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BIOE Accelerated Master’s Program

BIOE Accelerated Master’s Program (4+1)

Fast-Track Your B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering

Program Overview

The BIOE Accelerated Master’s Program (also known as the 4+1 Program) enables Biomedical Engineering students to earn both a B.S. and M.S. in just five years. Students can take up to two (2) graduate courses ( Six graduate credit hours) during their undergraduate years, which count toward both their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. This program offers the flexibility to pursue either a thesis or non-thesis Master’s option.

Key Benefits
  • Complete Both Degrees in 5 Years: Earn both your B.S. and M.S. without the delay of a gap year.
  • Graduate-Level Coursework: Take graduate courses while still an undergraduate, with up to 6 credit hours applied to both degrees.
  • Thesis or Non-Thesis Options: Tailor your graduate education based on your professional goals.
Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the program, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Junior Standing: At least 30 semester hours of engineering coursework completed.
  • Minimum GPA:
    • Overall GPA: 3.2
    • Engineering GPA: 3.2 (including all BIOE courses, ENGI 1331, ECE 2201, and MECE 3400).
  • Recommendation Letter: From a faculty member familiar with the student’s academic performance.
  • Application:

Note: Acceptance into the Accelerated Program does not guarantee automatic admission to the graduate school.

Application Process

Steps to apply:

  1. Submit the Accelerated Master’s Program application form to Gabriela Lazalde glazalde [at] central.uh.edu (glazalde[at]central[dot]uh[dot]edu).
  2. Apply to the University of Houston Graduate School before the application deadline.
  3. Application approval is required from both the Program Director and the BIOE Department Chair to enroll in graduate courses.
Graduate Courses During Undergraduate Studies

As part of the program, students will take 6000-level graduate courses while completing their undergraduate coursework. These courses will replace BIOE Track electives, allowing students to gain graduate-level experience early.

  • Up to 6 graduate credit hours will count toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees.
  • Students cannot repeat the same course for credit in both their undergraduate and graduate years.
    • Example: If a student takes BIOE 5316 as an undergrad elective, they cannot take BIOE 6394 for graduate credit.
Graduate Admission Requirements

Upon completion of the undergraduate degree, students must meet the following requirements for full admission to the graduate program:

  • GPA: 3.00 on last 60 hours
  • GRE Scores: Optional. (Current scale) Q-159, V-150 (Prior scale) Q-750, V-450
  • Performance in 6000-Level Courses: Evaluation of performance in graduate coursework.
  • Recommendation Letters: Three letters of recommendation.

Qualified students may also be considered for research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or fellowships.

Graduate Course Equivalencies

Certain 6000-level BIOE courses can be substituted for equivalent undergraduate courses. Some examples include:

  • BIOE 6303 — Biomaterials (equivalent to BIOE 4303)
  • BIOE 6305 — Brain-Machine Interfacing (equivalent to BIOE 4305)
  • BIOE 6342 — Biomedical Signal Processing (equivalent to BIOE 4342)
  • BIOE 6346 — Advanced Medical Imaging (equivalent to BIOE 5317)
  • BIOE 6347 — Intro to Optical Sensing and Biophotonics (equivalent to BIOE 4307)
  • BIOE 6349 — Biomedical Microdevices (equivalent to BIOE 4349)
  • BIOE 6351 — Diseases in Biomarkers (equivalent to BIOE 3351)
  • BIOE 6311 — Advances in Vision Research (equivalent to BIOE 4311)
  • BIOE 6310 — Drug Delivery and Design (equivalent to BIOE 4310)
  • BIOE 6307 — Cell Biology for BME (equivalent to BIOE 4347)
  • BIOE 6319 — Mass Transport for Bio Systems (equivalent to BIOE 4319)
  • BIOE 6309 — Neural Interfaces (equivalent to BIOE 4309)
  • BIOE 6306 — Advanced Artificial Neural Networks (equivalent to BIOE 4313)
  • BIOE 6320 — Tissue Engineering (equivalent to BIOE 4348)
  • BIOE 6343 — Global Healthcare (equivalent to BIOE 5319)
  • BIOE 6345 — Biomedical Informatics (equivalent to BIOE 5318)
  • BIOE 6397 — MRI & NMR: Basic Prin & Apps (equivalent to BIOE 4397)
Degree Conferral
  • B.S. Degree: Awarded upon completion of all undergraduate requirements, including the appropriate graduate course substitutions.
  • M.S. Degree: Awarded upon successful completion of graduate coursework and any required thesis or dissertation.
Next Steps

For more information, or to begin your application process, please contact Gabriela Lazalde glazalde [at] central.uh.edu (glazalde[at]central[dot]uh[dot]edu) and visit the program’s website for full details on the application process.