Program Description
The Cornell BME Master of Engineering curriculum is structured around three integrated pillars that support individualized academic pathways while maintaining a coherent professional foundation.
Graduate-Level Professional Development (PD) (9 credits): This pillar prepares students for professional engineering practice in healthcare-related sectors. Coursework emphasizes communication, leadership, ethics, regulatory awareness, clinical exposure, and business fundamentals.
Students complete 9 credits, including BME 5010 BME MEng Professional Engagement Seminar (2 required credits) and 7 credits of approved electives. Electives may include BME 5100 Clinical Preceptorship for Biomedical Engineers, BME 5510 Medical Device Regulatory Affairs for Biomedical Engineers, Engineering Management, Business, or other graduate-level offerings aligned with the student’s background and career objectives, subject to advisor approval.
Graduate-Level STEM (ST) (12 credits): This pillar provides technical depth and analytical rigor. Students complete 12 credits of graduate-level STEM coursework selected in consultation with an academic advisor.
Courses may be drawn from BME or other Cornell graduate programs, provided they meet graduate-level standards and align with the students’ intended technical trajectory.
Experiential Learning (ExL – Design/Research) (9 credits): Experiential learning anchors the curriculum in real-world application. Students engage in sponsored design projects drawn from clinical, industrial, and translational contexts, emphasizing systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and execution within realistic constraints.
The required sequence includes BME 5500 Innovation and Design of Biomedical Technologies (3 credits),BME 5911 BME MEng Design Project Phase I (2 credits), andBME 5921 Master of Engineering Design Project - Phase II (4 credits). A small subset of students elects an individual research-based project (BME 5910 Master of Engineering Research Project - Phase I / BME 5920 Master of Engineering Research Project - Phase II – 6 credits), typically conducted under the supervision of a faculty principal investigator.
Academic Standards
- All courses must be 5000 level or higher
- Only 2 S/U credits are allowed
- Students are allowed to take up to 8 credits in Experiential Learning by adding 2 credits of BME 5930 Independent Design Project under the STEM pillar
- Students are allowed to take elective courses that are not included in this list
- Electives selection and segment (pillar) classification should be done and approved by advisor
Program Information
Program Requirements
Graduate-Level Professional Development (PD) (9 credits)
Required (2 credits)
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| BME 5010 | BME MEng Professional Engagement Seminar 1 | 2 |
| Total Hours | 2 |
Electives (7 credits minimum)
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| BME 5100 | Clinical Preceptorship for Biomedical Engineers | 2 |
| BME 5510 | Medical Device Regulatory Affairs for Biomedical Engineers 2 | 2 |
| CEE 5900 | Project Management | 4 |
| CHEME 5660 | Financial Data, Markets, and Mayhem for Scientists and Engineers | 3 |
| ENGRG 5350 | Career Search and Exploration for Engineers | 1 |
| ENGRG 5351 | Professional Development for Engineers | 1 |
| ENMGT 5900 | Project Management | 4 |
| ENMGT 5920 | Product Management | 3 |
| ENMGT 5960 | Negotiations and Contracts for Engineering Managers | 3 |
| ENMGT 6020 | Managing a Culture of Innovation | 3 |
| NBA 5070 | Entrepreneurship for Scientists and Engineers | 3 |
| NBA 5150 | Leadership Theory and Practice | 3 |
| NBA 5380 | The Business Idea Factory | 1.5 |
| NBA 5410 | Project Management | 1.5 |
| NBA 5690 | Management Consulting Essentials | 1.5 |
| NBA 6820 | Negotiation I: Negotiation Essentials | 1.5 |
| SYSEN 5300 | Systems Engineering and Six Sigma for the Design and Operation of Reliable Systems 2 | 3-4 |
Graduate-Level STEM (ST) (12 credits)
Electives (12 credits minimum)
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| BME 5110/6110 | Stem Cell Bioengineering | 3 |
| BME 5320 | Principles of Neurophysiology | 4 |
| BME 5390 | Circuits, Signals and Sensors: Instrumentation Laboratory | 3 |
| BME 5410 | Biofluid Mechanics | 4 |
| BME 5510 | Medical Device Regulatory Affairs for Biomedical Engineers 2 | 2 |
| BME 5750 | Biomaterials and Drug Delivery in the Immune System | 3 |
| BME 5760 | Engineering the Human Body: From Artificial Joints to Living Organs | 3 |
| BME 5780 | Computer Analysis of Biomed Images | 3 |
| BME 5830 | Cell-Biomaterials Interactions | 3 |
| BME 5850 | Current Practice in Tissue Engineering | 3 |
| BME 5930 | Independent Design Project | 1-6 |
| BME 5950 | Special Topics in Biomedical Engineering | 1-6 |
| BME 6120 | Precision and Genomic Medicine | 3 |
| BME 6130 | Advanced Microbiome Engineering | 3 |
| BME 6210 | Engineering Principles for Drug Delivery | 3 |
| BME 6230 | Cancer and Immuno-Engineering | 3 |
| BME 6320 | Modern Biomedical Microscopy | 3 |
| BME 6330 | Optical Tools for Studying Living Systems | 3 |
| BME 6350 | Introduction to Neurotechnology | 3 |
| BME 6501 | Natural Engineering: Developmental Biology Paradigms for Regenerative Medicine | 3 |
| BME 6650 | Principles of Tissue Engineering | 3 |
| BME 6680 | Cancer for Engineers and Physicists | 3 |
| CHEME 5430 | Bioprocess Engineering | 3 |
| ECE 5470 | Computer Vision | 3 |
| ENMGT 5101 | Introduction to Python for Engineering 2 | 1 |
| MAE 6630 | Immuno-engineering | 3 |
| SYSEN 5300 | Systems Engineering and Six Sigma for the Design and Operation of Reliable Systems 2 | 3-4 |
Experiential Learning (ExL-Design/Research) (9 credits)
Required Courses
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| BME 5500 | Innovation and Design of Biomedical Technologies | 3 |
BME 5911
& BME 5921 | BME MEng Design Project Phase I
and Master of Engineering Design Project - Phase II | 6 |
or BME 5910
& BME 5920 | Master of Engineering Research Project - Phase I
and Master of Engineering Research Project - Phase II |
| Total Hours | 9 |
University Graduation Requirements
Requirements for All Students
In order to receive a Cornell degree, a student must satisfy academic and non-academic requirements.
Academic Requirements
A student’s college determines degree requirements such as residency, number of credits, distribution of credits, and grade averages. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the specific major, degree, distribution, college, and graduation requirements for completing their chosen program of study. See the individual requirements listed by each college or school or contact the college registrar’s office for more information.
Non-academic Requirements
Conduct Matters. Students must satisfy any outstanding sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed or agreed to under the Student Code of Conduct (Code) or Policy 6.4. Where a formal complaint under the Code or Policy 6.4 is pending, the University will withhold awarding a degree otherwise earned until the adjudication process set forth in those procedures is complete, including the satisfaction of any sanctions, penalties or remedies imposed.
Financial Obligations. Outstanding financial obligations will not impact the awarding of a degree otherwise earned or a student’s ability to access their official transcript. However, the University may withhold issuing a diploma until any outstanding financial obligations owing to the University are satisfied.
Graduation Requirements for Master of Engineering Degree (M.Eng.) Programs
Requirements
The following are general requirements for graduation that apply to all Master of Engineering degrees offered on the Ithaca campus. The individual program pages provide additional information about discipline-specific requirements.
Credits and Residency Units
- Satisfactory completion of 30 technical credits, of which:
- At least 21 credits must be earned at Cornell. (Some M.Eng. programs allow up to 9 transfer credits of letter-graded coursework completed outside of Cornell to be applied to the M.Eng. degree.)
- At least 12 credit hours must be in coursework from the home M.Eng. program (as determined by the program).
- A maximum of two credit hours graded on an S/U basis may be included.
- The credit hours of any course in which a student receives a grade below C- will not count toward the Master of Engineering degree.
- Students must maintain a course load of at least 12 credit-bearing hours1 each semester.
- Students may not enroll in more than 20 credit-bearing hours per semester.
- Students must complete two full-time residency units1 (semesters) as registered M.Eng. students. Winter and summer sessions do not count as residency units.
Courses
- Only program-approved courses at the 5000 level and above may count toward the M.Eng. degree.
- Courses covering subject matter previously taken at Cornell may not be repeated for credit.
- Satisfactory completion of an engineering design project bearing 3 or more credit hours and including a formal written report.
Other Requirements
- A grade-point average of 2.50 or above is required across all Cornell courses which count for credit towards the M.Eng. degree.
- Students must complete all degree requirements within four calendar years of their first enrollment in the M.Eng. program (six years for distance learning students), inclusive of any leaves of absence.
- Students must complete the M.Eng. Exit Survey prior to graduation.
Learning Outcomes
Students entering our program bring a diverse array of strengths and backgrounds, and they will pursue varied career pathways. With this diversity in mind, we have crafted a curriculum that is rich and flexible while still providing a well-defined and structured educational journey. Regardless of their career goals, our students share several concurrent objectives:
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted dynamics within the healthcare industry.
- Expand and deepen technical and scientific knowledge in areas that align with their interests and professional focus.
- Develop professional acumen to enhance their capabilities in navigating complex workplace scenarios.
- Engage in real-life design challenges that reflect current issues, fostering practical experience and problem-solving skills.
Admissions
Application Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadlines
Fall, May 3; Spring, November 2
Requirements Summary
- Resume: required
- GRE: not required
- Interview: select applicants may be asked to interview
- Prerequisites: demonstrate foundational knowledge in quantitative sciences and biological sciences
- Course requirements:
- Independent of their academic background or prior discipline, incoming students are expected to demonstrate foundational knowledge in continuous and discrete systems (multivariable calculus, differential equations, linear algebra), as well as in biological, anatomical, and physiological concepts relevant to understanding the organization, function, and interaction of living systems (Cell and Developmental Biology, Comparative Physiology / Comparative Anatomy and Physiology) necessary to succeed in graduate-level biomedical engineering coursework and experiential learning.
- Preparation may be obtained through formal coursework, professional experience, research activities, or other equivalent academic and technical training. Student qualifications are evaluated during the admissions process. Applicants with identified gaps in foundational preparation may be considered for conditional admission and advised to complete recommended preparatory coursework or equivalent learning activities prior to or during the early stages of the program.
- For reference, Cornell's course equivalence:
- Quantitative Foundations
- Life Sciences Foundations
- BIOMG 1350 Introductory Biology: Cell and Developmental Biology
- BIOG 1440 Introductory Biology: Comparative Physiology or BIOG 1445 Introduction to Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, Individualized Instruction
- BIOEE 1780 An Introduction to Evolutionary Biology and Diversity or BIOEE 1781 Introduction to Evolution and Diversity
- BIONB 3300 Introduction to Computational Neuroscience or equivalent – Principles of Biochemistry
Admissions Contact Information
Name: Newton de Faria
Email: bmemeng@cornell.edu
Website: Admission Requirements | Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering
