Graduate & Research
Curriculum
Educational Objectives
The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Korea University aims to cultivate professionals equipped with knowledge in medicine, basic sciences, and various fields of engineering, with the capability to lead the advanced biomedical engineering industry.
Curriculum Regulations [As of 2022]
Courses in the Department of Biomedical Engineering are classified into three categories: Common Courses, Fundamental Courses, and Advanced Courses. Each graduate student must satisfy the following requirements to obtain a degree:
- A certain number of common courses must be completed (Master’s program: 1 course, Doctoral program: 2 courses, Integrated Master’s–Doctoral program: 2 courses)
- Courses taken from other departments may be recognized as major courses with approval from the academic advisor and the department chair.
- If a student completes common courses during the Master’s program and then enters the Doctoral program, those courses will be recognized. In addition, the student must complete at least 18 credits from courses offered by this department.
1. Common and Major Courses
(1). Common Courses
| Medical Rotation | Common Engineering Experiment | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium I | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium II |
| Biomedical Engineering Colloquium III | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium IV | Advanced Optics Theory | Micro-scale Optical Applications in Biology |
| Plasmonics | Radiation Detection and Measurement I | Medical Imaging System | Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning |
| Advanced Radiological Physics | Medical Imaging Devices | Numerical Analysis | Medical Implant |
| Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine | Biomedical Materials and Biocompatibility | Introduction to Nanomedicine | Biomedical Scaffold |
| Biochip | Amplifier Design for Medical Instrumentation | Microfabrication Technology |
(2). Major Courses
| Interferometric Imaging | Light-Tissue Interaction | Biophotonics | Special Topics in Biophotonics Ⅰ | Special Topics in Biophotonics Ⅱ |
| Molecular Spectroscopy | Advanced Computer Programming | Computational Neuroimage Analysis | Image Reconstruction Algorithms | Radiation Detection and Measurement II |
| Treatment Planning of Radiotherapy and Practice | Radiation Therapy Physics | Quality Assurance of Radiotherapy and Practice | Cancer Therapy Technique | X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Imaging |
| Introduction to Nuclear Medicine Physics | Particle Therapy | Polymers in Biomaterials | Analysis Techniques for Biomaterials | Surface Treatment of Biomaterials |
| Cancer Biology | Biomedical Cell Biology | Recent Advances in Nanobiotechnology | Biomedical 3D Printing | Nanofabrication |
| Microfluidics Theory and Application I | Microfluidics Theory and Application II | Nanoscale Characterization of Biomaterials | System Design for Biochemical Analysis | Next Generation Biochemical Analysis |
| Digital System Control for Medical Instrumentation | Review of Edge Biomedical Technology I | Review of Edge Biomedical Technology II | Bioresorbable Materials and Applications | Biomedical Engineering Practicum I |
| Biomedical Engineering Practicum II | Artificial Organs |
(3). BK 21 Courses
| Introduction to Precision Health Science | Methodology for Convergent Research in Precision Health Science I | Methodology for Convergent Research in Precision Health Science II | Precision Health Science Practicum I | Precision Health Science Practicum II |
| Precision Health Science Seminar I | Precision Health Science Seminar II | Nutrition and Health in Precision Health Science | Energy Metabolism in Precision Health Science | Exploratory Research in Precision Health Science |
2. Credit Requirements: Graduate students in Biomedical Engineering must complete a certain number of credits within courses offered by their department, depending on their program.
However, courses taken in related programs (e.g., Biomedical Convergence Science, Health Science, Bio-Microsystems Technology, IT Convergence, Global Health, Precision Health Science) may be recognized as core or major courses in Biomedical Engineering with advisor approval.
The required total credits and minimum in-department credits are as follows:
- Master's: At least 14 out of 24 credits must be taken within the department
- PhD: At least 18 out of 30 credits must be taken within the department
- Integrated MS-PhD: At least 27 out of 48 credits must be taken within the department
3. Degree Requirements
- Master's: At least one publication or conference presentation as first author
- PhD / Integrated: At least two SCI(E) papers as first author (including accepted papers)
4. Advisor-designated courses: After admission, students must consult their advisor to select courses and obtain approval
Assigned courses must be completed
5. Comprehensive exam: Taken with advisor designation and department approval
- Master’s: 2 subjects (including 1 core subject)
- PhD/Integrated: 4 subjects (including 1 core subject)
- Failed subjects may be retaken next semester
- Courses credited from other departments cannot be used for the exam
- Certain courses are excluded (e.g., medical rotation, colloquium)
6. Academic Advisor: Upon admission, the Dean of the respective college appoints an academic advisor according to each clause, taking the student's preferences into account.
- Academic Advisor: Advisor must have recent SCI-level publication records
7. Transitional Provisions
- Students transferred in 2013 may choose applicable regulations
- Previously earned credits are recognized
- Different rules apply depending on admission year
- Comprehensive exam rules apply to students admitted after Sept 2016
- Credit requirements apply to students admitted after March 2021
- Some courses from related departments may count as major credits
- Core courses are recognized consistently across all regulations
Basic Common Courses
| HBL601 | Advanced Optics Theory [3] |
|---|---|
| HBL553 | Micron-Scale Optical Applications in Biology [3] |
| HBL712 | Plasmonics [3] |
| HBL713 | Radiation Detection and Measurement I [3] |
| HBL571 | Medical Imaging System [3] |
| HBL556 | Pattern Recognition and Machine Learning [3] |
| HBL568 | Advanced Radiological Physics [3] |
| HBL559 | Medical Imaging Devices [3] |
| HBL551 | Numerical Analysis [3] |
| HBL697 | Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine [3] |
| HBL707 | Biomedical Materials and Biocompatibility [3] |
| HBL705 | Introduction to Nanomedicine [3] |
| HBL710 | Biochip [3] |
| HBL708 | Amplifier Design for Medical Instrumentation [3] |
| HBL691 | Microfabrication Technology [3] |
| HBL510 | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium I [3] |
| HBL511 | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium II [3] |
| HBL512 | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium III [3] |
| HBL513 | Biomedical Engineering Colloquium IV [3] |
| HBL720 | Medical Implant [3] |
| HBL721 | Biomedical Scaffold [3] |
Major Courses
| HBL690 | Interferometric Imaging [3] |
|---|---|
| HBL702 | LIGHT-TISSUE INTERACTION [3] |
| HBL687 | Special Topics in Biophotonics Ⅰ [3] |
| HBL688 | Special Topics in Biophotonics Ⅱ [3] |
| HBL711 | Molecular Spectroscopy [3] |
| HBL552 | Advanced Computer Programming [3] |
| HBL555 | Computational Neuroimage Analysis [3] |
| HBL576 | Image Reconstruction Algorithms [3] |
| HBL714 | Radiation Detection and Measurement II [3] |
| HBL689 | Treatment Planning of Radiotherapy and Practice [3] |
| HBL574 | Radiation Therapy Physics [3] |
| HBL821 | Quality Assurance of Radiotherapy and Practice [3] |
| HBL575 | Cancer Therapy Technique [3] |
| HBL577 | X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Imaging [3] |
| HBL715 | Introduction to Nuclear Medicine Physics [3] |
| HBL822 | Particle Therapy [3] |
| HBL699 | Polymers in Biomaterials [3] |
| HBL562 | Analysis Techniques for Biomaterials [3] |
| HBL698 | Surface Treatment of Biomaterials [3] |
| HBL684 | Cancer Biology [3] |
| HBL686 | Recent Advances in Nanobiotechnology [3] |
| HBL567 | Artificial Organs [3] |
| HBL695 | Nanofabrication [3] |
| HBL825 | Microfluidics Theory and Application Ⅰ [3] |
| HBL826 | Microfluidics Theory and Application Ⅱ [3] |
| HBL683 | Nanoscale Characterization of Biomaterials [3] |
| HBL680 | System Design for Biochemical Analysis [3] |
| HBL605 | Next Generation Biochemical Analysis [3] |
| HBL554 | Digital System Control for Medical Instrumentation [3] |
| HBL681 | Review of Edge Biomedical Technology Ⅰ [3] |
| HBL682 | Review of Edge Biomedical Technology Ⅱ [3] |
| HBL722 | Biophotonics [3] |
| HBL723 | Biomedical cell biology [3] |
| HBL724 | Biomedical 3D Printing [3] |
| HBL725 | Bioresorbable Materials and Applications [3] |
| HBL726 | Biomedical Engineering Practicum I [3] |
| HBL727 | Biomedical Engineering Practicum II [3] |
Application Guidelines
( ○: Conducted, X: Not Conducted, /: Not Offered, ▲: Not Recruiting )
| College | Department | Major | Master's Program | Doctoral Program | Master’s/Ph.D. Integrated | Note | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | Docs | Oral | Docs | Oral | Document Screening | ||||
| College of Health Science | Biomedical Engineering | Biomedical Engineering | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | |
Selection Method
A. Selection is based on a Document Review and an Oral Examination.
B. Document Review Evaluation Items
- Master's & Integrated Programs: Undergraduate GPA, submitted documents, and other requirements specified by the department.
- Doctoral Program: Undergraduate and Master’s GPA, thesis, research achievements, and other requirements specified by the department.
C. Oral Examination Evaluation Items
- Master's & Integrated Programs: Research plan, knowledge of the major field, and other requirements specified by the department.
- Doctoral Program: Master’s thesis presentation, research plan, knowledge of the major field, and other requirements specified by the department.
D. Miscellaneous
Duplicate applications are strictly prohibited across all recruitment units, departments, and majors. Integrated Program Applicants may dual-apply to the Master’s program within the same department/major. If an applicant fails the Integrated Program selection, they will automatically be considered for the Master’s program without an additional process. (This is not applicable to departments that do not recruit Master's students). (Transfer applicants are not eligible for dual application.)
