For information on graduate admission, see Graduate Programs on page 26.
The following introductory information is based on 2020-21 program requirements for UCLA graduate degrees. Complete program requirements are available at Program Requirements for UCLA Graduate Degrees. Students are subject to the detailed degree requirements as published in program requirements for the year in which they enter the program.
The Bioengineering Department offers Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Bioengineering.
A minimum of 13 courses (44 units) is required.
For the comprehensive plan, at least 11 courses must be from the 200 series, three of which must be Bioengineering 299 courses. Students must also take one 495 course. One 100series course may be applied toward the total course and unit requirement. No units of 500series courses may be applied toward the minimum course requirements except for the field of medical imaging informatics where 2 units of course 597A are required.
For the thesis plan, at least 10 of the 13 courses must be from the 200 series, three of which must be Bioengineering 299 courses. Students must also take two 598 courses involving work on the thesis and one 495 course.
To remain in good academic standing, M.S. students must maintain an overall grade-point average of 3.0 and a grade-point average of 3.0 in graduate courses.
The comprehensive examination plan is available in all fields, and requirements vary for each field. Specific details are available from the graduate adviser. Students who fail the examination may repeat it once only, subject to the approval of the faculty examination committee. Students who fail the examination twice are not permitted to submit a thesis and are subject to termination.
Every master’s degree thesis plan requires the completion of an approved thesis that demonstrates student ability to perform original independent research. New students who select this plan are expected to submit the name of the thesis adviser to the graduate adviser by the end of their first term in residence. The thesis adviser serves as chair of the thesis committee.
A research thesis (8 units of Bioengineering 598) is to be written on a bioengineering topic approved by the thesis adviser. The thesis committee consists of the thesis adviser and two other qualified faculty members who are selected from a current list of designated members for the graduate program.
To complete the Ph.D. degree, all students must fulfill minimum University requirements. Students must pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination and final oral examination, and complete the courses in Group I and Group II under Fields of Study below. Also see Course Requirements under Bioengineering M.S. Students must maintain a grade-point average of 3.25 or better in all courses.
Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Under Senate regulations the University Oral Qualifying Examination is open only to students and appointed members of their doctoral committees. In addition to University requirements, some graduate programs have other precandidacy examination requirements. What follows are the requirements for this doctoral program.
To remain in good standing in the program, Ph.D. students are expected to take the University Oral Qualifying Examination within six academic quarters and two summer quarters (i.e., two years) following matriculation. The nature and content of the examination are at the discretion of the doctoral committee, but ordinarily include a broad inquiry into the student’s preparation for research. The doctoral committee also reviews the prospectus of the dissertation, the written component of the qualifying examination, prior to the oral qualifying examination.
A doctoral committee consists of a minimum of four qualified UCLA faculty members.
A final oral examination (defense of the dissertation) is required of all students.
The biomedical instrumentation (BMI) field is designed to train bioengineers interested in the applications and development of instrumentation used in medicine and biotechnology. Examples include the use of lasers in surgery and diagnostics, new microelectrical machines for surgery, sensors for detecting and monitoring of disease, microfluidic systems for cell-based diagnostics, new tool development for basic and applied life sciences research, and controlled drug delivery devices. The principles underlying each instrument and specific clinical or biological needs are emphasized. Graduates are targeted principally for employment in academia; government research laboratories; and the biotechnology, medical devices, and biomedical industries.
Students must select at least three courses from Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses, and at least six courses from Group II: Elective Courses. A course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy Group I and Group II course requirements.
Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M219, M229, C239A, C239B, CM245, C255, M260, C275, CM278, C283, C285, CM286, an approved topic of 298.
Group II: Elective Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M214A, M215, M217, M219, 220, 221, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M225, M226, M227, M228, M229, C231, M233A, M233B, C239A, C239B, CM240, CM245, C247, M248, M250B, M252, C255, M260, M263, C275, CM278, C279, 282, C283, M284, C285, CM286, M296A, M296B, M296C, M296D, an approved topic of 298, Biomathematics, 201, M203, 206, M211, 213, M230, M261, M270, M271, Biostatistics M238, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering CM215, C216, CM225, Chemistry and Biochemistry 118, 153A, 153B, 156, M230B, C240, CM260A, CM260B, C265, 269A, 269D, 277, C281, Computer Science 161, CM224, 269, Electrical and Computer Engineering 100, 102, 110, 110L, 113, 121B, 128, 131A, 132A, 141, 142, 176, 210A, 211A, M214A, 216B, M217, 224, 225, 236A, 236B, 239AS, M240C, 241A, M242A, M250B, M252, 260A, 260B, 266, 273, 274, Materials Science 110, C111, 200, 201, Mathematics, 133, 134, 136, 151A, 151B, 155, 170A, 170B, 171, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103, 107, 150A, C150G, M168, 171A, 250B, 250M, 263D, 281, M287, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, C185A, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 288, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100, M140, 144, 165A, 168, M175A, M175B, C222D, 224, M230B, M234, M272, Neuroscience M201, M202, 205, 207, Pathology M237, 294, Physics and Biology in Medicine 205, M209, 210, 217, 218, 222, 227, M230, M248, Physiological Science M135, 166, 200.
The biomedical signal and image processing (BSIP) field prepares students for careers in the acquisition and analysis of biomedical signals and enables students to apply quantitative methods to extract meaningful information for both clinical and research applications. The program is premised on the fact that a core set of mathematical and statistical methods are held in common across signal acquisition and imaging modalities and across data analyses regardless of their dimensionality. These include signal transduction, characterization and analysis of noise, transform analysis, feature extraction from time series or images, quantitative image processing, and imaging physics. Students have the opportunity to focus their work over a broad range of modalities, including electrophysiology, optical imaging methods, MRI, CT, PET, and other tomographic devices, and/or on the extraction of image features such as organ morphometry or neurofunctional signals, and detailed anatomic/functional feature extraction. Career opportunities for BSIP trainees include medical instrumentation, engineering positions in medical imaging, and research in the application of advanced engineering skills to the study of anatomy and function.
Students must select at least three courses from Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses, and at least six courses from Group II: Elective Courses. A course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy Group I and Group II course requirements.
Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M219, M229, C239A, C239B, CM245, C255, M260, C275, CM278, C283, C285, CM286, an approved topic of 298.
Group II: Elective Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M214A, M215, M217, M219, 220, 221, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M225, M226, M227, M228, M229, C231, M233A, M233B, C239A, C239B, CM240, CM245, C247, M248, M250B, M252, C255, M260, M263, C275, CM278, C279, 282, C283, M284, C285, CM286, M296A, M296B, M296C, M296D, an approved topic of 298, Biomathematics, 201, M203, 206, M211, 213, M230, M261, M270, M271, Biostatistics M238, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering CM215, C216, CM225, Chemistry and Biochemistry 118, 153A, 153B, 156, M230B, C240, CM260A, CM260B, C265, 269A, 269D, 277, C281, Computer Science 161, CM224, 269, Electrical and Computer Engineering 100, 102, 110, 110L, 113, 121B, 128, 131A, 132A, 141, 142, 176, 210A, 211A, M214A, 216B, M217, 224, 225, 236A, 236B, 239AS, M240C, 241A, M242A, M250B, M252, 260A, 260B, 266, 273, 274, Materials Science 110, C111, 200, 201, Mathematics, 133, 134, 136, 151A, 151B, 155, 170A, 170B, 171, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103, 107, 150A, C150G, M168, 171A, 250B, 250M, 263D, 281, M287, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, C185A, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 288, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100, M140, 144, 165A, 168, M175A, M175B, C222D, 224, M230B, M234, M272, Neuroscience M201, M202, 205, 207, Pathology M237, 294, Physics and Biology in Medicine 205, M209, 210, 217, 218, 222, 227, M230, M248, Physiological Science M135, 166, 200.
Graduate study in biosystems science and engineering (BSSE) emphasizes the systems aspects of living processes, as well as their component parts. It is intended for science and engineering students interested in understanding biocontrol, regulation, communication, and measurement or visualization of biomedical systems (of aggregate parts—whole systems), for basic or clinical applications. Dynamic systems engineering, mathematical, statistical, and multiscale computational modeling and optimization methods—applicable at all biosystems levels—form the theoretical underpinnings of the field. They are the paradigms for exploring the integrative and hierarchical dynamical properties of biomedical systems quantitatively—at molecular, cellular, organ, whole organism, or societal levels—and leveraging them in applications. The academic program provides directed interdisciplinary biosystems studies in these areas, as well as quantitative dynamic systems biomodeling methods—integrated with the biology for specialized life sciences domain studies of interest to the students.
Typical research areas include molecular and cellular systems physiology, organ systems physiology, and medical, pharmacological, and pharmacogenomic systems studies, neurosystems, imaging and remote sensing systems, robotics, learning and knowledge-based systems, visualization, and virtual clinical environments. The program fosters careers in research and teaching in systems biology/physiology, engineering, medicine, and/or the biomedical sciences, or research and development in the biomedical or pharmaceutical industry.
Students must select at least three courses from Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses, and at least six courses from Group II: Elective Courses. A course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy Group I and Group II course requirements.
Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M219, M229, C239A, C239B, CM245, C255, M260, C275, CM278, C283, C285, CM286, an approved topic of 298.
Group II: Elective Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M214A, M215, M217, M219, 220, 221, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M225, M226, M227, M228, M229, C231, M233A, M233B, C239A, C239B, CM240, CM245, C247, M248, M250B, M252, C255, M260, M263, C275, CM278, C279, 282, C283, M284, C285, CM286, M296A, M296B, M296C, M296D, an approved topic of 298, Biomathematics, 201, M203, 206, M211, 213, M230, M261, M270, M271, Biostatistics M238, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering CM215, C216, CM225, Chemistry and Biochemistry 118, 153A, 153B, 156, M230B, C240, CM260A, CM260B, C265, 269A, 269D, 277, C281, Computer Science 161, CM224, 269, Electrical and Computer Engineering 100, 102, 110, 110L, 113, 121B, 128, 131A, 132A, 141, 142, 176, 210A, 211A, M214A, 216B, M217, 224, 225, 236A, 236B, 239AS, M240C, 241A, M242A, M250B, M252, 260A, 260B, 266, 273, 274, Materials Science 110, C111, 200, 201, Mathematics, 133, 134, 136, 151A, 151B, 155, 170A, 170B, 171, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103, 107, 150A, C150G, M168, 171A, 250B, 250M, 263D, 281, M287, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, C185A, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 288, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100, M140, 144, 165A, 168, M175A, M175B, C222D, 224, M230B, M234, M272, Neuroscience M201, M202, 205, 207, Pathology M237, 294, Physics and Biology in Medicine 205, M209, 210, 217, 218, 222, 227, M230, M248, Physiological Science M135, 166, 200.
Medical imaging informatics (MII) is the rapidly evolving field that combines biomedical informatics and imaging, developing and adapting core methods in informatics to improve the usage and application of imaging in health care. Graduate study encompasses principles from across engineering, computer science, information sciences, and biomedicine. Imaging informatics research concerns itself with the full spectrum of low-level concepts (e.g., image standardization and processing, image feature extraction) to higher-level abstractions (e.g., associating semantic meaning to a region in an image, visualization and fusion of images with other biomedical data) and ultimately, applications and the derivation of new knowledge from imaging. Medical imaging informatics addresses not only the images themselves, but encompasses the associated (clinical) data to understand the context of the imaging study, to document observations, and to correlate and reach new conclusions about a disease and the course of a medical problem.
Research foci include distributed medical information architectures and systems, medical image understanding and applications of image processing, medical natural language processing, knowledge engineering and medical decision-support, and medical data visualization. Coursework is geared toward students with science and engineering backgrounds, introducing them to these areas in addition to providing exposure to fundamental biomedical informatics, imaging, and clinical issues. The area encourages interdisciplinary training with faculty members from multiple departments and emphasizes the practical translational development and evaluation of tools/applications to support clinical research and care.
Medical Imaging Informatics students must take the nine Group I: Core Courses on General Concepts, at least three courses from Group II: Subfield Specific Courses, and at least one course from Group III: Ethics Course.
Group I: Core Courses on General Concepts. Bioengineering 220, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M226, M227, M228.
Group II: Subfield Specific Courses. M.S. capstone students must take any three courses from across the four concentrations, and Ph.D. students must take six course, three each from two concentrations.
Computer Understanding of Images: Computer Science M266A, M266B, Electrical and Computer Engineering 211A, Physics in Biology and Medicine 210, 214, M219, M230.
Computer Understanding of Text and Medical Information Retrieval: Computer Science 263A, Information Studies 228, 245, 246, 260, Linguistics 218, 232, Statistics M231A.
Information Networks and Data Access in Medical Environment: Computer Science 240B, 241A, 244A, 246
Probabilistic Modeling and Visualization of Medical Data: Biostatistics M232, M234, M235, M236, Computer Science 241B, 262A, M262C, Epidemiology 212, Information Studies 272, 277
Group III: Ethics Course. One course selected from Bioengineering 165EW, Biomathematics M261, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, or Neuroscience 207.
The molecular cellular tissue therapeutics (MCTT) field covers novel therapeutic development across all biological length scales from molecules to cells to tissues. At the molecular and cellular levels, this research area encompasses the engineering of biomaterials, ligands, enzymes, protein-protein interactions, intracellular trafficking, biological signal transduction, genetic regulation, cellular metabolism, drug delivery vehicles, and cell-cell interactions, as well as the development of chemical/biological tools to achieve this.
At the tissue level, the field encompasses two subfields—biomaterials and tissue engineering. The properties of bone, muscles, and tissues, the replacement of natural materials with artificial compatible and functional materials such as polymers, composites, ceramics, and metals, and the complex interactions between implants and the body are studied at the tissue level. The research emphasis is on the fundamental basis for diagnosis, disease treatment, and redesign of molecular, cellular, and tissue functions. In addition to quantitative experiments required to obtain spatial and temporal information, quantitative and integrative modeling approaches at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels are also included within this field. Although some of the research remains exclusively at one length scale, research that bridges any two or all three length scales is also an integral part of this field. Graduates are targeted principally for employment in academia, government research laboratories, and the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and biomedical industries.
Students must select at least three courses from Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses, and at least six courses from Group II: Elective Courses. A course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy Group I and Group II course requirements.
Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M219, M229, C239A, C239B, CM245, C255, M260, C275, CM278, C283, C285, CM286, an approved topic of 298.
Group II: Elective Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M214A, M215, M217, M219, 220, 221, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M225, M226, M227, M228, M229, C231, M233A, M233B, C239A, C239B, CM240, CM245, C247, M248, M250B, M252, C255, M260, M263, C275, CM278, C279, 282, C283, M284, C285, CM286, M296A, M296B, M296C, M296D, an approved topic of 298, Biomathematics, 201, M203, 206, M211, 213, M230, M261, M270, M271, Biostatistics M238, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering CM215, C216, CM225, Chemistry and Biochemistry 118, 153A, 153B, 156, M230B, C240, CM260A, CM260B, C265, 269A, 269D, 277, C281, Computer Science 161, CM224, 269, Electrical and Computer Engineering 100, 102, 110, 110L, 113, 121B, 128, 131A, 132A, 141, 142, 176, 210A, 211A, M214A, 216B, M217, 224, 225, 236A, 236B, 239AS, M240C, 241A, M242A, M250B, M252, 260A, 260B, 266, 273, 274, Materials Science 110, C111, 200, 201, Mathematics, 133, 134, 136, 151A, 151B, 155, 170A, 170B, 171, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103, 107, 150A, C150G, M168, 171A, 250B, 250M, 263D, 281, M287, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, C185A, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 288, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100, M140, 144, 165A, 168, M175A, M175B, C222D, 224, M230B, M234, M272, Neuroscience M201, M202, 205, 207, Pathology M237, 294, Physics and Biology in Medicine 205, M209, 210, 217, 218, 222, 227, M230, M248, Physiological Science M135, 166, 200.
The neuroengineering (NE) field is designed to enable students with a background in biological sciences to develop and execute projects that make use of state-of-the-art technology, including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), signal processing, and photonics. Students with a background in engineering develop and execute projects that address problems that have a neuroscientific base, including locomotion and pattern generation, central control of movement, and the processing of sensory information. Trainees develop the capacity for the multidisciplinary teamwork, in intellectually and socially diverse settings, that is necessary for new scientific insights and dramatic technological progress in the twenty-first century. Students take a curriculum designed to encourage cross-fertilization of neuroscience and engineering. The goal is for neuroscientists and engineers to speak each others’ language and move comfortably among the intellectual domains of the two fields.
Students must select at least three courses from Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses, and at least six courses from Group II: Elective Courses. A course cannot be used to simultaneously satisfy Group I and Group II course requirements.
Group I: Core Bioengineering Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M219, M229, C239A, C239B, CM245, C255, M260, C275, CM278, C283, C285, CM286, an approved topic of 298.
Group II: Elective Courses. At least three courses selected from Bioengineering C201, C202, C204, C205, C206, C207, M214A, M215, M217, M219, 220, 221, 223A, 223B, 223C, 224A, 224B, M225, M226, M227, M228, M229, C231, M233A, M233B, C239A, C239B, CM240, CM245, C247, M248, M250B, M252, C255, M260, M263, C275, CM278, C279, 282, C283, M284, C285, CM286, M296A, M296B, M296C, M296D, an approved topic of 298, Biomathematics, 201, M203, 206, M211, 213, M230, M261, M270, M271, Biostatistics M238, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering CM215, C216, CM225, Chemistry and Biochemistry 118, 153A, 153B, 156, M230B, C240, CM260A, CM260B, C265, 269A, 269D, 277, C281, Computer Science 161, CM224, 269, Electrical and Computer Engineering 100, 102, 110, 110L, 113, 121B, 128, 131A, 132A, 141, 142, 176, 210A, 211A, M214A, 216B, M217, 224, 225, 236A, 236B, 239AS, M240C, 241A, M242A, M250B, M252, 260A, 260B, 266, 273, 274, Materials Science 110, C111, 200, 201, Mathematics, 133, 134, 136, 151A, 151B, 155, 170A, 170B, 171, 270A, 270B, 270C, 270D, 270E, 270F, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 103, 107, 150A, C150G, M168, 171A, 250B, 250M, 263D, 281, M287, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics C134, C185A, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology 288, Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology 100, M140, 144, 165A, 168, M175A, M175B, C222D, 224, M230B, M234, M272, Neuroscience M201, M202, 205, 207, Pathology M237, 294, Physics and Biology in Medicine 205, M209, 210, 217, 218, 222, 227, M230, M248, Physiological Science M135, 166, 200.