Students who have interest in an MS program in Biomedical Informatics may wish to consider the NJIT MS degree in Information Systems with specialization in Biomedical Informatics. That program is continuing. UMDNJ will also continue to offer an MS and a PhD program in Biomedical Informatics through the UMDNJ School of Health Related Professions. Students should contact UMDNJ directly for more information on these.

Admission Requirements:
Applicants are expected to have an undergraduate degree in science or engineering and courses in thermodynamics, differential equations, scientific computer programming, statics and/or dynamics, and an introductory course in electrical engineering.

Bridge Program: Students are expected to have basic proficiency in a procedural programming language, database concepts, elementary calculus and differential equations. Those who lack this background are expected to take UMDNJ's BINF 4000 Essentials of Health Computer Science or its equivalent. Students who lack an academic background in the health science disciplines are required to take a course in engineering physiology or an equivalent.

Graduate Certificate Program: A 12-credit graduate certificate in health care information systems is available as a step toward this degree. Students can complete this certificate in part through classes conducted via electronic communications. See Graduate Certificates in this catalog. For further information about extension programs and graduate certificates, call the associate vice president of continuing and distance education, Division of Continuing Professional Education, 1 (800) 624-9850 or (973) 596-3060; e-mail cpe@njit.edu

Degree Requirements:
Students must complete at least 36 degree credits: 18 in required core courses; 6 in an area of emphasis; 6 in electives (in consultation with an advisor); and 6 of thesis. Courses are offered at NJIT and UMDNJ.

Core:
18 credits:

Admission Requirements:
Students admitted to the joint doctoral program in biomedical informatics must meet both NJIT and UMDNJ admission requirements. Students must hold an undergraduate or graduate degree in a health field or biomedical informatics, computer science, engineering or a related field from an accredited institution, with a minimum GPA of 3.5. Students must submit: official baccalaureate and master's degree transcripts, curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, and GRE/GMAT/MCAT/DAT or comparable graduate admission examination scores. International students must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by scoring a minimum of 550 (pencil and paper) and 213 (computer-based) on the TOEFL. In addition, applicants must demonstrate superior performance in a procedural programming language, database concepts and mathematics corresponding to the contents of CIS 431, CIS 505, Math 111, Math 121 and Math 211. See the NJIT undergraduate catalog for course descriptions. Students who fail to demonstrate performance in these areas will be required to take prerequisite courses. Applicants must have taken appropriate courses in biomedical informatics and demonstrate aptitude, interest and commitment to scholarly activities and research, documented by the quality of papers and projects completed by the applicant and letters of recommendation submitted by persons familiar with the applicant's academic work.

Degree Requirements:
The Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics requires completion of at least 61 credits beyond the master of science degree and maintenance of a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or better with no more than two grades of C.

Required:
24 credits of advanced courses at the 600 level (above 5000 level at UMDNJ) subject to advisor's approval and related to the expected research area of specialization are required. A minimum of 12 credits must be at the 700 level (7000 level at UMDNJ). For course descriptions of 7000-level courses, see the program director.

36 credits of dissertation research culminating in a dissertation, which meets the publication requirements of both UMDNJ and NJIT. A maximum of 6 credits of pre-doctoral research can be applied to the dissertation research requirement.

Qualifying Examination - Students must pass a qualifying examination of preparatory studies in the areas of biomedical informatics theory and systems as well as selected biomedical informatics courses related to the area of the student's interest.

Dissertation Proposal and Defense - After successfully completing the qualifying examination students must submit and give an oral defense of a dissertation proposal.

Research - Students who have passed the qualifying examination are permitted to register for doctoral dissertation research. The student's doctoral advisor and doctoral committee supervise the student's extensive research.

Dissertation and Defense - Students are required to write a dissertation summarizing the results of their research and give an oral defense in front of the student's doctoral committee. Submission of a journal quality paper on the student's dissertation research to a peer-reviewed journal.

Participate in the graduate colloquium/seminars, BINF 7910 Biomedical Informatics Seminar or CIS 791 Graduate Seminar every semester.

Participate in the instruction of at least one course in biomedical informatics or a related area under the supervision of a faculty member.