10 Best Online Master’s Degrees in Biomedical Engineering

Columbia University is home to Grad School Hub's top Biomedical Engineering master's program. The fully online program emphasizes biomechanics, biomedical imaging, and cell and tissue engineering. Its curriculum prepares students to solve biological and medical problems and to develop biomedical systems and devices.

The program's core courses include Physiological Control Systems, Solid Biomechanics, and Sound and Hearing. Elective offerings include Artificial Organs, Cardiac Mechanics, and Computational Neuroscience. As an Ivy League university, Columbia stands among the most prestigious institutions in the nation. The university's online programs accordingly reflect this superb educational quality.

The University of Maryland, College Park offers a non-thesis Master of Engineering in Bioengineering. The degree program is comprised of three core courses and seven elective courses. The core courses are Application of Biomaterials, Cellular and Physiological Transport Phenomena, and Physiology for Bioengineers. All electives require approval from an academic advisor. Elective course options include Applications of Bioinformatics, Medical Imaging and Image Processing, and Independent Study.

All Bioengineering applicants should have a bachelor's degree in a technical field from an accredited institution. Those without a proficient engineering background must take Fundamentals of Thermal Systems in their first semester of the program.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers three concentrations within its Bioengineering master's program: bioinstrumentation, computational genomics, and general bioengineering. Managing Business Operations is a required course for each track, along with a seminar or speaker series. The program curriculum develops students' technical understanding as well as their business skills.

Online students have access to recorded on-site lectures and follow the same course syllabus as on-site students. Instructors hold virtual office hours to answer any questions online students may have. Depending on how many classes they take each semester, students can finish the degree in as few as five semesters.

The University of Southern California's Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering links engineering science with physiology. Required courses include Physiological Control Systems, Signal and Systems Analysis, and a bioengineering seminar. Additional course offerings include Brain Theory and Artificial Intelligence, Information Theory, and Ultrasonic Imaging.

Students can decide to complete a thesis or take a coursework-only route with four technical elective units. The online delivery program allows for full collaboration between remote and on-site students. Online students have access to the same classrooms, faculty, and lectures as on-site students. The program is designed to be completed in two years or less of full-time study.

Purdue University offers a Biomedical Engineering concentration within its Interdisciplinary Master of Science in Engineering program. Purdue developed the Master's degree concentration for biomedical and healthcare professionals hoping to improve their skills. Prospective students must hold an ABET-accredited undergraduate engineering degree. The online Master's degree program offers thesis and non-thesis degree options.

Students can choose from classes covering concepts in Life Science, Quantitative Analysis, and Regulatory Engineering. Course options include Lump System Theory, Measurement & Simulation of the Nervous System and Preclinical and Clinical Study Design. Students may also choose to take Global Experience of Medical Device Design, a two-week course in Ireland.

The Applied Biomedical Engineering master's program at Johns Hopkins University is intended to enhance practicing scientists' engineering skills. Graduates are required to select a focus area in Imaging, Instrumentation, or Translational Tissue Engineering. Core courses include Biomedical Engineering Practice and Innovation, Mathematical Methods, and Physiology.

Students can complete the program entirely, or partially online. All students must participate in six days, or two weekends, of intensive clinical, design, and lab work at the JHU campus and the John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Students will also complete a supervised independent study research project relating to their chosen focus area.

Rutgers University grants a Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering with quantitative training and a professional focus. The university developed the online Master's degree for passionate researchers in bio- and biomaterials engineering, neurotechnology, and related fields. Its curriculum explores six critical field areas, including bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, and biomechanics.

Students can start at during any academic term and complete the program with full- or part-time status. Online class sizes are small, and students can expect to interact closely with faculty and peers online. Students will also have the chance to pursue an independent study with one-on-one faculty attention.

The University of Washington designed its Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Bioengineering for working biotechnology and pharmaceutical professionals. Through the program, scientists, researchers, and engineers can advance their skills in drug discovery and design, molecular and cellular biology, and pharmaceutics. Students can pursue a track in either Basic Bioscience, Translational Pharmaceutics, or Drug Discovery and Design.

All Pharmaceutical Bioengineering students must complete a Clinical Development capstone experience. Students' capstone projects are intended to demonstrate their understanding of the drug development process, from launch to post-market oversight. These projects generally involve the creation of a life-cycle management plan for a drug.

Colorado State University's Master of Engineering program offers a Biomedical Engineering specialization. The specialized program explores concepts in design and data analysis, material issues in mechanical design, and structure and function of biomaterials. For added focus, students can select courses in the interest areas of biomechanics, materials, and tissue.

The curriculum offers courses such as Bio-Inspired Surfaces, Cell and Tissue Engineering, and Digital Signal Processing. Students engage in online learning through chat rooms, group projects, and downloadable materials. Students normally spend up to 12 hours per week on coursework. The program build skills applicable to drug delivery, pharmaceuticals, military medicine, and many other fields.

Arizona State University offers a Biomedical Diagnostics master's program in collaboration with Dublin City University. The curriculum covers four core areas of diagnostics: application, business, science, and technology. Core courses include Current Perspectives in Biomedical Diagnostics; Immunology; and Health Economics, Policy and Payment Models.

Biomedical Diagnostics students also work with ASU professors or industry partners to complete a relevant Applied Project. Community resources and networking opportunities are available through partnerships with such organizations as Barrow Neurological Institute, Dignity Health, and Mayo Clinic. The full degree program is designed to be completed in one year.