Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the criteria for admission to BME?
The admissions committee reviews GRE scores, performance at previous institutions/universities, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.
2. What are acceptance rates?
Since the department provides funding for all incoming PhD students for their first year, acceptance rates vary significantly from year-to-year for PhD students, depending on available funds. In the past, entering students average to about 7 PhD and 7 MS per fall term.
3. Can you assess my chances of being accepted?
The average GPA and GRE scores of our students are provided below. We will not provide unofficial reviews of applications. To begin the formal application procedure, please visit the Rutgers Graduate Admissions Website: http://gradstudy.rutgers.edu/
4. What are the average academic credentials for entering students?
PhD GPA 3.6 GRE 530(V), 780(Q), 4.5(A)
MS GPA 3.4 GRE 500(V), 740(M), 4.5(A)
5. Who awards the graduate degrees in the department of Biomedical Engineering?
The graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering are awarded jointly by both Rutgers, through the Graduate School of New Brunswick, and the UMDNJ-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
6. How long will it take to complete a Masters degree?
There are two types of MS students in BME: Plan A Thesis and Plan B Non-Thesis. Both tracks should finish their MS degree in 2-3 years.
7. Can I enter the program part-time?
Part-time study is very difficult in BME at this time since most of our core required courses are taught during the day which makes it hard for those in industry to attend classes.
8. How long will it take to complete a PhD degree?
Students should complete their PhD degrees in 5 years with a max of 7 years.
9. Can I enter the PhD program directly without completing a Masters?
Yes, students must keep in mind that the entrance criteria into the PhD program are more stringent than that of the MS program.
10. I don’t find Rutgers-UMDNJ in the top ten BME departments in the US News and World Report. How does Rutgers-UMDNJ compare to the top ten?
Rutgers-UMDNJ compares exceedingly well with these department and even exceeds some of those listed in certain important objective categories. There are two main reasons that Rutgers BME is not yet on the top ten list. First, the listing is largely determined by a vague and subjective value called “reputation” which is a complex function of history, public relations, quality, and how elite the sponsoring university is. The second reason is that BME at Rutgers-UMDNJ is fairly young; the department and graduate program were established in 1986, and the undergraduate program was established in 1999. Despite our youth, BME department is extremely dynamic and vibrant with a strong and well-funded faculty.
11. How do graduate students obtain support for their graduate studies?
All first year PhD students are supported by departmental or university fellowships, which provide stipend, tuition, and fees for the first year. After the first year, students will be supported by their advisors through fellowships and graduate assistantships. There are also a number of multi-year fellowships available for advanced students through NSF and NIH training programs. BME also has a limited number of teaching assistantships for graduate students who demonstrate outstanding teaching skills.
12. Is there funding available for Masters Students?
Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers does not offer financial support for MS students. Financial support must be initiated from the student.
13. How do students find thesis/dissertation advisors?
Through communication! During the first year, the Bioengineering Student Society (BESS) sponsors a lunch seminar series where faculty members present research opportunities in his/her lab. Through these lunch meetings, the graduate student guide, and direct communication with faculty, students are asked to narrow their search to 3 candidate advisors during the second semester of the first year. Students also have the opportunity to do laboratory rotations during the spring and summer of their first year. A final selection is generally made, at the latest, by the beginning of second academic year.
14. How do students qualify for PhD dissertation status?
PhD students must take 15 courses (3 core BME courses, 1 Advanced Math course, 1 Advanced Biology course, 1 Mammalian Physiology course, 1 Life Science elective, 5 Developmental courses, and 3 Bioengineering electives). The next step is a written exam based on the core coursework designed to test the students’ ability to integrate across disciplines. The third step is the successful defense of a written thesis proposal.
15. What percentage of students passes the written exam?
In the past 3 years, >95% of students have passed their initial attempt. Students who do not pass the first time can: (1) take the exam again (in the case of a low score) or (2) take additional coursework or perform a special project (in the case of a border-line score).
16. Where do PhD graduates go after completing their studies?
To date, 74% of our graduates have taken industrial positions, 14% have taken academic positions, 7% are in government labs, and 5% are self-employed in their own start-up firms.
17. What are the advantages of Rutgers BME over other institutions?
Location, location, location! New Jersey has the #1 pharmaceutical industry and the #5 medical device industry in the country. The biotechnology sector is also very strong and growing. Doing graduate work at Rutgers puts you in the center of more high technology biomedical research than anywhere in the world. A second advantage is our industrious and talented faculty.
18. Do I need a biomedical engineering degree to enter the graduate program?
Some of our students do not have a BME degree when they entered our program. These students are encouraged to take prerequisite courses in areas they lack. Mostly these courses include Cell Biology, Organic Chemistry, Physiology and Differential Equations.
19. What is the composition of the graduate student body?
As of Spring 2008, there are a total of 94 students with the following breakdown:
69 PhD students
2 MD/PhD students
23 MS students
63% male
37% female
75% US citizens/Permanent Residents
25% foreign nationals
10% underrepresented minorities
Here is a sample of where our students have come from:
US: Johns Hopkins, Cornell, MIT, U Penn, UCSD, Rutgers, Tulane, U Virginia, RPI, WPI, Case Western, U Rochester, U Toledo, Northwestern U, Princeton, Stevens, Columbia, U Maryland, U Michigan, NJIT, UT Austin, U Minnesota, Cooper Union, Drexel, U Miami, U Arizona, Boston U, Delaware State, U Massachusetts, U Washington
Foreign: Kyoto U, Seoul National U, National Taiwan U, Tsingua U, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras, Nanyang Tech U, Nagoya Tech, Birla Inst Tech Sci, Huazhong U Sci Tech, U of Poona, U of Madras
