Masters in Bioengineering

In today’s world, the majority of the population is dealing with one or the other health issue as a result of which the expenditure on healthcare and medical devices is increasing by the day. According to Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI), the expenditure on prescription drugs plus medical devices in 2017 was recorded to be 29% higher than that in 2013. In addition to this, the availability of artificial hips, knees, and other joints is more abundant now as compared to that of the previous decade. Ultrasound, MRIs, and other medical imaging techniques are also common nowadays.
In the light of this unprecedented demand and the need to make resources available, the field of bioengineering is gaining significance by the day. It applies the engineering principles of design and analysis to biological systems and biomedical technologies and other areas. They operate in the design, creation, and assessment of biological and health systems and products.
The program of Masters in Bioengineering provides interdisciplinary education in the basics of science and engineering with a focus on new developments in the field of bioengineering. It offers intensive and advanced engineering training with an emphasis on biological and medical sciences.

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Course Structure

The MS in Bioengineering is intended for engineering and science graduates. The course normally requires one to complete at least 35 credits. The below modules are commonly taught across all universities, but there may be variations as per different universities:

  • Biomedical Imaging
  • Biomedical Devices
  • Statistics and Data Analysis
  • Biological Fluid Mechanics
  • Signal Processing
  • Applied Engineering Mechanics
  • Technology Entrepreneurship

Many universities also require the students to choose electives from a list of elective modules. These electives are normally taken from graduate courses in mathematics, statistics, engineering, physical science, life science, and medicine. Students pursue these electives in concert with the bioengineering courses so as to get a cohesive degree program along with a concentration in a bioengineering related area.
The successful completion of all module assessment components and the research project (depending on the university) makes you eligible to receive the MS degree. The average score criteria vary as per university.

Eligibility for MS in Bioengineering

Graduates from the field of science or associated stream are eligible for Masters of Science in Bioengineering. Candidates must have studied mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology in their 12th standard. The academic profile will be weighed on the basis of their undergraduate  CGPA and other academic credentials. Also, every college has its own requirements in addition to the above.
Additionally, for MS in the USA, the student must furnish TOEFL scores, whereas, for countries like Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand,  IELTS scores are preferable. Also, a good GRE score will play a major role in the university’s decision to admit a student.  
Lastly and most importantly, a resume, SOP, and letter of recommendation must also be prepared. You can use our tool to check your SOP. It is automatic and trouble-free. Most candidates take their resume and recommendation letter lightly. It is advisable to pay due attention to your curriculum vitae and letters of recommendation. Use professional or academic contacts to get your recommendation letter, preferably someone who understands you well.

1. Nanoengineering

Nanoengineering is primarily engineering, technology, and science being conducted on a nanoscale. Nanoengineering is synonymous with nanotechnology but stresses on the field's engineering aspects rather than its part dealing with the pure sciences. It is an enabling technology that is implemented in fields ranging from electronics and electricity to medicine and biotechnology with applications in major areas. This specialization gives insights into how a biological unit’s nano-scale construction blocks such as DNA can be used to generate fresh scientific and medical instruments. It helps to construct processes for understanding cellular development at the nano level that can lead to improved surface properties relevant to biosensing, materials science, and cell biology.
Current job opportunities with this specialization can be found in the following industries - Aerospace industries, Auto manufacturers, Biotechnology, Cosmetics, Electronics/semiconductor industry, Energy production, Environmental monitoring and control, Food science (both quality control and food packaging), Forensics, Healthcare including diagnostics and treatments, Lab research (public and private), Armed forces, Pharmaceuticals, Sports equipment.

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2. Bioinformatics

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary field that constitutes molecular biology and genetics, computer science, mathematics, and statistics. This subfield's primary objective is to enhance the knowledge of biological procedures at the molecular level and interpreting the collected data. The field focuses on extracting fresh information from huge amounts of biological data and requires researchers to be familiar with the instruments and techniques used to capture, process, and analyze big data sets. It is vital for anyone interested in this sector to learn how to design experiments and conduct sophisticated statistical analysis.
With the increasing use of information technology in the field of molecular biology, the employment prospects in Bioinformatics have gradually increased. Bioinformatics scientists who can evaluate fresh sources of high-throughput experimental information in biology, medicine, and bioengineering are increasingly needed in universities and research centers.

3. Medical Device Innovation

This specialization enables you to invent and construct medical devices, learn how to translate medical innovations right from the stage of ideation to clinical implementation, and apply design thinking to the wider healthcare system. Students receive early exposure to the identification and prototyping of clinical needs.
 All health care units are open to hiring medical device innovation specialists.

4. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

The increasing demand for medicines and other medical components makes the pharmaceutical industry an important one. Medical and pharmaceutical engineering is essentially about designing, developing, and producing different medical products to improve the lives of people.
Pharmaceutical engineering deals with all the stages in pharmaceutical manufacturing - from developing a new plant to optimizing production procedures and perfecting packaging alternatives. Pharmaceutical Engineering is a flexible engineering program that uses the key Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and pharmaceutical science and technology course content. The course is intended to give rise to technicians with the expertise and abilities necessary to satisfy the increasing demand of the pharmaceutical, chemical, food, dairy, cosmetic and other healthcare sectors. A bioengineering graduate specializing in pharmaceutical manufacturing can readily find employment in the pharmaceutical industries, research and development laboratories, units dealing with the development of high-quality drugs for diseases and manufacturing and quality control. Pharmaceutical technicians can also take up Academic teaching as their career.

5. Bioinstrumentation

Bioinstrumentation is an engineering branch that deals with the implementation of the concepts and principles of engineering to fix clinical issues in medical care and surgery. With this innovative discipline, it is possible to narrow the bridge between engineering and medicine and contribute to the healthcare industry by working in areas like surveillance, diagnosis, and therapy. Bio-Instrumentation teams bring together engineers who design, test and manufacture sophisticated medical and implantable devices into a single, more productive healthcare unit.
Bioinstrumentation Engineers can explore excellent employment opportunities in the industry, government, universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research centres.

6. Biostatistics

Biostatistics has become one of the most exciting fields of applied statistics in the latest years. The field includes statistics methodology and theory as applied to life and health sciences issues. Biostatisticians are educated in the use of statistical methods to solve issues in the public health and medicine sector. They work with researchers in almost every health-related region and have made significant contributions to our knowledge of AIDS, cancer, genetics, bioinformatics, immunology, and other fields. In addition, biostatisticians spend significant time developing and assessing the statistical methodology used in these projects.

Global Rank

College Name Popularity Rank Global Rank Total Tuition Fees Deadline Annual RA+TA Unsecured Loan Offer Unsecured Loan Offer
University of California, Berkeley 1 27 29700 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2 69 68660 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Pennsylvania 3 19 86264 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of California, San Diego 4 38 53088 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Stanford University 5 2 108030 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Illinois at Chicago 6 207 56336 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of California, Los Angeles 7 33 53088 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Clemson University 8 701-750 45952 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Pittsburgh 9 142 88948 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
William Marsh Rice University 10 NA NA Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Texas A&M University 11 195 67333 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Northeastern University 12 346 47070 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Purdue University 13 105 58264 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Cornell University 14 14 59000 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
The Johns Hopkins University 15 17 107480 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
The Pennsylvania State University 16 93 76932 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Georgia Institute of Technology 17 70 57136 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
North Carolina State University 18 263 50810 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
The Ohio State University 19 86 68128 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Iowa State University 20 471-480 51428 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 21 367 53648 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Syracuse University 22 501-550 48600 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Maryland, College Park 23 129 46440 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
San Diego State University 24 801-1000 28608 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Wisconsin-Madison 25 55 48108 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Florida 26 178 60260 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of California, Davis 27 118 57346 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Notre Dame 28 216 105492 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Stevens Institute of Technology 29 651-700 71920 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Rochester 30 186 49620 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
George Mason University 31 801-1000 40380 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 32 1 103040 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
University of Colorado Boulder 33 182 66276 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Wayne State University 34 461-470 42720 Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
New York Institute of Technology 35 NA NA Log in Log in Log in 1.5 Cr, Interest Rate starts @8.85%
Source: GyanDhan's analysis, partner data & university's website. While deadlines are latest, other figures are as of 2018. Double-check deadlines from the university's website

1. Process Engineer

Process Engineers are involved in all the processes pertaining to the manufacturing of a product. They also study these processes to evaluate their efficiency, quality, and safety. They often operate in the pharmaceutical or food and beverage sectors and develop, test, and implement new manufacturing procedures. Procedures such as chemical interactions, equipment design, and system performance are also evaluated by the Process Engineer. They also determine which process equipment is required and arrange for its purchase and installation. A process engineer's work is also to document his/her procedures closely so that they can be replicated. They also need to ensure that that all the procedures comply with the safety laws of the sector.

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2. Product Development Engineer

A Product Development Engineer develops, designs, and records new and enhanced tools for medical devices and offers engineering support in product studies, verification, validation, production and testing. Their function often involves conducting research and working with others to identify market requirements. Product Development engineers are primarily responsible for creating a product design that meets the needs of a business or customer while incorporating marketing, sales, and the manufacturing department’s requirements. They supervise research and design teams, conduct testing processes, and draft manufacturing requirements. Prior to the manufacturing process, the product development engineer directs the development of models or samples and fine-tunes the designs.

3. Validation Engineer

A validation engineer is a skilled engineer who is responsible for managing, inspecting, calibrating, testing, and modifying the instruments, machinery, mechanics, and processes used to produce multiple products. To manufacture high-quality products, they ensure that all systems are functioning effectively. They also explore the causes of mistakes and anomalies in the machinery and decide whether to repair or replace the equipment. The work is diverse, and validation engineers can be found in laboratories and study centers across a wide range of industries including the pharmaceutical industry. 

4. Research Associate

A research associate participates in research to create new dosage forms and specifications. They assist the principal researcher in the critical areas of research and help in organizing statistics, creating scientific documents and other similar tasks that involve an advanced degree of knowledge. Other roles of a research associate are the management of research drugs and studying the process through which the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates a drug. The associate also assists sponsors of clinical trials and regulatory auditors in checking compliance with clinical trial locations. They also offer educational services to health care suppliers, pharmacy employees, and patients seeking access to specific medicines.

5. Research and Development Engineer

R&D engineers help expand business opportunities by conducting research and exploring new engineering and manufacturing methods with the help of new technologies. They also assist in developing fresh products, redesign current products, and conduct studies and tests on product ideas. Businesses in multiple domains, including scientific research firms and manufacturing firms, employ full-time R&D technicians to foster a cooperative setting that involves engineers in various disciplines, marketers, and suppliers.
 
Masters in Bioengineering salary: Nowadays, with healthcare awareness and changing lifestyle patterns, the employment rates in bioengineering are rapidly soaring. The US Bureau of Labour Statistics reports a much higher growth rate in occupations related to biomedical sciences including bioengineering. These technicians not only make excellent cash, but they also become more creative and innovative as they work in universities, hospitals, laboratories, etc.
Some popular companies that hire bioengineers include:

  • NASA
  • Microsoft
  • Tyco Electronics
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • GE Global Research

According to U.S. News & World Report, the highest-paying bioengineering jobs are located in California, specifically in the metropolitan areas of San Francisco, San Jose and Santa Rosa. Other high-paying companies include Richmond, V.A., Austin, T.X., Durham, N.C., and Columbus, O.H.
Bioengineering is, therefore, a quickly expanding engineering profession. In addition, the demand for more advanced medical equipment and processes and increased efforts to achieve enhanced cost-effectiveness are boosting demand for bioengineers, particularly in the pharmaceutical and device manufacturing and associated sectors.
It is anticipated that job possibilities will expand dramatically with the further development of new products and instruments. As bioengineers continue to address the toughest issues of the 21st century, their contributions to the human health sector will be extraordinary.
But yes, it's important to be passionate about this field. If you dream of bringing science fiction to life by developing human organs in a laboratory, a Master's degree in bioengineering may be perfect for you.

Global Rank Employability Range Salary Range
1-10 Log in Log in
11-25 Log in Log in
26-50 Log in Log in
51-100 Log in Log in
101-200 Log in Log in
201-500 Log in Log in
500+ Log in Log in
Source: GyanDhan's proprietary analysis
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