Graduate studies

Application Requirements

There are no set requirements for acceptance into our program; each application is evaluated individually. The evaluation of graduate applications is based on undergraduate/graduate records, GRE scores, and recommendation letters. Past research experience or employment in areas relevant to bioengineering carry significant weight. As a general rule, applicants should have an undergraduate GPA of 3.3/4.0 or higher and GRE scores of at least 500 and 700 for the verbal and quantitative sections, respectively, and 5.0 or higher for analytical writing.

Bioengineering Department Entrance Requirements

The basic requirement for admission to an advanced degree program in bioengineering is a bachelor's degree from an accredited undergraduate engineering program. Students will most commonly be trained in materials, chemical or mechanical engineering, although students from the other traditional engineering disciplines are also accepted. Exceptional students in physics, chemistry and the life sciences are also considered.

Because of the interdisciplinary character of bioengineering, it is to be expected that many students will have areas of deficiency that will have to be remedied during their first year of graduate work. The following is a list of courses that cover the areas in which all bioengineering graduate students must demonstrate competence:

A. Students with a bachelor of science degree in engineering or physics should present a minimum background of:

• One course in organic chemistry or biochemistry.
• One course in either basic cell biology or introductory physiology including a laboratory experience.

B. Students with a bachelor of science or bachelor or arts degree with majors such as biology, physiology, microbiology, zoology, or biochemistry must present the background required of engineers, plus the following:

• Two semesters of college physics.
• Mathematics through differential equations.
• Two courses in either engineering mechanics (such as statics, dynamics, and strength of materials), fluid mechanics, or thermodynamics.
• Introductory course in materials science.

C. Students may enter the Bioengineering department prior to meeting all the prerequisites if approved by the admissions committee. These students must plan to complete the prerequisites during their enrollment in the department in addition to the requirements stipulated for the Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Bioengineering. It should be noted that course credits from prerequisites are not applied toward a graduate degree and students may be restricted to a minimum assistantship until undergraduate pre-requisites are completed.

D. Under special circumstances, some students may wish to waive prerequisites. A petition to the Bioengineering Department must be submitted.

Application Deadline
Applications must be completed by July 15 (April 15 for international students) for August enrollment and November 15 (September 15 for international students) for January enrollment. Applicants for the Ph.D. program will be preferably considered.

Applicants for August enrollment whose files are completed prior to January 15 will be given preferential consideration for financial aid in the form of research and teaching assistantships or Univnersity fellowships. Assistantship support may also be available for students considering January enrollment.

Application Process
Graduate students are admitted to the Graduate School rather than to the Bioengineering Department. Therefore, applications must be sent to the Graduate School for processing. For an application to be considered complete, the applicant must submit:

• a completed application form;
• application fee;
• official transcripts from universities previously attended;
• at least two letters of recommendation from previous or current teachers and/or employers;
• official GRE general test score reported by ETS;
• official TOEFL score reported by ETS (International students only).

Once an application is completed at the Graduate School, it is firwarded to our department for evaluation. A decision of admisssion is then forwarded back to the Graduate School. Applicants are notified by an official letter of acceptance (or denial). The entire process (from receipt of a completed application to mailing of an official letter) usually takes about 3-4 weeks, thus it is important for you to apply as early as possible.

Financial Aid
Applicants whose files are completed prior to February 15 will be given preferential consideration for financial aid in the form of research assistantships.


For Further Information

For more information on applying or application requirements please contact:

Dr. Robert Latour
Graduate Program Coordinator
latourr@clemson.edu

Cathy Godfrey
Graduate Student Services Coordinator
gcathy@clemson.edu