Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Lead transformative research at the forefront of health solutions
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About The Program
What is the PhD Program?
The PhD in biomedical engineering is a research-intensive program requiring a minimum of four graduate-level courses and an orally defended research thesis. Students must first enroll in the biomedical MSc program and then transfer to the PhD program. Courses taken in the MSc program count towards the PhD degree. Students entering the department who already hold an MSc degree are required to take only two graduate-level courses towards the PhD. Students typically complete the PhD in four to five years. The department requires all PhD students to receive financial support and have an academic supervisor. Before applying to the program, prospective students should contact the professor(s) they would like to study with.
Why Choose This Program?
Choose this program to benefit from internationally recognized faculty and their laboratories. You’ll engage in impactful research like developing AI diagnostics or next-gen prosthetics, shaping health care’s future. Graduates are prepared for careers in academia, industry, or entrepreneurship, driving real-world health solutions.
Program Information
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Biomedical Engineering)
Concentrations
- Bionics and Biorobotics
- Biomedical Imaging
- Biomechanics
- Precision Health Design
4-5
years
Program duration depending on previous degrees.$25,000
average funding
Annual minimum support for full-time PhD students.300+
research projects
Join diverse interdisciplinary initiatives.3
milestones
Candidacy, research and dissertation defense.Program Objectives
- Master specialized expertise: Attain the highest level of knowledge and specialization in core and emerging areas of biomedical engineering, including biomechanics, medical imaging, biomaterials, computational modeling and systems biology.
- Lead original research: Conceive, design and execute independent, high-impact research that advances the frontiers of biomedical engineering and addresses pressing challenges in health and medicine.
- Integrate interdisciplinary insights: Combine engineering, clinical and life sciences expertise to develop transformative healthcare solutions and novel biomedical technologies.
- Shape the field through leadership: Provide intellectual and strategic leadership in multidisciplinary research teams, guiding projects from concept to real-world application.
- Disseminate knowledge with influence: Communicate complex scientific and technical concepts effectively to diverse audiences, including academia, industry, clinical communities and policymakers to shape the future.
- Model ethical and responsible research: Uphold the highest standards of research integrity, ethics and societal responsibility, ensuring biomedical advancements benefit patients and communities globally.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate research excellence: Design, execute and defend original, high-impact research that significantly advances the state of knowledge in biomedical engineering.
- Apply specialized expertise: Integrate advanced theories, quantitative methods and technical tools within their chosen concentration (e.g., bionics, biomechanics, computational modeling, imaging or entrepreneurship) to address complex biomedical challenges.
- Lead multidisciplinary collaboration: Provide strategic and intellectual leadership in interdisciplinary teams involving engineers, scientists, clinicians and industry partners.
- Translate innovations into practice: Transform research findings into practical applications, medical devices and healthcare solutions with measurable societal and clinical impact.
- Communicate with influence: Disseminate research findings effectively through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, grant proposals and stakeholder engagement.
- Uphold ethical and professional standards: Apply the highest levels of research integrity, ethical conduct and regulatory compliance. Ensure that technological advancements serve the well-being of patients and society.
Careers
PhD graduates go on to leadership roles in academia, industry and government. Careers include tenure-track faculty positions, senior research scientist roles and leadership in biomedical startups, biotech companies or regulatory organizations.
- Academic researcher/university professor
- Principal investigator (biomedical research)
- Senior research and development scientist
- Director of clinical research
- Health policy analyst
- Innovation manager (MedTech startups)
- AI in health care specialist
- Intellectual property consultant (biotech)
- Chief scientific officer
- Government 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Scientist (Health Canada, National 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Council Canada
Course Highlights
Series of seminars exposing graduate students to the various areas of research and providing a forum for progress reports in individual areas. Seminars by research workers from inside and outside the University are included. Seminars are informal with ample opportunity for discussion.
Program Faculty
Heather E. Williams,
PhD Student
“The biomedical engineering department leaders have supported me in my pursuit of scholarship and travel funding so that I could dedicate myself to research and share my findings at conferences. I know I made the right choice to pursue a PhD in BME at the U of A.”
