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Course Requirements – Research Programs

Course Requirements – Research Programs (MASc, PhD)

1 Background

Students are accepted into the research program at the Institute to undergo intensive academic training under the guidance of a research supervisor (and co-supervisor, if applicable). Because coursework is part of that training, it is important that students consult their supervisor(s) prior to course enrolment, to ensure that course objectives are appropriate for their project and aligned with the intended educational outcome for their training.

Graduate courses may vary in timing, weight, delivery mode, and format, and course codes convey this information. Specifically, all graduate courses have course codes consisting of

Normally, course weight is measured in full-course equivalents (FCEs) and is indicated via a Y or H suffix:

Generally, graduate students are expected to take graduate-level courses from the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering toward fulfilment of degree requirements outlined in their respective programs; however, under certain circumstances, substitutions, and/or alternatives may be possible, with special permission from the Associate Director or Director. Degree requirements and academic options are detailed below.

 

2 General requirements

2.1 Compulsory courses

Compulsory courses are required for students to maintain active registration at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

Course

Group

Requirement

RST9999

All students

Maintain enrolment every term until program completion

JDE1000

All students

Complete at least once

BME1010

MASc students

Maintain enrolment in Fall and Winter terms until program completion

BME1011

PhD students

Maintain enrolment in Fall and Winter terms until year 5

 

2.2 Compulsory environmental health and safety (EHS) training

See: https://bme.utoronto.ca/services/health-safety/

Students are prohibited from starting laboratory work until all Health and Safety training requirements are completed.

2.2.1 Students on campus

All research program students (i.e., MASc and PhD) must take EHS training and the BME Health and Safety Orientation (above) at the beginning of the program. Afterward, students must take the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) refresher course annually. Students are also required to attend mandatory specialized safety courses (e.g., laser safety, radiation safety, etc.) specific to their research and training environment. Students must consult their supervisor(s) for lab-specific training requirements.

2.2.2 Students in off-campus research locations

In addition to the above, students situated in affiliated research locations (e.g., Holland Bloorview, SickKids, KITE, etc.) must also take requisite health and safety training that is pertinent to their local environment. Students will receive this information from site (e.g., hospital) administrators and/or their supervisor(s). Students seeking health and safety training information for their research location should reach out to their supervisors as soon as practicable.

2.2.3 Noncompliance

Due to the complexity of academic training, it is possible that students may work at multiple locations throughout the duration of their degree program. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of health and safety policies of all research locations they attend. Negligence, inattention, or ignorance of the rules is not a valid reason for noncompliance. If a student is found to be in violation of any of the above-mentioned health and safety policies, the department may recommend to the School of Graduate Studies the termination of registration and eligibility of that student.

 

2.3 Foundation courses

Foundation courses help students with their training. Foundation courses are not specific to a discipline but can be applied across different research subjects. The three courses are BME1477, 1478, and 1479. Students are required to take at least two out of three of these courses.

Course

Group

Requirement

BME1477

All students

Complete at least two of three

BME1478

BME1479

 

2.4 Technical electives

See: https://uthrprod.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0012774

All research-program students should consult their supervisor(s) to take courses relevant to their academic training. In addition to supervisor recommendations, students may also want to engage in self-directed exploration, to learn more about the overarching framework of the BME curriculum and/or electives, which could be taken synergistically to concentrate subject matter expertise in a specific area of Biomedical Engineering. For these reasons, an overview of the BME graduate curriculum is available (above), together with some recommended electives for specialization. Students should view the recommended electives as a guide for creating a specialized learning plan to bolster knowledge and gain expertise on topics of interest. However, note that the specialization course listings are not comprehensive. If a student finds a course from another Engineering department that is a better fit for their training, the student should discuss this course with their research supervisor and/or supervisory committee. Coursework should be tailored to the student’s training and interests. Elective recommendations may also change from time to time depending on instructor availability and/or when course offerings change.

 

TIP: It may also benefit students to seek input from peers who have taken a course to understand the expected workload and educational outcomes of that course.

 

3 Program requirements

3.1 Master of Applied Science (MASc)

The MASc program requires at least 2.0 FCE in foundation and/or elective courses. A full coursework breakdown is provided below. All coursework requirements must be fulfilled before program completion.

Category

Weight

Requirement

Compulsory courses

Varies

See 2.1

EHS training

Varies

See 2.2

Foundation courses

1.0 FCE

See 2.3

Technical electives

1.0 FCE

See 2.4

 

3.2 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) requirements

The following tables detail coursework requirements of standard entry PhD students, who began doctoral studies after completion of a master’s program; and direct entry PhD students, who began doctoral studies after completion of undergraduate studies or transferred from the master’s to the doctoral program without completing the master’s degree.

3.2.1 Standard entry

Standard entry PhD students require at least 1.0 FCE in foundation and/or elective courses. A full coursework breakdown is provided below. All coursework requirements must be fulfilled before the student is eligible to achieve PhD candidacy.

Category

Weight

Requirement

Compulsory courses

Varies

See 2.1

EHS training

Varies

See 2.2

Foundation courses

1.0 FCE

See 2.3

3.2.2 Direct entry (or Transfer)

Direct entry PhD students require at least 3.0 FCE in foundation and/or elective courses. A full coursework breakdown is provided below. All coursework requirements must be fulfilled before the student is eligible to achieve PhD candidacy.

Category

Weight

Requirement

Compulsory courses

Varies

See 2.1

EHS training

Varies

See 2.2

Foundation courses

1.0 FCE

See 2.3

Technical electives

2.0 FCE

See 2.4

 

4 Course substitutions

Substitution of a requisite (i.e., foundation) course requires departmental approval. A course substitution may be possible if the student wishes to take (or has taken) a course with content similar to that offered by a foundation course. Students must follow the steps outlined below, which are required to ensure that the substitution(s) is/are documented on the student’s record; failure to do so may impede the student’s program completion/graduation.

Examples:

 

Approval procedure:

Step 1: Supervisor permission

The student must consult their primary research supervisor to discuss appropriate courses for their program and garner permission for course substitution(s).

Step 2: Associate Director permission

After obtaining supervisor permission, the student must send the following documents to the Graduate Office (grad.bme@utoronto.ca):

Step 3: Departmental approval

The review process may take up to two weeks. After the student’s request and documentation are thoroughly reviewed by the Associate Director, the Graduate Office will notify the student of the decision outcome.

 

5 Optional courses

5.1 APS leadership course

See: https://gradstudies.engineering.utoronto.ca/professional-degrees/elite-emphasis/

Some APS courses are now partially renamed TEP under the Institute for Studies in Transdisciplinary Engineering Education & Practice. BME students may take only one APS-coded four-digit course (e.g., APS1070) toward fulfilment of their graduate degree program, if desired.

5.2 500-level undergraduate course

See: https://undergrad.engineering.utoronto.ca/academics-registration/enrolment-registration/taking-extra-courses/

BME students may count a maximum of one 500-level Engineering undergraduate course credit (e.g., BME595) toward fulfilment of their graduate degree program. Although this is a unique benefit intended for students who completed Engineering undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto, other BME students may also take advantage of this option, if desired.

5.3 Courses outside of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering

Outside Engineering, BME students may take graduate courses from other faculties (e.g., Faculty of Arts and Science) if they have explicit written permission (typically email) from their primary research supervisor to confirm that the course(s) is/are relevant to the field of Biomedical Engineering and appropriate for the student’s academic training. Students should copy the BME Graduate Office (grad.bme@utoronto.ca) in the email correspondence when seeking permission from their supervisor to ensure documentation of this special permission in the student’s file. Please keep in mind that because such courses fall outside of BME control, students must contact the administrators of the relevant department(s) for final enrolment permission and instructions.

 

6 Contacts and resources