Joint Graduate Program in Joint Graduate Program in Biomedical EngineeringBiomedical Engineering

atatThe University of North The University of North

Carolina at Chapel Hill and Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State North Carolina State

UniversityUniversity

BackgroundBackground

• BME Graduate Program founded 1968 BME Graduate Program founded 1968 in the School of Medicine at UNCin the School of Medicine at UNC

• BME Graduate Minor founded 1992 in BME Graduate Minor founded 1992 in the College of Engineering at NCSUthe College of Engineering at NCSU

• Joint BME Graduate Program founded Joint BME Graduate Program founded 20032003

Why a Joint Program?Why a Joint Program?

• UNC gains closer ties with College of UNC gains closer ties with College of EngineeringEngineering

• NCSU gains closer ties with School of NCSU gains closer ties with School of Medicine Medicine

• Combined facilities and expertise Combined facilities and expertise enhance opportunities for studentsenhance opportunities for students

• Serve as focal point for interinstitutional Serve as focal point for interinstitutional researchresearch

Distinguishing FactorsDistinguishing Factors

• Located at two universitiesLocated at two universities• In concept, students belong to both In concept, students belong to both

universitiesuniversities• Each student has a “home” university for Each student has a “home” university for

purposes of records, funding, and purposes of records, funding, and administrationadministration

• Students have full privileges at both Students have full privileges at both universitiesuniversities

Distinguishing FactorsDistinguishing Factors

• Distance learning and teleconferencingDistance learning and teleconferencing• Single joint program director Single joint program director • Joint program committeesJoint program committees• Common curriculum and qualifier exam Common curriculum and qualifier exam

procedureprocedure• Educational requirements to meet Educational requirements to meet

graduate school standards of both graduate school standards of both universitiesuniversities

• Unique bi-institutional diplomaUnique bi-institutional diploma

Funding and ResearchFunding and Research

• Funded by the provosts of both Funded by the provosts of both institutionsinstitutions

• Separate accounts on each campus Separate accounts on each campus for academics and researchfor academics and research

• Shared research facilities between Shared research facilities between institutions institutions

• Collaborative research effortsCollaborative research efforts

Barriers to Creating the Barriers to Creating the ProgramProgram• Approvals from faculty, schools, Approvals from faculty, schools,

universities, Board of Governorsuniversities, Board of Governors

• Recurring budgets and research fundsRecurring budgets and research funds

• Joint students require dual id numbers, Joint students require dual id numbers, registration, parking passesregistration, parking passes

Positive ExperiencesPositive Experiences

• Envisioned and proposed jointly from the faculty at Envisioned and proposed jointly from the faculty at the two institutionsthe two institutions

• Enthusiastically supported and promoted by the Enthusiastically supported and promoted by the chancellors, provosts and deans of both institutionschancellors, provosts and deans of both institutions

• Approved promptly by Board of GovernorsApproved promptly by Board of Governors

• Positively received by continuing and new studentsPositively received by continuing and new students

• Actively supported by administrative staff at both Actively supported by administrative staff at both institutionsinstitutions

ChallengesChallenges

• Two longstanding research institutions with Two longstanding research institutions with individual culturesindividual cultures

• Competitive spirit and institutional loyaltyCompetitive spirit and institutional loyalty• Separate administrative procedures at Separate administrative procedures at

different universitiesdifferent universities• Different faculty appointments (9 vs. 12 Different faculty appointments (9 vs. 12

month)month)• Distinct graduate school requirements Distinct graduate school requirements

(required course hours, examinations, (required course hours, examinations, transfer credits)transfer credits)

• Incomplete transcript when a student Incomplete transcript when a student changes home institutionchanges home institution

Current StatusCurrent Status

• 23 faculty, 13 staff, 103 graduate students23 faculty, 13 staff, 103 graduate students

• 2.8 M recurring state funds and 3.7 M 2.8 M recurring state funds and 3.7 M research grantsresearch grants

• Next steps are to graduate the first PhDs, Next steps are to graduate the first PhDs, audit cross registrations, and increase audit cross registrations, and increase enrollmentenrollment

• Research funding is potential barrier to Research funding is potential barrier to growthgrowth