Are you interested in research? Do you want the opportunity to develop design and research skills beyond the standard BME curriculum?

Almost half of our undergraduates participate in research under the guidance of one of our primary or secondary faculty members. Typically, undergraduate research students are enrolled in both the UAB Honors College (for example, in the Science and Technology Honors Program) and the BME Honors Program. Many of our honors students go on to participate in the Fifth Year Master’s Program.

The Benefits of Honors Research

You will be mentored by faculty members in a research experience that is similar to graduate school. This will help you develop confidence and independence while boosting your communication and research skills. Ideally, your research project will result in a publication and/or presentation at a professional conference — a good thing to have on a job or graduate school application.

If you successfully complete the program you'll receive a certificate at the UAB Honors Convocation; your transcript will read “Graduation with Honors in Biomedical Engineering.”

Three credit hours of Honors Research may be used to satisfy a 400-level BME course elective. You may graduate with up to 6 credit hours to be applied towards a Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering.

Eligibility for Admission into BME Departmental Honors

• Completion of at least 32 credit hours, with an overall GPA of at least 3.75.
• Completion of MA 227: Calculus III or EGR 265: Math Tools for Engineering Problem Solving.
• For transfer students, a transfer GPA of at least 3.75 and membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Junior College Honor Society.

Requirements

Completion of the BME undergraduate curriculum plus:

• One additional credit hour of BME 496: Biomedical Engineering Seminar.
• EGR 301: Honors Research (1 credit hour). Students in the Science and Technology Honors Program are exempt from this requirement.
• Selection of a three-member honors committee, which includes your research advisor and at least one primary BME faculty member.
• Approval of a formal proposal, which must be submitted to the honors committee at least one week prior to an oral defense of the proposal. It is highly recommended that the proposal be approved by the end of summer semester of the junior year.
• BME 494: Honors Research (3 credit hours). The course grade is based upon completion of the written proposal and oral proposal defense.  The defense should be given using a PowerPoint presentation to the honors committee.
• A written honors thesis in the form of a scientific paper, due one month prior to graduation.
• BME 495: Honors Research II (at least 3 credit hours). The course grade is based upon completion of the written honors thesis and oral thesis defense.  The defense should be given using a PowerPoint presentation to the honors committee.
• Successful oral defense of the honors thesis at least three weeks prior to graduation.
• Up to 6 additional hours of BME 495 may be applied towards a Master's Degree in Biomedical Engineering at UAB.

Need More Information?

Contact Dr. Dale Feldman This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

School of Engineering Dean’s Office
Hoehn Engineering Building
1075 13th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35294-4440