Matriculation into the doctoral program is based upon prior demonstration of a high level of academic achievement in graduate and/or undergraduate work. Advanced study and research are conducted under the guidance of a faculty member of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and an interdisciplinary committee. A total of 72 credits (21 course work credits and 51 credits of research) satisfies the Department's and the Institute's residency and thesis requirements. Students in the Ph.D. program can automatically earn a M.S. degree when completing their candidacy. Also, it is common for doctoral students to receive financial support from the department and/or the faculty.<br><br>The musculoskeletal well-being of aging individuals is a key factor affecting quality of life. As medical advances continue to extend people's lifespans, diseases of the musculoskeletal system are a significant threat to independence and lifestyle. Thus, a better understanding of the mechanobiology and biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system are key for the development of better therapeutic approaches, engineered tissues, and medical devices which target degenerated or injured tissues. In response to this critical need, Rensselaer faculty are investigating, modeling and/or regenerating bone, cartilage, intervertebral discs, muscle, tendon, ligament, and skin. This program promotes musculoskeletal research and discovery from molecules to tissues to animals to humans. We bring together and prepare future biomedical engineers with expertise in multiscale biomechanics, biomaterials, cell and tissue engineering, in vivo models, stem cells and regenerative medicine, and proteomics.