Bioengineering Program College of Engineering Northeastern University

The Northeastern University Bioengineering Program

The Northeastern University Bioengineering program is an interdisciplinary PhD program providing students with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue careers in the growing number of fields where biology, engineering, and medicine intersect.

Many graduates go on to take careers in specialties such as environmental microbiology, biomaterials and tissue engineering, bioelectricity, nanotechnology, and medicine in the environment.

The bioengineering program is part of Northeastern University's Graduate School of Engineering, an internationally recognized institution described by "U.S. New and World Report" as one of the world's leading graduate engineering schools, due in part to the university's multiple disciplines and involvement with industry.

Seven Tracks of Doctorate Study

Students in the bioengineering program begin their studies with a rigorous set of core courses before immersing themselves in specialties. Each student selects a specialty by choosing from one of 7 curriculum tracks.

The tracks of specialization include: bioimaging and signal processing; biomechanics and mechanobiology; bioMEMs/bioNANO; biochemical and bioenvironmental engineering; motor control; biocomputing; and general engineering studies.

Courses in each of the tracks are taught by faculty members from a range of departments, bringing expertise to cover the diverse fields of study in bioengineering. Departments represented include the Bouve College of Health Sciences, as well as the Departments of Chemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; and the College of Computer and Information Science.

The Bioimaging and Signal Processing Track

Students pursuing the Bioimaging and Signal Processing track focus their studies on general mathematical methods for signal and image processing, and taking core courses and electives such as Biology of Muscle: Molecules to Movement; Biological Imaging; Bioinformatics Programming; Optics for Engineers; and Electromagnetic Theory I.

Biomechanics Track

In the Biomechanics track, students work closely with the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department in pursuing issues relating to the biological response to applied forces and strains. Students in the Biomechanics track take a core curriculum, in addition to restricted electives, such as Robotics and Automated Systems, Musculoskeketal Pathophysiology, and Kinesiology.

BioMEMs/BioNano Track

Required courses in the BioMEMs/BioNano track include Introduction to Micorelectromechanical Systems, Nanomanufacturing I, and Nanotechnology in Engineering. Electives can include courses such as Advances in Nanomaterials, Biological Physics I, Advanced Drug Delivery System, Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, and Imaging in Medicine and Drug Discovery.

Biochemical Engineering and Bioenvironmental Engineering

Students in the Biochemical Engineering and Bioenvironmental Engineering track take part in a variety of research programs focusing on issues including pharmaceutical bioprocessing, biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery, environmental microbiology, biotreatment/bioremediation, and environmental modeling.

The track's core curriculum included courses such as Biochemistry and Transport Phenomena, and electives include courses such as Drug Design, Evaluation, and Development, Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceuticals, and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics.

World Class Research Facilities

Students pursuing doctoral degrees in Bioengineering have a host of state-of-the-art facilities to choose from at Northeastern University.

In the BioMEMs/BioNano track, substantial activity is focused in the Center for Communications and Digital Signal Processing Research, as well as the National Science Foundation-funded Center for High Rate Nanomanufacturing.

The latter is collaboration between Northeastern University and other research partners including the Kostas Center Facility, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, the University of New Hampshire, Michigan State University, and the Museum of Science, Boston.

Substantial research is also conducted at the Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems, a multi-university National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. Research at the center revolves around its mission to develop new technologies for the detection of a broad range of hidden objects, ranging from breast cancers to underground pollution.

Admissions and Financial Aid

Candidates for admission to the Northeastern University bioengineering program should have GRE and TOEFL scores with a minimum of 650 (quantitative) and 550 (paper-based or equivalent computer or Internet versions) and undergraduate degrees from accredited engineering schools. However, applicants with degrees from programs that are highly quantitative, such as biophysics or biochemistry, are considered on a case-by-case basis. College-level calculus and computer skills are expected, and an applicant should have a grade point average of 3.000/4.000 or higher.

Various assistantships and fellowship programs, including research and teaching assistantships and graduate scholarships, are available to full-time graduate students, with awards typically based on the student's prior academic performance.

Northeastern University Thrives in the Heart of Bustling Boston

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is located in the heart of Boston and reflects its urban surroundings with a diverse student population. The internationally known Northeastern Graduate School of Engineering boasts about 1,500 students and 150 faculty and staff members.

More information is available regarding graduate applications and graduate studies at Northeastern University.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees Not reported
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Not reported
• Evening/weekend programs available? Not reported
• Distance learning programs available? Not reported
• Terminal master's degree available? Not reported

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Optional
• Doctoral Degrees Not reported
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• AppliedNot Reported
• AcceptedNot Reported
• Acceptance RateNot Reported
• EnrolledNot Reported
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $50
• Application Fee - International $50
• Electronic applications accepted? Yes
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Yes
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline January 15th January 15th Yes
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE General Test
• Doctoral's DegreesNot Reported
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required, 550 paper based

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *Not Reported
• Out-of-state tuition *Not Reported
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitNot Reported
• Application deadlines for financial awardsJanuary 15
• Types of financial support availableResearch Assitantships, Teaching Assistantships, Tuition Waivers, Career or Field-Related Internships, Federal Work-Study, Financial Support for Part-time Students, Scholarship and/or loans, Graduate Assistantships