Graduate Students

General Information:

Students are encouraged to review the resources available on the Graduate Education website. Most questions can be answered by referring to the Graduate Student Handbook. Information can also be found in the catalog.

Please refer to the Orientation Session Slides for further information.

Required Coursework: MS Biomedical Engineering | Cal Poly Academic Catalog

Forms:

Finding a Thesis/Project Advisor:

Cal Poly students (in the blended thesis program) typically develop a potential thesis topic in consultation with BMED faculty prior to applying. Thesis topics are typically driven by faculty research interests, but can draw from myriad other sources, such as industry collaborations with students and/or faculty. A faculty member from BMED or a related field (with approval) is required to act as thesis committee chair for MS culminating experiences.

The BMED program does not offer an exam option. MS work involving proprietary information can be kept internally and processed as a ‘project’, though this should not be confused with the Project Track.

Funding Sources:

Graduate Student Funding Sources: (apply early)

    • Tuition Waivers (Residents and non-Residents)
    • State University Grants
    • Graduate Equity Fellowships
    • Diverse Education Scholarship
    • Funding to present research at a profession conference
    • And Graduate Assistantships
    • For more information, see the Graduate Education website, under the “Resources > Financial Resources” tab.

Department Funding Opportunities: (apply early)  

Instructional Student Assistantship (ISA). ISAs assist in the instruction of courses taught by BMED faculty. Please contact the Department Office staff and request to be included on the list of available ISAs. In addition, please be prepared to indicate which courses for which you’d like to be considered.

Teaching Assistantship (TA). TAs carry the primary responsibility for teaching a course or lab, but typically work under the direction and mentorship of BMED faculty. Please contact cognizant faculty or Department Office staff to determine if there are opportunities to teach undergraduate coursework or labs.

External Funding Sources: (apply early) 

There are funding opportunities offered by the major funding agencies, e.g., NSF Graduate Student Fellowship, CSUPERB student grants. Locally, please consult the Dean of Research and Graduate Education. Also, please explore the websites for the various agencies for opportunities. 

Paperwork, Processes, and Deadlines:

Refer to the Graduate Education website for links to forms and information about deadlines. In general, though, the following forms are required:

Blended MS Students:

Cross check deadlines with Grad Ed Blended Programs. Typical forms required:

  • Blended Program Application Approval (BPA): After application through the department and recommendation by the BMED Graduate Committee, student complete the BPA form.
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  • Blended Application Curriculum Plan: Completed and submitted with the BPA form, this takes the place of the previous Working Formal Study Plan. It is a list of courses students plan to take to complete both BS and MS degree objectives. Curriculum plan MUST include a pathway to completing the PBCO form in a timely manner, meeting all prerequisites.
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  • Post Baccalaureate Change of Objective (PBCO):

    The PBCO may NOT be completed in the same term as the BPA. Completed by students, due by the 5th week of the semester PRIOR to transitioning to graduate standing. Students must meet the following prerequisites:

    • Completed the number of units applied between the bachelor’s and master’s degree as set by the undergraduate degree (180 quarter/120 semester units for standard unit programs, higher unit programs differ), 
    • Completed all of their lower-division requirements, 
    • Cleared their GWR milestone in their Poly Profile, 
    • and previously submitted a Blended Programs Application Approval Form to the Office of Graduate Education. 

All MS Students:

  • Advancement to Candidacy: Required for all students. Must be submitted prior to your Culminating Experience Approval. To be eligible you must complete 6 units of graduate degree applicable coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and submit an approved culminating experience proposal. For MS Biomedical Engineering degrees, the Culminating Experience Proposal is a ~1-page document outlining the project motivation, scope, and experimental plan (with appropriate references). This proposal must be approved by all 3 members of your committee.
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  • Intent to Complete Degree: This form replaces the “Application for Graduation” and “Request for Degree Evaluation” forms. Submitted at the beginning of your final term. For Blended Program students, this form also requires a Final Curriculum Plan.
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  • Final Curriculum Plan: This form replaces the “Final Formal Study Plan” and is submitted along with the Intent to Complete Degree form. This reflects the courses the student actually took to meet the degree requirements. They may be different from those listed on the Blended Application Curriculum Plan, but still must be approved by Faculty Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator. 

Graduating:

In order to earn an MS degree in BMED, you are required to complete 2 main objectives: coursework as listed in the program catalog and significant research or engineering work along with thorough analysis that reflects your mastery of a topical area. With exceedingly rare exception, this will involve the collection and analysis of data with appropriate methods and statistical analysis. Keep this in mind as you plan your timeline, that the MS degree is not awarded for completing coursework alone.

As you near the completion of the coursework and culminating experience (project or thesis work), meet with your advisor to determine an appropriate timeline for your graduation.

Work with your advisor and committee to determine a date and time for your defense. Contact the BMED office to reserve a room for the defense. Available rooms suitable for defense: 192-329, 192-330, 192-331, 38-133 (subject to availability).

Approximately 4 weeks before your defense, you should submit a draft of your thesis or project report to your advisor. Templates are available here.

After completing revisions requested by your advisor, submit your final draft of your thesis or project report to your committee.

Prepare an oral presentation approximately 30-45 minutes in length (consult with your advisor).

Initiate the Master’s Culminating Experience Form.

Initiate the BMED MS Evaluation Form (one for each student).

After your defense, your committee may have additional suggestions or changes for you to make to your thesis or project report. This may involve minor corrections, additional numerical or computational analysis, or additional experimental data collection. Good communication with your advisor and your committee is crucial to ensure a smooth defense process.

IMPORTANT: Students submitting a Thesis must submit their final document, including revisions, by the publication deadline, which is much earlier than the Culminating Experience Form deadline. See Graduate Education Master’s Thesis.