• New Master's Degree of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering to be offered next semester
• Program consists of non-thesis, course-only work with 30 credits
• Targets practicing engineers to go back to school to get a Masters and sharpen their skills
• To enroll students need a bachelor's degree in engineering and some working experience in the field

For some students, college will not end after graduation. Many go on to graduate school and some may even go back to college after entering the work force. The College of Engineering will target such students by introducing a new Master's Degree of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering next semester.

After being approved in December, the new master's degree developed in response to industry demand, according to Kristina Ropella, professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. It is a non-thesis, course-only degree of 30 credits designed with less emphasis on research for engineers currently practicing in the field of medical device technologies, she said.

With the number of medical device companies in southeastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois, Ropella said the program is needed for engineers within commuting distance of Marquette who need to advance their skills or switch areas of practice.

She said students will specialize in one of five areas of study—biocomputing, bioimaging, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics or biorehabilitation. Common core courses in physiology, health care technology management and the integration of life sciences and engineering will also be included, culminating with a comprehensive written exam.

To participate in the program, Ropella said students must have a bachelor's degree in engineering and some working experience in the field.

"We felt it was our mission to meet the needs of our engineering commuting," said Jay Goldberg, director of health care technologies management and associate professor of biomedical engineering. Goldberg wrote the proposal for the program and will help direct it next fall.

Goldberg said part of the main focus of the program is to give engineers not interested in conducting research the opportunity to get a master's on a part-time basis. He said it will allow students to continue to work during their studies and that employers will often reimburse the cost for the program.

The program could take up to three years to complete on average, according to Goldberg.

He said the degree should also help engineers advance on the technical ladder in their organization or company. After working in the industry for 14 years, Goldberg said he received several employee requests for a non-thesis master's program.

Goldberg said he expects positive effects on both the engineering field and the university, as the program should fill the classrooms by attracting more students.

Dean Jeutter, professor of biomedical engineering, also took part in developing the program. After being put together about two years ago, Jeutter said it was approved in less than a year.

Jeutter said the department has modest goals for the program's first year and it only needs at least three students to participate, which he feels will be attainable.