Biomedical Engineering Master's Degree

Degree required for admission: Students admitted to the program must possess an undergraduate degree in engineering, science, mathematics, computer science or other related field (subject to the approval of the Biomedical Engineering Program) from an accredited academic institution. Applicants should have a strong undergraduate record to be competitive for admission. 

GPA required: Minimum of 3.0 

GRE requirements: The GRE General Test is optional for those applying to the 2022 and 2023 terms.

Other application requirements: 3 recommendation letters, transcripts, resume, and a personal-professional statement are required. If you have not earned a degree from an undergraduate or graduate institution in which the instructional language was English, you may be required to take the TOEFL/IELTS. All application requirements in the Graduate Application must be completed as specified in the application.  For answers to your most common admissions questions, please review our FAQ page here.

We accept applications on a rolling basis, which means there are no deadlines to apply.  Please submit your degree applications no later than 10 weeks before the semester you wish to enroll. 

PLEASE NOTE: No transfer credits are allowed for this program. 

Students applying to the MS program in Biomedical Engineering should have taken the following foundation courses:

• One year of Calculus
• One year of Biology
• One year of Chemistry
• One year of Physics

Applicants lacking some of these courses may be considered for admission with stipulated deficiencies that must be satisfied in addition to the requirements of the degree program.

Students must complete all core courses (described below) and selected electives (described below) for a total of 30 graduate points of academic work via CVN with an academic average of 2.5 or better. All degree requirements must be completed within 5 years of the beginning of the first course credited toward the degree. This includes courses taken in the non-degree program. No transfer credits are allowed in this program. 

Required Course:

BMEN E6003: Computational Modeling of Physiological Systems: Cellular/Molecular (formerly known as Advanced Quantitative Physiology I). The 30 credits of faculty advisor approved coursework must include this course.

Choose at least 3 Core Courses (9 credits):

• BMEB W4011: Computational Neuroscience: Circuits In the Brain (May count as either a core or elective.)
• BMEN E4001: Quantitative Physiology I
• BMEN E4002: Quantitative Physiology II
• BMEN E4310: Solid Biomechanics
• BMEN E4440: Physiological Control Systems
• BMEN E4750: Sound and Hearing

One mathematics course. Choose from:

• APMA E4001: Principles of Applied Mathematics
• APMA E4101: Introduction to Non-linear Dynamical Systems
• APMA E4200: Partial Differential Equations
• APMA E4400: Introduction to Biophysical Modeling

Choose any 2 Biomedical Engineering Electives (6 credits):

• BMCH E4810: Artificial Organs
• BMEB W4011: Computational Neuroscience: Circuits In the Brain (May count as either a core or elective.)
• BMEN E4305: Cardiac Mechanics
• BMEN E4410: Ultrasound in Diagnostic Imaging
• BMEN E4501: Tissue Engineering I (Biomaterials)
• BMEN E4502: Tissue Engineering II
• CBMF W4761: Computational Genomics
• BMEN E6002: Computational Modeling of Physiological Systems: Organs (formerly known as Advanced Quantitative Physiology II)
• BMEN E4300: Solid Biomechanics
• BMEN E4440: Physiological Control Systems
• BMEN E4750: Sound and Hearing

Choose any 4 Free Electives (12 credits):

A student must select four elective courses (4000 level or above) for a total of 12 points of graduate credit. These elective courses allow the student to pick subjects from a variety of areas within the Engineering School to complement the core program. The determination of which courses are applicable towards the elective requirements is subject to the approval of the faculty advisor.

1 graduate level course is permitted outside of SEAS (with faculty advisor approval).

2023–2024 Tuition & Fees

Please note that all tuition and fees are in U.S. dollars and are estimated. Tuition and most fees are prescribed by statute and are subject to change at the discretion of the Trustees.

CVN Credit Tuition: $2,462.00 per point (Credit Hour)
CVN Fee: $395 non-refundable fee per course
Transcript Fee: $105 non-refundable one-time fee
Tuition Deposit: $1,000 (More information on our Resources page)

Estimated cost of one nondegree course: $7,886.00
Estimated total cost of certification (four courses): $31,229.00

Estimated total cost of MS (ten courses): $77,915.00
*Estimated total cost of DES (ten courses plus a minimum of 12 research credits): $108,249.00

Graduate Admission Application Fee: $85 non-refundable one-time fee 
Certification Program Application Fee: $85 non-refundable one-time fee 

Late Registration Fee: $100 non-refundable fee

CVN Withdrawal Fee: $75, plus prorated tuition and all non-refundable fees
For example: A three-credit course would be $7,781 + transcript fee $105 (one-time) + CVN fee $395 = $7,886

*Assumes DES student enrolls in two six-credit research courses.

For Drop/Withdrawal fees and dates, refer to the Academic Calendar for the current term.

Please note: CVN no longer offers courses for audit.

Payment should be mailed to:

Attn: Shewanna House
Accounting & Business Management
Senior Student Services Rep
Payments & Deposits
210 Kent Hall, Mail Code 9205
1140 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10027

Before you mail your check or money order, please take careful note of the following requirements to ensure the timely processing of your payment: https://sfs.columbia.edu/content/pay-mail.