the cardiovascular

system, mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases, and their treatment. Cardiovascular engineering includes basic science

and translational to clinical use and spans the spectrum from the molecular scale to the complete body. Research in

cardiovascular engineering addresses some of the most basic questions of how cells, organs, and the body function.

The research also seeks to develop diagnostic approaches, interventions, and biomedical devices that profoundly

impact the treatment of patients with cardiac diseases. Despite dramatic improvements in clinical diagnosis and care,

cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in developed countries. Research in cardiovascular

engineering makes use of the most advanced technologies in areas such as molecular and cellular biology,

bioinstrumentation, imaging across many modalities, signal and image processing, machine learning, mathematical

simulation and modeling, and all aspects of computer technology.

As a result of this diversity of biomedical and technical research, students with graduate training in cardiovascular

engineering receive a broad education in physiology, cardiac diseases, and biomedical technology. The graduates will

be exceptionally well equipped for careers in academia and industry. The program makes use of background courses

from several departments as well as specialized training in the discipline through both courses and extensive laboratory

experiences. Because of the outstanding research emphasis on cardiovascular engineering at Utah, there also exist rich

opportunities for interaction with a wide range of experts in the field and involvement in interdisciplinary projects

within teams of related researchers and students.

Cardiovascular Engineering Students

M.S. students within this specialization must successfully complete the course requirements outlined below, as well as

the total course credit hour requirement of the M.S. degree program.

Ph.D. students in this track specialization are expected to have general knowledge in physiology and biophysics of cells,

tissues and whole hearts, and one field of special application. For example, a student who applies computational

methods to problems in cardiac electrophysiology should have knowledge in computation and electrophysiology. The

material for the qualifying exam will be based on topics covered in three required courses: BME 6000, BME 6003, and

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 32

BME 6460. There will be a strong emphasis on the integration of physiology across scales, explaining, for example,

features of the body-surface ECG from cellular and tissue level behavior of the heart.

Cardiovascular Engineering Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

In addition to the standard guidelines for their Life-Science Fundamentals, students in this track must take the following

course to satisfy the physiology credits of the life-science fundamental requirement.

BME 6000

Systems Physiology I: Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems

4 Credits

Cardiovascular Track Fundamentals

Mandated: 3 of 3 required

BME 6003

Cellular Electrophysiology and Biophysics

3 Credits

BME 6460

Electrophysiology and Bioelectricity of Tissues

3 Credits

BME 6464

Cardiac Electrophysiology and Biophysics Seminar (2x)

1 Credit

Selected: 1 required, more recommended

BME 5480

Ultrasound

3 Credits

BME 6002

Molecular Biophysics

3 Credits

BME 6330

Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

3 Credits

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

BME 6500

Mathematical Foundations of Imaging

3 Credits

BME 6640

Introduction to Image Processing

3 Credits

BME 6702

Introduction to Image-Based Modeling

3 Credits

CS 6210

Advanced Scientific Computing I

3 Credits

CS 6220

Advanced Scientific Computing II

3 Credits

Cardiovascular Engineering Advanced Electives

Biomedical Engineering

BME 6433

Advanced Biomedical Signal Processing

3 Credits

BME 7320

3-D Reconstruction Techniques in Medical Imaging

3 Credits

Biology

BIOL 5110

Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering

3 Credits

BIOL 5210

Cell Structure and Function

3 Credits

BIOL 5910

Mathematical Models in Biology

3 Credits

BIOL 6290

Fundamentals of Biological Microscopy

3 Credits

BIOL 6500

Advanced Statistical Modeling for Biologists

3 Credits

Computer Science

CS 5010

Software Practice I

3 Credits

CS 5020

Software Practice II

3 Credits

CS 5530

Database Systems

3 Credits

CS 5610

Interactive Computer Graphics

3 Credits

CS 6100

Theory of Computation

3 Credits

CS 6140

Data Mining

3 Credits

CS 6300

Artificial Intelligence

3 Credits

CS 6320

Computer Vision

3 Credits

CS 6350

Machine Learning

3 Credits

CS 6630

Visualization for Data Science

3 Credits

CS 6635

Visualization for Scientific Data

3 Credits

CS 6640

Introduction to Digital Image Processing

3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 33

Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECE 5510

Random Processes

3 Credits

ECE 5530

Digital Signal Processing

3 Credits

ECE 5531

Survey of Optimization Techniques

3 Credits

ECE 6340

Numerical Techniques in Electromagnetics

3 Credits

ECE 6530

Digital Signal Processing

3 Credits

ECE 6532

Digital Image Processing

3 Credits

ECE 6540

Estimation Theory

3 Credits

Mathematics

MATH 5040

Stochastic Processes and Simulation I

3 Credits

MATH 5050

Stochastic Processes and Simulation II

3 Credits

MATH 5110

Mathematical Biology I

3 Credits

MATH 5120

Mathematical Biology II

3 Credits

MATH 5410

Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations

4 Credits

MATH 5440

Introduction to Partial Differential Equations

3 Credits

MATH 5470

Applied Dynamical Systems

3 Credits

MATH 5600

Survey of Numerical Analysis

4 Credits

MATH 5610

Introduction to Numerical Analysis I

4 Credits

MATH 5740

Mathematical Modeling

3 Credits

MATH 6740

Bifurcation Theory

3 Credits

MATH 6770

Mathematical Biology I

3 Credits

MATH 6780

Mathematical Biology II

3 Credits

Neuroscience

NEUSC 6040

Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

4 Credits

Physics

PHYS 6720

Introduction to Computing in Physics

4 Credits

PHYS 6730

Computational Physics II

4 Credits

II.C.5. COMPUTATIONAL BIOMEDICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Dr. Orly Alter, Track Director

▪ Cellular Systems Biomedical Engineering

▪ Cellular Synthetic Biomedical Engineering

▪ Computational Data Science, and Mathematical and Statistical Modeling

▪ High-Throughput Molecular Biotechnologies

Computational biomedical systems engineering, which includes computational synthetic biomedical engineering, is

an emergent field that combines experimental, computational, and theoretical methods to solve challenging

biomedical problems. Computational biomedical systems engineering is based on a holistic approach of integrating

large amounts of molecular information to elucidate the relationships between genotype and phenotype. This multi-

scale understanding of biological systems will help answer important questions about physiological systems, human

disease, and therapeutic strategies. Computational synthetic biomedical engineering is the design and construction of

biological systems from molecular biological components for useful purposes. Such systems have applications in a

wide range of complex biomedical problems.

Among the greatest challenges in these fields are how to obtain, manipulate, and interpret massive datasets. Research

in this area also requires a multi-scale understanding of the system of interest, from molecules to cells, to organisms

to ecosystems. Computational systems and synthetic biomedical engineering draw from a wide range of specialties —

including mathematical modeling, scientific computing, signal processing, molecular biology, and high-throughput

technologies — to provide a unique approach to solving biomedical problems.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 34

Computational Biomedical Systems Engineering Students

This track draws from the rich set of resources available at the University of Utah to provide students with valuable

interdisciplinary academic and research experiences. Students receive training in desirable skills, including large-scale

data analysis and genomic technologies, making them well-suited for careers in academia, industry, and government.

Because computational systems and synthetic Biomedical Engineering are inherently interdisciplinary, the program

supplements a strong Biomedical Engineering core with courses from a variety of departments. Below are summaries

of the proposed course and research requirements for the track.

Computational Biomedical Systems Engineering Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

Students in this track must follow the standard guidelines relevant to their Life-Science Fundamental courses.

Computational Track Fundamentals

Selected: 2 of 4 required

BME 6002

Molecular Biophysics

3 Credits

BME 6003

Cellular Biophysics and Electrophysiology

3 Credits

BME 6250

Biomechanics II

3 Credits

BME 6302

Biomaterials II

3 Credits

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

Computational Engineering Advanced Electives

Biological Chemistry

BLCHM 6400

Genetic Engineering

2 Credits

Biology

BIOL 5110

Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering

3 Credits

BIOL 5120

Gene Expression

3 Credits

BIOL 5140

Genome Biology

3 Credits

BIOL 5920

Advanced Eukaryotic Genetics

3 Credits

BIOL 6500

Advanced Statistical Modeling for Biologists

3 Credits

Biomedical Informatics

BMI 6030

Foundations of Bioinformatics

2 Credits

BMI 6420

Advanced Biomedical Computing

2 Credits

BMI 6530

Bioinformatics Data Integration and Analysis

3 Credits

Computer Science

CS 6140

Data Mining

3 Credits

CS 6150

Advanced Algorithms

3 Credits

CS 6220

Advanced Scientific Computing II

3 Credits

CS 6350

Machine Learning

3 Credits

CS 6530

Database Systems

3 Credits

CS 7120

Information-Based Complexity

3 Credits

Electrical and Computer Engineering

ECE 6520

Information Theory

3 Credits

ECE 6530

Digital Signal Processing

3 Credits

ECE 6540

Estimation Theory

3 Credits

ECE 6550

Adaptive Filters

3 Credits

ECE 6570

Adaptive Control

3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 35

Family and Preventive Medicine

PBHLT 6107

Survival Analysis

3 Credits

PBHLT 7120

Linear and Logistic Regression Models

3 Credits

Human Genetics

H GEN 6500

Human Genetics

3 Credits

H GEN 6503

Clinical Cancer Genetics

3 Credits

Mathematics

MATH 6770

Mathematical Biology I/II

3 Credits

MATH 6810

Stochastic Processes and Simulation I/II

3 Credits

MATH 6845

Ordinary Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems

3 Credits

MATH 6855

Survey of Numerical Methods

4 Credits

MATH 6860

Introduction to Numerical Analysis I/II

4 Credits

Medicine Clinical Research Center

MDCRC 6150

Foundations in Personalized Healthcare

2 Credits

MDCRC 6420

Genetics of Complex Diseases

1.5 Credits

Molecular Biology

MBIOL 6420

G3: Genetics, Genomes, and Gene Expression

3 Credits

II.C.6. IMAGING

Dr. Edward Hsu, Track Director

▪ Medical Imaging

▪ Optical Systems, Imaging Methods, and Hardware

Visualization of anatomical and physiological processes of the body plays an indispensable role in today’s clinical

healthcare as well as basic science research. The Imaging Track focuses on the interdisciplinary field of imaging, which

encompasses hardware instrumentation, acquisition methodology, contrast agent development, post-processing

analysis, and applying any combination of the above in biomedical research.

Imaging Students

The Imaging track curriculum is designed to cover both the breadth and depth in training and preparing students for

research in the development or application of biomedical imaging technologies. Students within this specialization

must successfully complete the course requirements outlined below, as well as those required for their degree.

Imaging Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

Students in this track must follow the standard guidelines relevant to their Life-Science Fundamental courses.

Imaging Track Fundamentals

Mandated: 1 of 1 required

BME 6401

Medical Imaging Systems

3 Credits

Selected: 1 of 3 required

BME 6250

Biomechanics II

3 Credits

BME 6302

Biomaterials II

3 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 36

Imaging Advanced Electives

Biomedical Engineering

BME 5480

Principles of Ultrasound

3 Credits

BME 6330

Principles of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

3 Credits

BME 6500

Mathematical Foundations of Imaging

3 Credits

BME 6640

Introduction to Digital Image Processing

3 Credits

BME 7310

Advanced Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

3 Credits

BME 7320

3D Reconstruction Techniques in Medical Imaging

3 Credits

Pharmaceutics

PHCEU 7110

Molecular Imaging

2 Credits

II.C.7. NEUROENGINEERING

Dr. Rick Rabbitt, Track Director

▪ Electrophysiology

▪ Neural Imaging Analysis

▪ Neuromodulation

▪ Neuronal Modeling

▪ Neuroprostheses

The Neuroengineering Track trains students in the fields of basic and applied neuroscience and neuroengineering. This

track aims to treat neural dysfunction with engineering approaches and repurpose strategies utilized by biological

nervous systems to solve traditional engineering problems. Research specializations of BME faculty in this track include

electrical neural interfaces and neuroprostheses; cell and chemical delivery systems for neural tissue; engineering of

neural self-repair; neural plasticity; neural coding in sensory and motor systems; neural imaging; and non-traditional

modes of stimulating neural tissue (e.g., focused ultrasound and magnetic stimulation)

Neuroengineering Students

Students in this track specialization are expected to have general knowledge in both basic and applied neuroscience.

M.S. students within this track complete the same fundamental courses as the Ph.D. students (see below). However,

whereas Ph.D. students must take NEUSC 6040 Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience, M.S. students are given more

flexibility to satisfy the Cell & Molecular Biology credits of their Life-Sciences Fundamentals requirement with any

supervisory-committee approved cell/molecular biology course. Understanding of cellular/molecular neuroscience is

nonetheless required for any M.S. comprehensive exams: written, oral, project presentations, and thesis defenses.

Ph.D. students within this track must complete the courses listed below, intended to provide knowledge in the major

areas of the field. A student’s supervisory committee may grant exemptions to the following course requirements on

a case-by-case basis, pending sufficient justification. However, these courses provide considerable assistance in

preparing for the Neuroengineering written qualifying exam, which combines topics across courses; e.g., questions

regarding cellular or systems neuroscience may be asked from a quantitative perspective. The written qualifying exam

will draw from material covered in both required life-science fundamentals courses and all three required track

fundamentals courses (excluding NERG). The exam aims to encourage students to approach their graduate education

as an experience that transcends the boundaries of single courses; revisit the fundamental principles in basic and

applied neuroscience; and consolidate, synthesize, and integrate this material. Students are encouraged to keep their

course textbooks and use them to help prepare for the qualifying exam.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 37

Neuroengineering Courses

Life-Science Fundamentals

As options in the standard guidelines for their Life-Science Fundamentals, students in this track must take the following

courses to satisfy the physiology and cell/molecular biology credits of the life-science fundamental requirement.

BME 6000

Systems Physiology I: Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems

4 Credits

NEUSC 6040

Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience

4 Credits

Neuroengineering Track Fundamentals

Mandated: 4 of 4 required

BME 6005

Computational Neuroscience

3 Credits

BME 6430

Systems Neuroscience

4 Credits

BME 6440

Neural Engineering

3 Credits

BME 6470

Neural Engineering Research Group (NERG) (2x)*

1 Credits

*Students are expected to participate in BME 6470 (NERG) even after completing their credit requirements.

Neuroengineering Advanced Electives (Recommended)

Biomedical Engineering

BME 6003

Cellular Electrophysiology & Biophysics

3 Credits

BME 6230

Functional Anatomy for Engineers

3 Credits

BME 6433

Biological Statistical Signal Processing

3 Credits

BME 6460

Electrophysiology and Bioelectricity

3 Credits

Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECE 5960

Special Topics: Neural Data Analysis & Modeling

3 Credits

ECE 6520

Information Theory

3 Credits

ECE 6540

Estimation Theory

3 Credits

Neuroscience

NEUSC 6010

Frontiers in Neuroscience (seminar)

1 Credit

NEUSC 6060

Neuroanatomy for Biomedical Scientists

1.5 Credits

NEUSC 7750

Developmental Neurobiology

1.5 Credits

Computer Science

CS 6210

Advanced Scientific Computing I

3 Credits

CS 6355

Structured Prediction (machine learning)

3 Credits

CS 6955

Deep Learning (advanced neural networks and applications)

3 Credits

CS 7960

Neuromorphic Architectures (neural networks)

3 Credits

Mathematics

MATH 6070

Mathematical Statistics

3 Credits

MATH 6440

Advanced Dynamical Systems

3 Credits

MATH 6630

Numerical Solutions of Partial Differential Equations

3 Credits

MATH 6740

Bifurcation Theory

3 Credits

MATH 6770

Mathematical Biology I

3 Credits

MATH 6780

Mathematical Biology II

3 Credits

MATH 6790

Case Studies in Computational Engineering and Science

3 Credits

Mechanical Engineering

ME EN 7200

Nonlinear Controls

3 Credits

ME EN 7210

Optimal Controls

3 Credits

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 38

II.D. PROGRAM TIMELINES

The timelines for each degree program differ and are summarized below.

II.D.1. M.S. COMPLETION TIMELINE

Students typically graduate within two years of entering the M.S. program. However, the nature of some projects and

methods requires longer time commitments for full completion of coursework, their project or thesis.

The time limit for completing the Biomedical Engineering M.S. degree is four years. If a student in good standing has

not completed the program in 4 years, an extension may be requested with a letter of support from their faculty advisor

to the Graduate School, justifying reasons for the extension and including a timeline forecast for degree completion.

Extensions must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School.

The following timeline is based on a two-year plan for traditional full-time M.S. students. Note that students in a dual

degree program or part-time M.S. will need to adjust their timeline accordingly.

First Year

▪ Complete Core Curriculum courses

▪ Select a Graduate Track Specialization

▪ By the end of the first semester: submit an official Supervisory Committee

▪ Thesis students may begin dedicated M.S. research (BME 6970)

▪ By the end of the second semester: meet with the supervisory committee to report planned M.S. option, seek

approval for intended coursework, and overview timeline for completion.

Second Year

▪ Complete advanced track elective courses

▪ By the end of the third semester: meet with the supervisory committee to report progress, approve the

program of study, and plan for the comprehensive exam, project presentation, or thesis defense

▪ Submit a final Program of Study

▪ Apply for graduation

▪ Thesis students complete dedicated M.S. research (BME 6970) and write their M.S. Thesis

▪ Pass Final Comprehensive Exam, either a written exam, oral exam, project presentation, or thesis defense

II.D.2. PH.D. COMPLETION TIMELINE

Students typically graduate within five years of entering the BME Ph.D. program. However, the nature of some projects

and methods requires longer time commitments for the full completion of dissertation work.

The official time limit for completing the Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. degree is eight years. If a student in good

standing has not completed the Ph.D. program within eight years, a time limit extension may be requested with a letter

of support from the student’s faculty advisor to the Department Chair and Graduate School, justifying the extension

and including a timeline forecast for degree completion. Time limit extensions must be approved by the Director of

Graduate Studies and the Dean of the Graduate School.

The following timeline is based on a five-year plan for students entering the Ph.D. program with Bachelor’s degree.

Please note that students entering with their master’s degree will typically follow a more accelerated three- or four-

year plan depending on their M.S. degree institution. The following timeline is meant as an approximate guide only:

see the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program section for timeline details, milestone explanations, and deadlines.

First Year

▪ Begin coursework, focused on Core Curriculum

▪ Select an Area of Specialization/Track

▪ Identify a Research Advisor: Principal Investigator Offer Letter

▪ Begin dedicated Ph.D. research (BME 7970)

▪ Establish a Supervisory Committee and discuss planned coursework, career goals, etc.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 39

Second Year

▪ Meet with the supervisory committee to finalize course plans and discuss research progress

▪ Continue coursework, focused on advanced track electives

▪ Submit Preliminary Program of Study

▪ Master methods necessary for independent dissertation research

▪ Prepare for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

Third Year

▪ Meet with the supervisory committee to discuss research aims

▪ Complete remaining course requirements

▪ Pass Ph.D. Written Qualifying Exam

▪ Begin TA Mentorship requirement

▪ Write and present Research Proposal

Fourth Year

▪ Meet with the supervisory committee to report research progress

▪ Seminar Presentation at a National Conference

▪ Submit first research manuscript for publication

▪ Conclude TA Mentorship requirement

▪ Submit Final Program of Study for the Ph.D. degree

Fifth Year

▪ Meet with the supervisory committee to report dissertation progress

▪ Submit second research manuscript for publication

▪ Submit third research manuscript for publication

▪ Write and present Dissertation Defense

▪ Submit final dissertation for the Ph.D. degree to the Thesis Office and Graduate School

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 40

III. GRADUATE SCHOOL POLICIES

The Graduate School oversees all graduate programs at the University of Utah, standardizing policies and procedures

across campus and offering common resources and services to all graduate students. For a comprehensive detailing of

Graduate School policies and resources, see the Graduate Student Resources page. The most relevant regulations and

guidelines are included below, as applied to the graduate programs in Biomedical Engineering.

III.A. GRADUATE SCHOOL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

To maintain full-time student status, graduate students must take 9 credit hours per non-summer semester until they

finish the enrollment residency requirement (see below). For students who have completed that requirement, 3 credit

hours of Thesis or Dissertation Research registration (i.e., BME 6970 and BME 7970) qualifies them for full-time status.

However, students on the eXtended Tuition Benefit Program must take at least 9 credits in each non-summer semester.

Students must have full-time status in the semester they complete their M.S. exam or defend their dissertation.

BME 7990 Continuing Registration is available to Ph.D. students admitted to candidacy and are not using University

resources other than the library: i.e., not performing any research on campus, not occupying university space beyond

the library, not using faculty or staff time, etc. BME 7990 registration is limited to 4 semesters and does not qualify a

student for full or part-time enrollment status for loan deferments or insurance eligibility.

Students may not register for more than 16 credit hours without approval from the Dean of the Graduate School.

Students who are not U.S. citizens should refer to the University of Utah International Student Scholar Services office

for additional registration requirements.

III.A.1. ENROLLMENT RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT

Graduate students must satisfy this enrollment residency requirement to remain in good standing.

• Each Ph.D. student must complete at least one year — defined as two consecutive semesters — as a full-time

student on the University of Utah campus.

• M.S. students must complete at least 24 credits of resident study at the University of Utah campus.

These requirements do not refer to or fulfill the “Utah Residency for Tuition Purposes” requirements for graduate

students from the Graduate School. Per that policy, domestic, out-of-state students must apply for Utah State

residency upon completion of 40 graduate-level credit hours at the University of Utah. Details on qualifying and

applying for Utah residency reclassification are available on the Admissions office website. Please see the Graduate

School’s Degree Requirements for additional information on the enrollment residency requirement.

III.A.2. CONTINUOUS REGISTRATION

The Graduate School requires graduate students to be registered for at least one course from the time of formal

admission until they have completed all degree requirements unless granted an official leave of absence. Further, the

Biomedical Engineering department requires a minimum registration of 3 credit hours per semester for all graduate

students through their final exam/defense semester. Summer semesters are excluded from the registration

requirement unless students will complete their final exam or defense during the summer semester. Non-compliance

with this policy will result in discontinuation from graduate study, and the student will be required to re-apply for

admission to the program.

III.A.3. LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Requests for a leave of absence may be granted for up to one year for circumstances related to the following:

• a serious health condition of the student or family member,

• parental leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child,

• a call to military service, or

• another compelling reason that the department believes is in the best interests of the student and University.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 41

The form requesting a leave of absence for a current semester must be completed and received in the Registrar's Office

by the last day of classes of that semester. Leaves of absence are not granted retroactively. Students must officially

withdraw from courses in any semester for which a leave is granted; failure to formally withdraw will result in the

reporting of either E or EU grades for all classes.

The duration of a leave of absence does not count toward the time allowed to complete a degree. Leaves are granted

for a maximum of one year at a time and may be renewed by submitting a new form to Registrar’s Office. If a student

registers for classes to occur during an approved leave of absence, the leave of absence will be voided for that

semester. Please refer to the Graduate School website for additional information on leaves of absence.

III.A.4. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT F1-VISA POLICY

In response to guidance from U.S. immigration authorities, F-1 visa holders may not request part-time status for a

vacation in the Spring or Fall semester. Instead, vacation semesters will be granted automatically to all international

students during the summer semesters. However, international students may still take courses in the summer, and

eligible Ph.D. students are encouraged to register for dissertation credits (BME 7990). Additionally, international

students may still choose to take courses from another university during their summer semester, as long as they receive

permission to attend another school from ISSS.

Automatically granted summer vacation from registration requirements does not extend to employment status or

research effort expectations. Importantly, BME graduate students receiving a salary or stipend from a research

assistantship position — or fellowship, if applicable — are expected to perform research in their lab over the summer;

any vacation time must be approved by the principal investigator overseeing their salary or stipend. Students without

a source of income directly related to their academic research may participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or

on-campus work during their summer vacation semester. However, they may not participate in full-time CPT or on-

campus work during non-summer semesters, except during official university breaks (i.e., fall, winter, & spring break).

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 42

III.B. GRADUATE PROGRAM TRANSFER CREDITS

Students enrolled in the BME graduate program may be eligible to transfer a limited number of other course credits

into their program of study, including as a substitute for core curriculum, pending supervisory committee approval.

III.B.1. CREDITS TAKEN FROM ANOTHER INSTITUTION

Students who received credit for graduate courses from regionally accredited institutions may petition for those

courses to be transferred to the University of Utah to fulfill some BME degree requirements. Restrictions:

▪ Courses must have been taken at the graduate level, equivalent to the University 5000-level or above.

▪ Student must have earned a letter grade of B or higher in the transfer courses:

o “Credit” and “Pass” grades are not acceptable.

▪ No more than 6 graduate credit hours and two graduate courses may be transferred, i.e.,

o up to 6 credits spread over no more than two courses,

o up to two courses totaling no more than 6 credits.

▪ Transfer credits may be applied to one degree only and cannot have been used to earn a previous degree.

▪ Course subject matter must be relevant to the BME degree and approved by the supervisory committee.

▪ Requested transfer credits must have been taken recently:

o within 4 years of M.S. student’s semester of enrollment, or

o within 7 years of Ph.D. student’s semester of enrollment.

III.B.2. CREDITS TAKEN WHILE NOT MATRICULATED

Students who completed graduate courses at the University of Utah while not matriculated at the University of Utah

may request those courses to be applied to fulfill their BME graduate degree requirements. Restrictions:

▪ Courses must have been taken at the graduate level, i.e., 5000-level or above.

▪ Student must have earned a letter grade of B or higher in the transfer courses:

o “Credit” and “Pass” grades are not acceptable.

▪ No more than 9 graduate hours of non-matriculated course credit may be applied.

▪ Non-matriculated credits may be applied to one degree only and cannot have been used for a previous degree.

▪ Course subject matter must be relevant to the BME degree and approved by the supervisory committee.

▪ Requested non-matriculated credits must have been taken within 3 years of the student’s first semester of

enrollment into any graduate program at the University of Utah.

III.B.3. CREDITS TAKEN AS AN UNDERGRADUATE

Students who completed graduate courses at the University of Utah during their undergraduate program may petition

for those courses to be applied to fulfill their BME degree requirements. Restrictions:

▪ Courses must have been taken at the graduate level, i.e., 5000-level or above.

▪ Student must have earned a letter grade of B or higher in the courses:

o “Credit” and “Pass” grades are not acceptable.

▪ No more than 6 graduate credit hours and two graduate courses may be transferred, i.e.,

o up to 6 credits spread over no more than two courses,

o up to two courses totaling no more than 6 credits.

▪ Credits used to earn an undergraduate degree cannot be applied toward a graduate degree.

▪ Course subject matter must be relevant to the BME degree and approved by the supervisory committee.

▪ Requested credits must have been taken within 3 years of the student’s first semester of enrollment into any

graduate program at the University of Utah.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 43

III.B.4. CREDITS TAKEN IN THE BS/MS PROGRAM

Students in the BS/MS Dual Degree program who completed graduate-level courses from the University of Utah while

still officially enrolled as an undergraduate should petition for those courses to fulfill their M.S. degree requirements.

This petition may be filed after the student has achieved graduate status. Restrictions:

▪ Courses must have been taken at the graduate level, i.e., 5000-level or above.

▪ Student must have earned a letter grade of B or higher in the courses:

o “Credit” and “Pass” grades are not acceptable.

▪ No more than 12 graduate hours of course credit taken as an undergraduate may be applied.

▪ Credits used to earn an undergraduate degree cannot be applied toward a graduate degree.

o Credits must be “Reserved” for the M.S. degree during the first semester as graduate status

▪ Course subject matter must be relevant to the BME degree and approved by the supervisory committee.

▪ When discontinuing the BS/MS program, reserved graduate credits may not be applied toward an otherwise

completed undergraduate degree. Students in this situation should speak with an undergraduate advisor.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 44

III.C. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, STANDARDS, AND STANDING

Students must meet the academic and professional standards set by the Graduate School and the Department.

III.C.1. ACADEMIC STANDARDS AND GOOD STANDING

The Graduate School standards can be found on the University of Utah Graduate School website, including that good

academic standing requires maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher in coursework counted towards degree requirements.

Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 will have one semester to correct their deficiency. In addition, Biomedical

Engineering students must pass each of the core Biomedical Engineering courses and electives with a B- or better

grade. Students who receive a grade below B- in any BME core course will be allowed one attempt for remediation.

Below is a list of common conditions that cause a student to be academically deficient within the BME graduate

program. If a student satisfies any of the conditions below, then the student is academically deficient. However, a pre-

existing, formalized arrangement signed by the Director of Graduate Studies may permit an approved deviation from

the corresponding academic requirement(s). Problem areas for dismissal concerns include the following:

•

Failure to maintain a 3.0 GPA as required by the Graduate School.

•

Failure to identify a faculty advisor by the end of the first semester of graduate study.

•

Failure to establish a supervisory committee by the end of the first year of graduate study.

•

Failure to convene a supervisory committee meeting in the past 12 months.

•

Failure to meet satisfactory progress or individualized requirements as determined and stipulated in writing by the

faculty advisor, supervisory committee, Director of Graduate Studies, or Department Chair.

•

M.S. only: failure to graduate within the 4-year time limit from matriculation into the M.S. program.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to take the written comprehensive exam by the end of their second year of graduate study.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to pass the written comprehensive exam by the end of their third year of graduate study.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to present the Ph.D. research proposal by the end of their third year of graduate study.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to pass the Ph.D. research proposal by the end of their fourth year of graduate study.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to complete the TA mentorship requirement by the end of their fourth year of graduate study.

•

Ph.D. only: Failure to graduate by the date specified in the student’s most recent letter of support, or within the

maximum 8-year time limit from matriculation into the Ph.D. program.

Students who are remiss in satisfying any of these categories will not be in good academic standing. When a student

loses good academic standing, the Graduate Academic Advisor will send a letter detailing the student’s academic

probation to the student, faculty advisor, Director of Graduate Studies, and Department Chair. Students on academic

probation must correct their deficiency at the first opportunity, e.g., in the subsequent semester for a low GPA or the

next time a course is offered for a low grade.

If these students fail to correct their academic performance at the first opportunity, they will lose any benefits and

financial support and may be dismissed from the program. In this case, the Director of Graduate Studies will send a

letter detailing the dismissal to the student, faculty advisor, and Department Chair. Removal from the BME graduate

program shall terminate any graduate student support and funding. Students may promptly appeal to the Director of

Graduate Studies and Department Chair if they wish to continue in the program.

III.C.2. ACADEMIC, BEHAVIORAL, AND PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT POLICIES

All BME students — as well as any students taking a course in, or cross-listed with, BME — must read and understand

the BME department Academic Misconduct Policy. In addition, most BME courses require students to sign an

associated acknowledgment form at the start of each semester.

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, cheating, misrepresenting one’s work, inappropriately

collaborating, plagiarizing, fabricating or falsifying information, and facilitating academic misconduct by intentionally

helping or attempting to help another commit academic misconduct. The University’s complete “Student Code” policy,

Policy 6-400: Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities from the Regulations Library, includes the following sections.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 45

•

Section I: General Provisions and Definitions – ACADEMIC SANCTION

•

Section II: Student Bill of Rights

•

Section III: Student Behavior – STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

•

Section IV: Student Academic Performance

•

Section V: Student Academic Conduct

•

Section VI: Student Professional and Ethical Conduct

•

Section VII: Student Records

“Students at the University of Utah are members of an academic community committed to basic and broadly shared

ethical principles and concepts of civility. Integrity, autonomy, justice, respect, and responsibility represent the basis

for the rights and responsibilities that follow. Participation in the University of Utah community obligates each member

to follow a code of civilized behavior.”

“The purposes of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities are to set forth the specific authority and

responsibility of the University to maintain social discipline, to establish guidelines that facilitate a just and civil campus

community, and to outline the educational process for determining student and student organization responsibility for

alleged violations of University regulations. University policies have been designed to protect individuals and the

campus community and create an environment conducive to achieving the academic mission of the institution. The

University encourages informal resolution of problems, and students are urged to discuss their concerns with the

involved faculty member, department chair, dean of the college, or dean of students. Informal resolution of problems

by mutual consent of all parties is highly desired and is appropriate at any time.”

“Section VI. A. Standards of Professional Conduct – To ensure that the highest standards of professional and ethical

conduct are promoted and supported at the University, students must adhere to the prescribed professional and

ethical standards of the profession or discipline for which the student is preparing, as adopted or recognized as

authoritative by the relevant academic program.”

“Section VI. B. Professional Misconduct – A student who engages in academic misconduct may be subject to academic

sanctions including, but not limited to, a grade reduction, failing grade, probation, suspension or dismissal from the

program or the University, or revocation of the student’s degree or certificate. Sanctions may also include community

service, a written reprimand, and/or a written statement of misconduct that can be put into an appropriate record

maintained for purposes of the profession or discipline for which the student is preparing.”

III.C.3. PROGRAM SUSPENSION AND DISMISSAL POLICIES

Matriculated graduate students in the program who fail to comply with performance expectations in either their

graduate research or didactic coursework, or with codified university policies for graduate conduct can be dismissed

from the department’s academic program, the Graduate School, or both.

Student academic and research progress is evaluated annually in meetings with their supervisory committee. The

student schedules these meetings, the minutes of which must be recorded in a student progress report. Failure to meet

at least once annually is a major programmatic deficiency. Should the committee have any concerns that may warrant

academic probation, the Academic Graduate Advisor will issue a letter detailing the academic probation terms, with

input from the faculty advisor and other supervisory committee members.

Individual faculty members can coordinate with the Director of Graduate studies to initiate the dismissal process.

Acceptable reasons for student dismissal include academic or professional misconduct, and failing to meet the

program's academic requirements or the terms of a previously prescribed academic probation. An ad hoc committee

of faculty may be called to arbitrate if necessary. Final decisions are provided to the student by the Department Chair.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 46

III.D. LABORATORY PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS

To succeed in graduate school, students must meet the expectations of their supervisory committee, the BME

Department, the Graduate School, the University of Utah, and any private, state, or federal agencies that fund them.

III.D.1. LABORATORY PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS

Research creativity, consistent productivity, evident progress, independence, and motivation are the hallmarks of

successful graduate student performance. Those students who perform in their academics and research generally

proceed expediently through the graduate program. Unfortunately, unsatisfactory student performance and progress

in their graduate research program can result in their dismissal from the program and loss of stipend support.

University policy 6-309 Section D (Orderly Dismissal) provides a basis for this evaluation and dismissal process.

Section III.D.1 states:

“Performance Evaluation. Any person appointed according to the provisions of this section may be dismissed for cause.

The individual’s designated supervisor shall provide timely informal evaluations of the individual’s job performance

and make conscientious efforts to assist the individual in correcting any unsatisfactory aspects of job performance. If

unsatisfactory aspects of job performance persist, the supervisor must provide the individual with a written statement

of difficulties and a reasonable time in which to correct them.”

The faculty advisor reserves the right to dismiss students who, after notice of their sub-optimal performance and

deficiencies, fail to either perform to expected standards or exhibit an acceptable trajectory of improvement, effort,

and motivation. The faculty advisor shall notify the student of their dissatisfaction in a letter documenting their

perceived lack of progress through the degree program or poor research performance within the laboratory group.

Upon meeting with the research advisor, the student shall sign this written notice, acknowledging the meeting’s

occurrence (whether they agree with the assertions or not); this letter will be placed in their graduate file. If the student

disagrees with any assertions in the notice, they may lodge a protest with their supervisory committee and Department

Chair. They may also use the University appeal process to counter assertions in the written notice.

Following this meeting, the student will be given a 6-week probationary period to change their performance as

prescribed and produce tangible evidence of improvement and productivity. A second student-advisor meeting at this

6-week time-point shall produce a second written evaluation of the student’s performance and evidence asserting

either improvements, further concerns, or non-improvements as evidence of failure to progress. Another subsequent

6-week period will be the final evaluation period.

After 12 weeks (comprising the two 6-week evaluation periods), the faculty adviser will provide a written notice to the

student, either permitting them to continue in their specific research program or dismissing them from the faculty

advisor’s lab group. A decision to dismiss should be based on cited criteria for poor productivity, sub-optimal

motivation, or failure to progress.

Should a student be dismissed from a lab group, they may remain in the program, but without financial support, for as

long as they remain in good academic standing. However, to complete a Ph.D. dissertation, they must find another

willing faculty mentor with whom to produce dissertation-quality research that satisfies the BME program

requirements. This policy does not supersede current student rights accorded by the University’s Policy and Procedures

Manual and its references to student participation in formal Family Leave or Medical leave policies and procedures.

III.D.2. RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH

The NSF and NIH require training in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Training at the University of Utah is

available through the Vice President for Research’s Office — Research Education RCR Student Portal. Certification

requires completing four required and one additional online module, and must be renewed at least every four years.

All PhD students must complete their RCR certification during their first semester in the program, and maintain RCR

certification for their graduate program duration. MS students are not required to complete RCR training unless they

work in a research lab. All students must be RCR certified prior to serving as a Research Assistant (RA).

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IV. FINANCE & BENEFITS

To enroll at the University of Utah, students must identify a source for their tuition. This tuition source can be their

own savings or a tuition benefit provided by serving some role within the University, e.g., Research Assistant. As

described in this section, students' financial status and benefits vary widely depending on their role within the

University. Biomedical Engineering graduate students may be funded by various mechanisms that provide stipend and

tuition support, enabling efficient progression through their graduate experience. This Section IV of the handbook is

only applicable to BME graduate students financially supported in one of the following categories.

Admission to the Ph.D. program generally includes a research-based position with stipend and tuition support provided

by the faculty advisor. Note: financial support is contingent upon the student making adequate progress toward their

degree and is based on the availability of research funding from grants and contracts. A subsidy may be provided for

individual health insurance at the faculty advisor’s discretion but is not required or expected.

When available, financial support for the period in which the student is conducting research is the responsibility of the

student’s faculty advisor and is usually derived from research grants. Departmental funds are not available for this

purpose: no guarantees for student financial support come from the department, although it attempts to mediate

extenuating circumstances and unusual hardships as resources allow. Hence, a funded research position should be

considered a privilege lasting only so long as the student continues an expedited pursuit of their graduate degree.

Financial support may be rescinded by supervising faculty for documented student failure to progress both in research

and in performing to minimum academic standards. Although this can be a unilateral advisor decision, faculty-student

relationships would best enroll the advice of the supervisory committee before withdrawing stipend support.

Additionally, the University Policies and Procedures Manual provides specific recommendations and processes for

addressing “failure to progress” and other student deficiencies with documentation, warnings, and written responses.

IV.A. GRADUATE STUDENT STIPENDS

The University of Utah recognizes four categories of financially supported graduate students: Graduate Fellows (GFs),

Graduate Researchers (GRs), Teaching Assistants (TAs), and Research Assistants (RAs). Under normal circumstances,

Ph.D. students in good standing should be supported in one of these categories: the majority are supported as GRs for

their first semester and RAs thereafter. M.S. students are encouraged to find their own graduate fellowships; also,

they can be supported as TAs or RAs pending department need or faculty advisor funding, respectively.

The four eligible classifications qualifying a student to receive tuition support:

•

Graduate Fellow (GF): Students on a fellowship whose tuition is not necessarily paid by their award. If tuition is

included in a student’s fellowship award, the student may not also use the University’s tuition benefit system. The

University must administer the award, which may include a service expectation.

•

Graduate Researcher (GR): Students assigned work related to their degree and not covered by any other category.

In Biomedical Engineering, most Ph.D. students are assigned this role in their first semester only, to receive a

stipend and tuition support before they have identified a research lab and faculty advisor.

•

Teaching Assistant (TA): Students with instructional responsibilities as the instructor of record, assistant to the

instructor of record, or tutor. International students must be cleared through the International Teaching Assistant

Program before being assigned a paid TA position. Note that students who are teaching for credit (i.e., those

taking BME 7880) do not receive stipend or tuition support for doing so; however, they generally do receive

support for simultaneously serving as a GR or RA.

•

Research Assistant (RA): Students assigned directly to an externally funded research grant or contract, and

performing research therefor. Once they have identified a research lab and faculty advisor, most Ph.D. students

are supported as RAs for the rest of their graduate tenure, unless and until they attract fellowship support.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 48

IV.A.1. GRADUATE FELLOWS (GF)

Students are encouraged to continually seek out and apply for university, state, national and international fellowships

to supplement or replace their stipend support. Fellowships are distinctions earned by the recipients that promote

their faculty advisors, the BME department, and the University of Utah. Therefore, to the extent possible, all financial

support and benefits should remain the property of the student receiving this honorary award, with stipend support

supplemented at the faculty advisor’s discretion.

Intramural Fellowships

Several outstanding Biomedical Engineering students receive support each year from fellowship administered through

the College of Engineering. The Department Graduate Scholarship Committee nominates these students based on the

application information provided, and the Department Chair must support their nomination in writing. Additionally,

other fellowships are available through the University of Utah Graduate Fellowship Opportunities.

Extramural Fellowships

A current listing of extramural fellowships is available on the Graduate School External Opportunities page. Of

relevance, the department strongly encourages Ph.D. students to apply for the National Science Foundation, Graduate

Research Fellowship (NSF-GRF), and the National Institutes of Health, National Research Service Award (NIH-NRSA).

IV.A.2. GRADUATE RESEARCHERS (GR)

Ph.D. students without a supporting fellowship and who have not yet identified a research lab and faculty advisor are

categorized as GRs. The department supports first-year students in this category with stipend and tuition while they

rotate through research labs. For most Ph.D. students, this support is only offered for their first semester. During that

semester, students must identify a research lab and faculty advisor who will subsequently support them as an RA.

IV.A.3. TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIPS (TA)

The Department determines which Biomedical Engineering undergraduate and graduate courses will utilize TAs. Duties

may include lecturing, holding discussion or problem sessions, conducting laboratory sections, grading, tutoring, and

holding office hours. Ph.D. students must first fulfill the 4 required credit hours of TA Mentorship (BME 7880) before

accepting a paid Teaching Assistantship. M.S. students are eligible to serve as paid TAs, pending department need.

Teaching Assistantship requirements also include:

•

TAs must be proficient in the English language to interact with students effectively. The Graduate School requires

all non-native English-speaking graduate students to be cleared by the International Teaching Assistant Program

before any teaching is allowed. Thus, this clearance is compulsory for all international Ph.D. students in BME.

•

TAs must strictly abide by the regulations outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA. This

federal law protects the privacy of educational records of students. Information regarding FERPA is available at

www.registrar.utah.edu/faculty/ferpa-resources.php.

•

TAs are required to attend mandatory training provided by the College of Engineering (COE) near the start of each

semester. The student must ascertain the time and location of this once-per-semester offering from the COE.

•

TAs are required to meet with their assigned course instructor(s) before the beginning of the semester to initiate

organization and to identify the expectations of the TAs' roles and duties.

•

Unless otherwise instructed, TAs are expected to attend all their assigned course(s) lectures and be sufficiently

familiar with the course materials to tutor the students effectively.

•

TAs are expected to contribute in a substantive professional way to the pedagogical needs of their assigned

course(s). The instructor and the nature of the course determine these needs. For example, TAs should expect to

undertake any of the following activities: 1) deliver one or more course didactic lectures, 2) lead problem-solving

or discussion sessions, 3) prepare laboratory equipment and supplies, and 4) grade homework, reports, and exams.

•

The TA requirement is for credit. Ph.D. students are not eligible for paid TA positions until their four BME 7880

credit hours have been completed. If a student is supported by their faculty advisor as a Research Assistant, that

support will continue during their TA assignments.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 49

Unsatisfactory student TA performance will be subject to review and punitive responses. TA workshops and online

teaching resources are available through the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at the University of Utah.

IV.A.4. RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS (RA)

Individual faculty members from the BME department offer RA positions, supported by research grants and contracts,

to most Ph.D. students. The department recommends that student stipends align with NIH's pre-doctoral level of

support. Students must find a research lab for their dissertation research; M.S. students are encouraged to find a

research lab, particularly if they pursue a thesis-option M.S.

During admissions interviews and after acceptance into the graduate program, students are strongly encouraged to

arrange discussions with potential faculty advisors to sponsor RA positions. The Director of Graduate Studies and the

specialization track director can assist Ph.D. students with identifying potential faculty sponsors. Still, ultimately it is

the student’s responsibility to secure an RA position with stipend and benefits. After securing an initial RA position, the

continuation of salary or stipend and any associated tuition support is contingent upon continuous enrollment, the

rules of the Graduate School, and making satisfactory progress in the BME graduate program.

IV.B. GRADUATE STUDENT BENEFITS

Graduate students in one of the aforementioned supported categories are eligible for benefits.

IV.B.1. STUDENT TUITION SUPPORT

Students in supported categories will receive a benefit that covers 50%, 75%, or 100% of their eligible tuition,

depending on their stipend level. Under normal circumstances, Ph.D. students in good standing should receive large

enough stipends to ensure 100% tuition support. Students receiving any tuition benefit remain responsible for paying

all their differential tuition and non-mandatory fees.

Tuition Benefit Guidelines

Tuition support is administered by the BME department and the College of Engineering through the Tuition Benefit

Program (TBP) for GFs, TAs, & GRs, and through the eXtended Tuition Benefit Program (xTBP) for RAs. Funds for the

TBP are provided by the BME department; funds for the xTBP are provided by the research grants and contracts that

support the student as an RA. As mandated by Graduate School policy, the TBP may support a student for an absolute

maximum of 5 years; the xTBP includes substantially more flexibility.

Requirements for TBP & xTBP

•

Students must be matriculated and in good standing, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

•

Students must be registered as full-time graduate students taking a minimum of 9 credit hours for both fall and

spring semesters.

•

Students must meet the minimum financial support levels indicated on the TBP website. These levels vary by

semester and year. Financial support must be paid through the University of Utah.

•

Non-resident, non-international graduate students receiving the tuition benefit must apply for Utah residency

upon completing 40 semester credit hours at the University of Utah per Graduate School policy. This residency

requirement avoids billing the university for out-of-state student tuition rates. Additional information is available

on the Residency and Meritorious Status website. Students who do not apply for Utah residency upon completing

40 semester credit hours at the University of Utah will be removed from the graduate program.

•

Students supported by a tuition benefit who withdraw mid-semester or fail to comply with TBP or xTBP

requirements may be required to refund the TBP or xTBP for the tuition bills incurred.

Coverage for TBP & xTBP

•

Both tuition benefits support 9-12 credit hours in the fall semester and 9-12 credit hours in the spring semester.

•

Both tuition benefits can provide support during the summer:

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 50

Suppose a student was supported at the 100% level in the spring and the summer. In that case, tuition

benefit will support up to 3 credit hours in the summer, so long as the sum of the spring and summer credit

hours does not exceed 12.

Suppose a student was supported at the 100% level in the fall, spring, and summer. In that case, tuition

benefit will support up to 6 credit hours in the summer, so long as the sum of the fall, spring, and summer

credit hours does not exceed 24.

Summer semesters do not count against the total number of semesters students are eligible for the TBP.

Note that there is no limit on the eligibility for xTBP semesters.

•

Both tuition benefits cover student’s non-resident tuition in full until they exceed 84 cumulative credit hours. In

and following the semester a student exceeds 84 cumulative credit hours, the tuition benefit will cover only

resident tuition amounts. To avoid being charged non-resident tuition, non-resident students who have completed

their required coursework should only register for 9 credit hours of BME 7970: Ph.D. Dissertation Research, which

is always charged at the in-state, resident rate.

Restrictions for TBP & xTBP

•

The recommended Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) maximum is 0.50 (20 hrs/week) and cannot exceed 0.74 FTE. Note

that other paid positions on campus (internships, tutoring, etc.) are counted toward the student’s FTE.

•

Courses designated as undergraduate level (i.e., below the 5000 level), contract, audit, repeat, and credit/non-

credit will count toward the required minimum of 9 credit hours but will not qualify for the tuition benefit.

•

The tuition benefit program will not pay for any withdrawn credit hours. Therefore, if a student’s registration falls

below 9 credit hours at any time during the semester, they will be billed full tuition for that semester.

•

Students may register for a maximum of 16 credit hours but will be responsible for paying all tuition and fee

amounts above 12 credit hours.

•

Non-matriculated, part-time, or academic probation students are not eligible for either tuition benefit program.

Semester Limits for TBP & xTBP

• Students are eligible for an unlimited number of xTBP semesters; however, standard limitations for how long

students may be enrolled in graduate school, and the persistent need to make adequate progress, still apply.

• Students are limited in the number of semesters that they may participate in the TBP. However, those semesters

need not be sequential: they can be broken up by semesters on xTBP, unsupported, or on leaves of absence.

o Students enrolled in the M.S. program are limited to 4 semesters (2 years) of TBP support.

o Students who enter the Ph.D. program with a bachelor’s degree are limited to 10 semesters (5 years) of

TBP support.

o Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program who receive(d) a master’s degree from the University of Utah are

limited to 10 semesters (5 years) total of tuition benefit support, four semesters (2 years) for a master’s

degree, and six semesters (3 years) for a doctoral degree. The four semesters of potential TBP designated

to the master’s degree do not carry over to the Ph.D. Therefore, students who earn a master’s degree from

the University of Utah are eligible for a maximum of 6 semesters (3 years) of TBP for their Ph.D. program.

o Students who enter the Ph.D. program with a master’s degree from another university are eligible for eight

semesters (4 years) of tuition benefit support.

Additional information regarding the Tuition Benefit Program and its policies is available on the Graduate School’s

website under Fellowships and Benefits.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 51

IV.B.2. TUITION-ASSOCIATED COSTS

Students receiving any TBP or xTBP remain responsible for paying all other fees associated with their course enrollment

and full- or part-time graduate student status.

Differential Tuition. According to the current College of Engineering policy, all students, regardless of class standing,

will be charged an additional College of Engineering differential fee per credit hour for graduate-level courses in the

College of Engineering. This differential tuition is not included as part of the Graduate School’s tuition benefit and must

be paid by the student. Please see the Income Accounting Tuition website detailed tuition and fee rates.

Special Course Fees. For those courses requiring them, special fees are shown in a column of the course listings. These

fees, which must be paid with tuition, are in addition to regular tuition and mandatory fee charges.

Mandatory Fees. Some additional fees are required of all students: ASUU Activity, Athletic, Building, Collegiate Reader

Program, Computing, Fine Arts, Utilities, Health, Library, Publication Council, Recreation, Study Abroad, Sustainability,

Money Management, and Transportation. The amounts for these fees will vary by year.

IV.B.3. STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE

All BME graduate students are required to have documented health insurance.

Subsidized Graduate Student Health Insurance

Subsidized student health insurance is available to TAs and RAs who receive 100% tuition benefit. Students who qualify

will be enrolled in the insurance plans by the Tuition Benefit office during the open enrollment period for the semester.

The Tuition Benefit office will pay 80% of the insurance premium, and the students will be billed the remaining 20% on

their tuition account after the open enrollment period closes.

Insurance coverage is not subsidized for spouses or dependents. However, students may purchase dependent

insurance plans at their own expense, directly through United Healthcare for standard health insurance and EMI Health

for vision and dental insurance. Additional information regarding Subsidized Graduate Student Health Insurance is

available on the Tuition Benefit Office website.

Non-Subsidized Graduate Student Health Insurance

Students who do not qualify for subsidized student health insurance are responsible for obtaining their own health

insurance. However, they may buy an insurance policy through the University Student Health Center. Students must

be registered for a minimum of 3 credit hours to qualify to purchase the University of Utah contracted student health

insurance plans. These plans are the same as the subsidized student health insurance plans.

International Student Health Insurance

The University requires all new, transfer, or readmitted international students to be automatically enrolled in the

University of Utah Student Health Insurance Plan administered by United Healthcare Student Resources. For more

information about student insurance, including cost, please visit www.uhcsr.com/utah. International students who

qualify for and request the subsidized insurance coverage through the TBP or xTBP will be refunded the automatic

charge; however, the 20% student portion will still be charged as indicated above.

If you have an existing insurance plan, you may be eligible to apply for a waiver from the insurance requirement. Your

existing plan must have coverage that equivalent to or better than the plan offered by the University. Travel insurance

plans do not qualify. For information regarding the waiver process, contact the International Student Scholar Services

(ISSS) office: https://isss.utah.edu/students/orientation-arrival/health-insurance.php

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 52

IV.C. LEAVE & EMPLOYMENT

This section details policies covering time away from the university and potential employment outside of the university.

These policies only apply to graduate students in one of the four supported categories.

Graduate students supported at the 100% level are expected to contribute their full-time effort to the University.

Typically, 50% of their effort should be devoted to coursework and 50% of their effort to the position for which they

receive a stipend or fellowship. In the latter years of a Ph.D. program, most students will only register for 9-12 credits

per semester of Dissertation Research (BME 7970). Those students should be working full-time on their research: 50%

for a stipend or fellowship and 50% for academic credit.

IV.C.1. OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT

The Department of Biomedical Engineering considers a full-time research stipend for graduate support to be a full-time

traineeship, with the privilege of support and expectation of long and irregular hours required for successful degree

completion. Responsibilities of such conditions of graduate study preclude the pursuit of other gainful employment

without interference with doctoral program progress.

Therefore, supported students are strongly discouraged from engaging in employment outside of the BME department.

However, there are numerous opportunities for intellectual development that may greatly benefit a graduate student’s

long-term career prospects. These include training that can occur at the University of Utah (e.g., Lassonde internship,

Center for Medical Innovation internship, Bench to Bedside competition, etc.) and outside the University of Utah (e.g.,

internships at private companies and public institutions).

Supported students may not engage in any outside employment or internships without the consent of their faculty

advisor and supervisory committee. Arrangements must be pre-approved in writing by both the faculty advisor and

the supervisory committee. In such cases, the supervisory committee will monitor whether student employment

outside of the department interferes with the expectations of and progression through the graduate program. If the

outside employment unduly hinders the student’s doctoral progress, the student may be asked to reduce their outside

employment commitments or leave the program.

IV.C.2. LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Please see the Leave of Absence section above for information regarding leave of absence policies for domestic and

international students. Please also refer to the leave of absence policy information on the Graduate School webpage.

A leave of absence from the student’s academic program for up to one year must be approved by the student’s

supervisory committee and the Director of Graduate Studies or Department Chair. If additional time is required,

another request must be approved and submitted to the Registrar’s Office.

IV.C.3. GRADUATE STUDENT VACATION LEAVE

Neither the Graduate School nor the Department of Biomedical Engineering has any official policy regarding vacation

leave. However, students should understand their faculty advisor’s vacation policies and procedures before they agree

to join a research lab. Any vacation days must be approved by the faculty advisor beforehand, and the faculty advisor

is under no obligation to approve any request. Furthermore, vacation time may be restricted by the funding sources,

particularly for RAs working on externally funded grants or contracts.

IV.C.4. PARENTAL LEAVE POLICIES

The department aims to ensure twelve weeks of parental leave for all supported graduate students acquiring a new

child through birth or adoption. However, the unique constraints of various funding sources for students in the four

supported categories complicate this aim. (Of note, state funds may not be used to support any parental leave.)

Supported students retain all benefits during parental leave, whether or not they receive stipend or salary. In all cases,

students must work with their faculty advisors to determine what parental leave options are available to them; faculty

advisors should be mindful of striving for twelve weeks of parental leave support.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 53

To request parental leave, students must submit a Parental Leave of Absence request in writing to the Department of

Biomedical Engineering prior to the expected arrival of the child. Under normal circumstances, students should arrange

parental leave time with their advisor and the department at least 30 days in advance. The parental leave should be

complete within six months of the arrival of the new child.

Upon approval, the parental leave will begin on the date requested: students will be released from professional duties

and any expectation to maintain scholarly productivity for the duration of the approved parental leave. Generally,

extensions of this leave will not be granted. However, if additional time is required due to medical or other reasons,

an unpaid, formal Leave of Absence from the program should be requested through the Office of the Registrar.

Details are included below for three parent classes: 1) domestic birth mothers, whose medical conditions guarantee

them maternal leave privileges, 2) all other domestic parents, who rightfully deserve protected time to bond with their

new child, and 3) international parents, whose privileges are set by both department policy and their visa regulations.

The Director of Graduate Studies must approve exceptions to the following and other eligibility criteria.

Birth Mothers

Pregnant graduate students funded at the 50–100% level are guaranteed six weeks of fully paid childbirth leave,

including time before, during, and after childbirth. Following that initial six weeks, birth mothers have the right to a

subsequent six weeks of extended maternity leave, though not necessarily with stipend or salary support.

Students who experience a medical condition associated with their pregnancy and need accommodations

recommended by their medical provider should review the Pregnancy and Pregnancy-Related Accommodations page,

where the Pregnancy Accommodation Request form is available. From that request, the Office of Equal Opportunity,

Affirmative Action, and Title IX will determine appropriate accommodations.

Graduate Fellow (GF)

Childbirth leave support for graduate fellows is often provided by their fellowship. Fellowships from University sources

paid through the Scholarship Office will not be interrupted during the six-week childbirth leave period as long as the

mother maintains their graduate student status via enrollment for the required number of credit hours.

Students supported by fellowships from external sources (NIH, NSF, etc.) are subject to the rules and regulations of the

granting agency concerning leave from academic and research work. If they are required to suspend their externally

funded fellowship, they shall be treated like a graduate researcher (GR); consequently, the BME department will

provide financial support during their six-week childbirth leave (see below).

Following a six-week childbirth leave, GFs are not guaranteed salary or stipend for a subsequent six-week extended

maternity leave. However, when the fellowship source provides such benefits, birth mothers are encouraged to take

the additional six-week extended maternity leave with pay.

The following list includes links to the childbirth and maternity leave policies of some relevant fellowships. Note that

the extent of some of these benefits may not exceed those available to other GFs in similar positions. The graduate

student and their faculty advisor should contact the relevant program officer for details.

• NIH-NRSA Fellows: up to eight weeks of paid leave per child, once per year, NOT-OD-18-154.

• NSF-GRFP Fellows: up to twelve weeks of paid leave over the entire three years, NSF 13-084.

Graduate Researcher (GR)

Childbirth leave support for graduate researchers shall be provided by the Department of Biomedical Engineering from

returned research overhead funds. Following childbirth leave, GRs may take an additional six weeks of extended

maternity leave, but they will not receive stipend or salary support during that time.

Teaching Assistant (TA)

Childbirth leave support for teaching assistants shall be provided by the Department of Biomedical Engineering from

differential tuition funds. Following childbirth leave, TAs may take an additional six weeks of extended maternity leave,

but they will not receive stipend or salary support during that time.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 54

Research Assistant (RA)

Childbirth leave support for research assistants shall be provided by the faculty advisor’s funding sources to the extent

possible. The faculty advisor should use their funding, if allowed, or obtain commonly available supplemental funds to

support the childbirth leave. When no existing or supplemental funds can be made available, the faculty advisor should

support childbirth leave from their discretionary sources. In the rare instances where a faculty advisor has no eligible

funding, the BME department shall support childbirth leave with returned research overhead.

Following a six-week childbirth leave, RAs are not guaranteed salary or stipend for a subsequent six-week extended

maternity leave. However, when such benefits are provided by the student’s funding source or a supplement thereto,

birth mothers are encouraged to take the additional six-week extended maternity leave with pay. Further, students

may use accrued vacation time to receive salary or stipend during extended maternity leave; however, as noted in the

Vacation Leave section, RA vacation time is available at the discretion of the faculty advisor and their lab policies.

Note that, regardless of the support source, any project tended to by an RA will experience productivity delays during

their leave. When appropriate, the principal investigator should formally request accommodations from the funding

agencies to account for any delays in project completion.

The following list includes links to the childbirth and maternity leave policies of some relevant funding sources. Note

that the extent of some of these benefits may not exceed those available to other RAs in similar positions. The graduate

student and their faculty advisor should contact the relevant program officer for details.

• NIH Supported RAs: up to eight weeks of parental leave, NIH Family Friendly Initiatives.

• NSF Supported RAs: up to twelve weeks of parental leave, NSF Career-Life Balance.

Other Parents

By college policy, graduate students who acquire a child — through any legal means other than giving birth themselves

— are not guaranteed paid child-arrival leave. However, the BME department guarantees leave for new parents who

1) are funded at the 50–100% level and 2) will serve as the primary caregiver to their own or their partner’s newborn

or newly adopted child during the requested leave time. Further, the BME department aims to ensure six weeks of

paid child-arrival leave and an additional six weeks of extended parental leave, though not necessarily with pay.

Graduate Fellow (GF)

A student’s graduate fellowship may provide child-arrival leave support. Fellowships from University sources paid

through the Scholarship Office will not be interrupted during the six-week period so long as the student on leave

continues to maintain their graduate student status by being enrolled for the required number of credit hours.

Students supported by fellowships from external sources (NIH, NSF, etc.) are subject to the rules and regulations of the

granting agency concerning leave from academic and research work. If they are required to suspend their externally

funded fellowship, they shall be treated as a research assistant. Consequently, their faculty advisor will assume

responsibility for their stipend or salary support during their leave, as described for RAs below.

Following a six-week child-arrival leave, GFs are not guaranteed salary or stipend for a subsequent six-week extended

parental leave. However, when the fellowship source provides such benefits, students are encouraged to take the

additional six-week extended parental leave with pay.

The following list includes links to the child-arrival and parental leave policies of some relevant fellowships. Note that

the extent of some of these benefits may not exceed those available to other GFs in similar positions. The graduate

student and their faculty advisor should contact the relevant program officer for details.

• NIH-NRSA Fellows: up to eight weeks of paid leave per child, once per year, NOT-OD-18-154.

• NSF-GRFP Fellows: up to twelve weeks of paid leave over the entire three years, NSF 13-084.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 55

Graduate Researcher (GR)

Graduate researchers are entitled to twelve weeks of unpaid leave upon the arrival of a child. By college policy, there

are no funds available to support continued stipend or salary during this leave. If possible, GRs preparing for the arrival

of a child should discuss the situation with their faculty advisor. If the faculty advisor can identify appropriate funding

sources, the student may consider switching to an RA position that could provide six weeks of paid child-arrival leave.

Teaching Assistant (TA)

Teaching assistants are entitled to twelve weeks of unpaid leave upon the arrival of a new child. By college policy, there

are no funds available to support continued stipend or salary during this leave. If possible, TAs preparing for the arrival

of a child should discuss their situation with their faculty advisor. If the faculty advisor can identify appropriate funding

sources, the student may consider switching to an RA position that could provide six weeks of paid child-arrival leave.

Research Assistant (RA)

Child-arrival leave support for research assistants shall be provided by the faculty advisor’s funding sources, to the

extent possible. The faculty advisor should use their funding, if allowed, or obtain commonly available supplemental

funds to support the child-arrival leave. When no existing or supplemental funds can be made available, the faculty

advisor should support the child-arrival leave from their discretionary sources. If there are no appropriate funding

sources available, the faculty advisor should coordinate with the Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering

to leverage their future returned research overhead against the immediate child-arrival leave support.

Following a six-week child-arrival leave, RAs are not guaranteed salary or stipend for a subsequent six-week extended

parental leave. However, when such benefits are provided by the funding source or a supplement thereto and

approved by their faculty advisor, students are encouraged to take the additional six-week extended parental leave

with pay. Further, students may use accrued vacation time to receive salary or stipend during extended parental leave;

however, as noted in the Vacation Leave section, RA vacation time is available at the discretion of the faculty advisor

and their lab policies.

Note that, regardless of the support source, any project tended to by an RA will experience productivity delays during

their leave. When appropriate, the principal investigator should formally request accommodations from the funding

agencies to account for any delays in project completion.

The following list includes links to the child-arrival and parental leave policies of some relevant funding sources. Note

that the extent of some of these benefits may not exceed those available to other RAs in similar positions. The graduate

student and their faculty advisor should contact the relevant program officer for details.

• NIH Supported RAs: up to eight weeks of parental leave, NIH Family Friendly Initiatives.

• NSF Supported RAs: up to twelve weeks of parental leave, NSF Career-Life Balance.

International Student Parents

To the extent legally possible, the Department of Biomedical Engineering offers our international graduate students

the same rights and privileges as our domestic birth mothers and other parents. However, before taking any parental

leave, international students and their faculty advisors should consult with the International Student Office to ensure

that their parental leave plan conforms to their visa and relevant federal law requirements.

AY 2021/22 BME Graduate Student Handbook 56

V. STUDENT RESOURCES

This section lists some resources available to BME graduate students through the Department of Biomedical

Engineering, the College of Engineering, and the University of Utah. This list is not comprehensive, and other resources

can likely be found on the Graduate School Resources Hub and elsewhere.

V.A. STUDENT SAFETY

Student safety is our top priority. In an emergency, dial 911 or seek a nearby emergency phone, located throughout

campus. Report any crimes or suspicious people to 801-585-COPS (2677); this number will get you to a dispatch officer

at the University of Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS; dps.utah.edu). If at any time, you would like to be escorted

by a security officer to or from areas on campus, call DPS for assistance.

The University of Utah seeks to provide a safe and healthy experience for students, employees, and others who use

campus facilities. In support of this goal, the University has established confidential resources and support services to

assist students who may have been affected by harassment, abusive relationships, or sexual misconduct. A detailed

listing of University Resources for campus safety can be found on the Registrar’s Office Campus Safety website.

V.B. STUDENT SERVICES

The University of Utah and its Graduate School provide a host of resources and services to support academic and

financial concerns, diversity and international student issues, professional development workshops, writing assistance,

and more. For a complete listing, please visit the Graduate School Support Services.

The University of Utah and its Center for Student Wellness strive to cultivate a well and safe campus community. We

believe that wellness is the foundation of success and that equitable access to inclusive wellness services, education,

and support will create a more resilient, thriving environment. We provide several resources and services for the

campus community, including workshops and training, Victim-Survivor advocacy services, STI/HIV testing, student

involvement opportunities, and more. For a complete listing, please visit the Campus Student Wellness page.

The University of Utah and its Office of Equal Opportunity And Affirmative Action are dedicated to providing a fair and

equitable environment for all to pursue their academic and professional endeavors and equally access University

programs. For information regarding disability access and accommodation, and the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA), please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Title IX. Students requesting

accommodations should contact the Center for Disability and Access to schedule an appointment.

VI. HANDBOOK DISCLAIMER

Although some content herein is recommended for best practices as a graduate student in the BME Department, other

university and department policies described in this handbook are intended to be read, understood, and followed by

all department graduate students. Violations of university and department policies are grounds for immediate

dismissal from the program. Policy exceptions may be made in well-justified cases petitioned in writing by the student

and supported by the student’s committee. No policies or recommendations in this handbook are intended,

interpreted, or construed to conflict with or violate standing College or University policies except where allowed. Given

such a university conflict without allowance, this Handbook defers to standing universities policies and expectations.