Coursework MSE

There are 30 credit hours of technical coursework required for the Coursework MSE (approximately 10 technical 3-credit hour courses).

Previously approved courses for each requirement can be found on the Graduate Level Courses by Requirement list. This list is not exhaustive and other courses are available to meet program of work requirements. If you find another course that you wish to count toward a requirement, please send the course name, number, and the requirement you want to fill to the Graduate Advisor for approval. A syllabus may be requested in some cases. You must receive approval prior to enrollment in the course.


RequirementCredit HoursDetails
Biological or Clinical Sciences3

Graduate level, taken for a letter grade.

BS BME/MSE Integrated Program students only may choose to replace the biological/clinical science course with any other approved graduate-level technical course. 

Terminal coursework MSE students may choose to count an upper-division undergraduate course toward this requirement with the Graduate Advisor's approval.* 

Basic or Applied Mathematics3A statistics course is encouraged, but another mathematics topic may be approved in some circumstances. Graduate level, taken for a letter grade.
Technical Area 1: Biomedical Imaging and Instrumentation3Choose one course from each of three of the four technical areas for a total of 9 credit hours. Graduate level, taken for a letter grade.
Technical Area 2: Cellular and Biomolecular Engineering3
Technical Area 3: Computational Biomedical Engineering3
Technical Area 4: Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Biomechanics3
Technical Electives: graduate-level taken for a letter grade9One technical elective may be substituted with one approved graduate-level professional development course. All coursework must be approved by the Graduate Advisor in advance of registration.
Technical Electives: graduate-level taken for a letter grade, graduate-level taken as CR/NC, or undergraduate upper-division taken for a letter grade6

Effective fall 2018, up to six credit hours of BME X97 Research Problems may count toward the CR/NC allowance for BME PhD students pursuing an MSE along-the-way to PhD.

*Terminal MSE students who choose to count an upper-division undergraduate course toward the biological/clinical sciences may only count up to 3 credit hours of additional upper-division undergraduate coursework taken for a letter grade or graduate level coursework taken as CR/NC. 


Program of Work

The Program of Work is a form students complete to report their coursework completion status. 

All versions of the Program of Work for the MSE and PhD programs can be found on UT Box at https://utexas.box.com/v/BMEGradForms. 

MD/MSE Dual-Degree students have a specialized program of work and should contact the Graduate Administrator for more information. 

Students are to complete the Program of Work that corresponds with their respective degree program and year of entry into the graduate program.

MSE students who completed the BSBME degree at UT Austin cannot use upper-division undergraduate coursework for their MSE program of work unless they completed the process to reserve undergraduate courses for graduate credit prior to taking the course. Otherwise, all courses must be taken in graduate standing to count toward the BME MSE program of work. 

The total maximum allowance of upper-division undergraduate coursework taken for a letter grade or graduate coursework taken as CR/NC, in any combination, is 6 credit hours for the BME MSE degree. 

Other Requirements

All graduate students in BME, including master's students in the coursework only and thesis track, are required to attend seminars designed to promote academic and professional development and networking opportunities. These seminars include the Responsible Conduct in Research (Ethics) Seminar offered in two parts in the fall and spring semesters, the Individual Development Plan (IDP) Workshop each fall semester, and the Graduate Research Seminars that take place throughout the semester on Thursday afternoons. 

Program Completion

For information regarding the Master's Graduate Application Form and graduation deadlines, please see the Graduate School's Deadlines and Submissions Instructions page. Students who plan to graduate with an MSE in BME should apply to graduate at the beginning of their final semester.