Welcome to the Bioengineering Department! This handbook is designed to give new Bioengineering Ph.D. students a brief history and overview of the Bioengineering department at Penn along with important guidelines for successfully completing the Bioengineering Ph.D. program. In addition to this handbook there are several helpful resources available online:
The Graduate Group Chair and the BE administrative team can assist you with any special questions or individual concerns not covered in the handbook:
Dr. Dan Huh, Professor and Graduate Group Chair
Kathleen Venit Associate Director, Graduate Programs and Taylor Rosetti, PhD Administrative Coordinator email: bephd-admin@engineering.upenn.edu
Please note that it is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the rules, procedures, and requirements of the Department, SEAS, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740 as a charity school for Philadelphia children, the University of Pennsylvania is one of America’s first universities and one of its foremost institutions of higher education. Located in West Philadelphia, Penn offers its students one of the world’s best research faculties and a major metropolis rich in history, tradition, culture and innovation.
Today, Penn is a national leader in interdisciplinary programs that combine academic theory with professional practice. Among the Penn programs that cross the traditional boundaries between academic and professional disciplines is the Institute for Medicine and Engineering and the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics.
Over 10,000 students are enrolled in Penn’s 12 graduate and professional schools, many of whom are leaders in their fields. Penn is also an integral part of the West Philadelphia community, participating in a number of programs designed to enhance the livability and economic health of the area.
The first Biomedical Engineering Program in the nation began in the mid 1920’s as a collaboration between engineers and health professionals at the University of Pennsylvania. The first Ph.D. in Bioengineering in the United States was awarded from Penn’s Bioengineering Graduate Group in 1953. The Department of Bioengineering was formally approved by the University in 1973. To date, over 450 individuals have received a Ph.D. from our program, including some of the most distinguished academic and industrial leaders in Bioengineering. Many of Penn’s graduates hold academic positions in Biomedical Engineering or related departments at Universities throughout the world, and have played a leading role in defining the field. Other graduates have entered the biomedical industry and have become the primary driving force behind one of the faster growing sectors of the economy in providing advanced biomedical products, which has saved lives and improved the quality of our healthcare system.
Today the Bioengineering department at Penn has 22 primary faculty, and more than 212 affiliated graduate group faculty who provide the core teaching and research environment for over 200 undergraduate and over 500 graduate students. The department has consistently been ranked as one of the best Bioengineering programs in the country for preparing students for careers in industry, medicine, academia, and other fields related to biomedical technology. The success of the program is due to the dedication of the faculty in conducting both excellent teaching and outstanding research.
Penn’s academic curriculum in Bioengineering provides a solid foundation in science and develops powerful methods for understanding basic physiological processes. Combining the resources of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering, School of Medicine, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, School of Nursing, and the University Hospitals, the department is pioneering in a broad range of research areas in Bioengineering.
The Ph.D. curriculum provides training in engineering with focuses on biological and medical sciences. The program provides education in many areas of research, specific knowledge relevant to the student’s research area, scientific and engineering fundamentals and current updates in the field of Bioengineering. The fundamental goal of Penn Bioengineering is to provide students with a broad, flexible curriculum that gives them experience with a wide range of subject areas and intellectual approaches, to prepare them to function creatively and independently in a diverse range of settings.
Penn’ strategic framework, In Principle and Practice, provides the foundation for educating leaders for all sectors of society, and enriching the experience of all members of the University community. Penn Engineering remains strongly committed to initiatives that support the University’s efforts to provide an accessible, rigorous engineering education, and to improve our local and global communities through engineering.
The Bioengineering Main Department Office is located in 240 Skirkanich Hall.
If you order packages for your research, please have them delivered directly to your lab. Personal packages are not accepted at the BE Department Office.
The graduate program in Bioengineering is administered by the Bioengineering Graduate Group under the auspices of the SEAS Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The Graduate Group is comprised of the Bioengineering primary faculty members as well as faculty from other departments and schools throughout the University. This unique composition gives students the opportunity to work in emerging and interdisciplinary areas that are relevant to Bioengineering. The current members of the BE graduate group and their research areas are listed on the Department’s website.
The first person with whom a new student has contact is the Bioengineering Graduate Group Chair. The Bioengineering Graduate Group Chair will help arrange laboratory rotations and will also be a good resource for students as they develop a program of study for the fall and spring semester of their first year.
Some new students will begin the fall semester of the first year with laboratory rotations and others are directly matched into their thesis lab. Your advisor will play an important role in assisting with future course selection plans and guiding your dissertation research.
Learn more about the steps you can take to build a good, successful relationship with your Ph.D. advisor.
The spirit and size of the Department of Bioengineering fosters a close interaction between graduate students and the entire faculty. This enriches the quality of student-faculty communications and the academic environment to benefit both learning and discovery. Every effort is made to create an environment of scholarship, creativity and learning, which is the very essence of graduate study.
If you are having any wellness or climate issues with your advisor, other students, or any in the Penn community, please visit Penn Wellness website for assistance.
Apart from offering advising, seminars, and informal meetings with the Department Chair and Graduate Group Chair to solicit student input and exchange information, the Department strongly supports the Graduate Association of Bioengineers (GABE). GABE is a student-run association that represents the entire graduate student community in BE, and organizes both social and professional Bioengineering development events, sometimes in collaboration with the student chapter of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).
The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) is the University-wide student government for all graduate and professional students at the University of Pennsylvania. There are many University-wide affinity groups supported by GAPSA (e.g. LGBT, BGAPSA, LaGAPSA, Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Penn).
The Penn Bioengineering Graduate Group offers students a broad education that enables them to work, develop, and lead in bioengineering practice and research within either traditional engineering and research environments, or in non-traditional multidisciplinary environments at the interface between engineering and a diversity of fields, including medicine, the life sciences, business, and law.
Students should register during Advance Registration and during the course selection period. Dates for advance registration for the Spring and Fall semester can be found on the University Academic Calendar. PhD students do not enroll in the summer.
All students enrolled in a degree program are required to be continuously registered. Three or four graduate course units (CUs) per semester (including dissertation research, such as BE 9999) is considered to be a normal, full-time load for all students. Students must consult with the Graduate Group Chair if a deviation from the normal load is contemplated.
Part-time students usually take one or, at most, two courses per semester.
BE 9999 is the course number assigned to independent study/dissertation research. Section numbers for BE 9999 are assigned according to each advisor’s name. The section numbers for BE 9999 are found through Path@Penn registration system. Up to 3 units of this course may be taken simultaneously.
Continuous registration as a graduate student is required unless a formal leave of absence is granted. All students who desire a leave of absence must submit a request through the appropriate form found here: Forms and Requests
Students may add or drop courses without penalty in any semester if it is done by the deadline. The student should discuss all changes in registration with his/her advisor and receive approval before making any changes. Approval should be communicated via email to the Graduate Program Coordinator before making any changes to the registration.
Please notify the graduate group chair and Advisor/Supervisor in writing, at an early date, of his/her plans to initiate a “Time Off” period, so that appropriate arrangements can be made to cover any teaching/research responsibilities.
Please learn more about this policy here:
Graduate Student Support | Penn Valuing Grad StudentsSupport for PhD Students with Children | Penn Valuing Grad StudentsFamily Friendly Policies for PhD Students < University of Pennsylvania
A student in the PhD program at Penn may take Family Leave of Absence for the birth or adoption of a child, child care, or care of an immediate family member (spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent) with a serious health condition.
The student is expected to notify the graduate group chair and adviser in writing of his/her plans to take a Family Leave at an early date, so that appropriate arrangements can be made to cover any teaching/research responsibilities. Family Leave “stops the clock” on the student’s academic requirements, including service requirements, for the duration of the leave.
Students receiving funding from external sources, such as government grants, are subject to the conditions established by the funding source. Service requirements (e.g., teaching, research) will be met by the student following return from Family Leave. Please find details at the links below:
Family Friendly Policies for PhD Students < University of PennsylvaniaGraduate Student Support | Penn Valuing Grad StudentsSupport for PhD Students with Children | Penn Valuing Grad Students
The grading system for graduate courses is A+ through F. If a student receives an F, the course must be taken again; however, the F remains on the student’s record. Courses for which a passing grade was obtained cannot be taken again for credit.
Doctoral students in the School of Engineering and Applied Science are expected to maintain at least a B average (3.0) in their work. A student whose record falls below a minimum of a B average will be put on academic probation and may be required to withdraw.
Graduation requires a minimum of a B average (exclusive of dissertation credits). Requirements cannot be satisfied by auditing courses or receiving an incomplete (I) grade.
Please see the SEAS Graduate Handbook on policies for transfer credit petitions:
Forms and Requests
Visit the Provost’s website for more policies affecting graduate students. All Academic Forms including the Petition for Action, Transfer of Credit and Transfer of Graduate Group and the Application for Graduation can be found here.
Bioengineering research is based upon two fundamental approaches: analysis and experimentation. Bioengineering fundamentals therefore include: knowledge of how to build, test, and validate analytical models of biological systems; knowledge of how to measure biological events and activities; knowledge of how to design experiments; and knowledge of how to process and analyze experimental data. These bioengineering fundamentals are covered in a sequence of three courses devoted to analytical methods and modeling and to experimental methods and data analysis.
Bioengineering research requires thorough knowledge of living systems and organisms. Besides study and coursework in the student’s particular research area, the student will obtain a broad biological background through two courses – one covering cell biology, and one covering systems physiology. Both emphasize the quantitative aspects of living systems.
Each Ph.D. student has particular needs for acquiring scientific and engineering background knowledge – background knowledge that depends on the student’s research area and previous experience. Therefore, science and engineering coursework will be tailored for the student’s specific needs.
Overviews and updates of research in different bioengineering fields are provided in the form of programmatic seminars. These intensive, research-focused seminars are organized by the different research programs within the Graduate Group in Bioengineering. The seminars are conducted by the faculty in those research groups, with assistance from other members of the graduate group. The content varies from year to year, reflecting research directions in the Graduate Group, needs of the students, and new developments in Bioengineering.
PhD students are involved in research from the very beginning of their academic program. The first person with whom a new student has contact is the Bioengineering Graduate Group Chair. The Bioengineering Graduate Group Chair arranges each new student’s laboratory rotations and will also assist each student to develop a program of study for the fall and spring semester of their first year.
Some new students will begin the fall semester of the first year with laboratory rotations. Rotations are designed to allow students the opportunity to select a lab in which to continue their dissertation research. Once a lab is chosen the student’s advisor will be responsible to assist with future course selection plans and guide the student’s dissertation research. Traditionally all PhD mentors are selected from the Bioengineering Graduate Group Faculty.
This course provides training in the practical aspects of teaching. The students will work with a faculty member to learn and develop teaching and communication skills. As part of the course, students will participate in a range of activities that may include: giving lectures, leading recitations, supervising laboratory experiments, developing instructional laboratories, developing instructional material, preparing and grading homework assignments and solution sets, and preparing examinations. Feedback on the recitations will be provided to the student by the faculty responsible for the course. The course is graded on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. The evaluation will be based on comments of the students taking the course and the impressions of the faculty. Beginning fall 2026 all incoming PhD students are required to enroll in BE 8950 and complete a teaching practicum in their 3rd or 4th semester.
Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning offers teaching workshops for interested students.
Information on the time limit and other Academic rules can be found on the Provost’s website.The University’s maximum time limit for completion is ten years after matriculation. Graduate students who have been dropped after 10 years may petition the graduate group to return as a student for a maximum of one year in order to achieve recertification and defend the dissertation. The faculty have no obligation to continue working with a student who has been dropped, nor is there any presumption that a graduate group will respond favorably to a petition for re-admission. If the Graduate Group wishes to recommend re-admission, it must present to the Graduate Dean a list of faculty members willing to serve as a dissertation committee and a detailed, realistic plan of how the student will, within one year of re-enrollment, achieve recertification, pass the dissertation examination, and submit the final copy of the dissertation. If re-enrollment is approved by the Graduate Dean, such a student must pay reduced rate tuition for two semesters, unless all requirements are completed within one semester.
Students who have not completed all requirements for the Ph.D., including the deposit of the dissertation, within 10 years of their initial matriculation face the ever increasing risk that their knowledge of the field is no longer at the frontier of current research in their field. A student who is re-enrolled after expiration of the time limit must therefore satisfy the recertification criteria designed by their Graduate Group and approved by the Graduate Council of the Faculties (or retake and pass the Candidacy Examination). The new deadline for completion of all requirements for the Ph.D. including recertification shall be within one year.
The purpose of the Qualifications Evaluation is test the student’s ability to identify a research question, formulate a testable hypothesis parse the hypothesis into testable aims, and articulate a limited set of experiments to address these aims. The student will be evaluated for basic knowledge in the field of research, and ability to think logically and communicate effectively in both written and oral formats. The student is also expected to recognize the strengths, weaknesses, and feasibility of the proposed approach. The student is not expected to have substantial preliminary data for the written or oral examination.
All graduate students are required to complete the Qualifications Evaluation within the first 14 months of their residence (typically by Nov. 1). The Qualifications Evaluation requirements include: 1) preparing a written proposal, and 2) presenting and discussing the proposal during an oral examination by a committee of 3-4 members of Penn’s Bioengineering Graduate Group.
The combined exam period will take place during a 3-week window, during the first two weeks of which the written document for the qualifier will be prepared.
While preparing the qualifier (both written and oral components), the student is not to consult the advisor. Students can consult with peers. Students can also use online resources such as Google and PubMed but not ChatGPT or other LLM.The Bioengineering graduate coordinator, the GEC chair, and the Bioengineering Graduate Group chair will provide administrative guidance, if necessary.
The written document should take the form of an NIH R21 proposal, including sections for Specific Aims, Significance, Innovation, Approach, and Literature Cited. The proposal should be no longer than 7 pages, using at least 0.5” margins, single spacing, and 11-point font (preferably Arial). As a rough guideline, one page should be used for Specific Aims, 1-2 pages for Significance and Innovation, and <2-5 pages for Approach. The Literature Cited section does not count towards the page limit. For the oral portion of the exam, your presentation should last 10-15 minutes when uninterrupted (no more than 10 slides for planned presentation, excluding the title slide; backup slides are permissible, but only to address committee questions). Example R21 for reference
Riccardo Gottardi, Graduate Examinations Committee Chair
Revised 2024
The written document should take the form of an NIH R21 proposal, including sections for Specific Aims, Significance, Innovation, Approach, and Literature Cited. The proposal should be no longer than 7 pages, using at least 0.5″ margins, single spacing, and 11-point font (preferably Arial). As a rough guideline, one page should be used for Specific Aims, one page for Significance and Innovation, and five pages for Research Design and Methods.
Example R21 for reference
The Literature Cited section does not count towards the page limit. For the oral portion of the exam, your presentation should last 10-15 minutes (no more than 10 slides, excluding the title slide) when uninterrupted. A sample timeline is below:
Students are strongly encouraged to schedule the qualifier as soon as possible to minimize conflicts with coursework and schedules of committee members!
Student Registration Form -Students receive a google sheet with available dates. Students will sign up on a date/time that is convenient for both advisor and student by April15th.
R21 Basics
Excerpts from NIH PHS 398 Instructions
Advisor Guidelines – Advisor should consult with student on available date and time for oral exam along with a confidential topic and recommendations for committee members.
Advisor Registration form will be received on April 16th and must be completed by April 30th.
Exam Committee Guidelines
Evaluation of Exam and Overall Recommendations Form
Kate Venit (kvenit@seas.upenn.edu), Associate Director, Graduate Programs
Yale Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. (ycohen@pennmedicine.upenn.edu), Chair, Bioengineering Graduate Group
To be eligible to defend your proposal and advance to candidacy, a student must have passed the Qualifications Evaluation and be in good academic standing. All Ph.D. students should defend their dissertation proposal by the end of the fall semester of their third year of graduate studies.
Access the Dissertation Registration web form here.
Before the third year, each student and advisor should identify a dissertation research topic, select potential committee members, and develop a timeline to defend their dissertation proposal by the end of the fall semester of their third year of study. All students must formally register for the Dissertation Proposal (access registration form here) by the end of the fifth semester of graduate study. If the student took a leave of absence during his/her studies, or believes he/she may have other extenuating circumstances, contact the Graduate Group Chair so that a timeline to defend the proposal can be determined based on individual circumstances.
The Graduate Group Chair will review the topic, committee members and timeline proposed on the registration form. After reviewing your registration and committee recommendations, you will receive an email confirmation and approval of your registration. Changes or additions to the committee require approval of the Graduate Group Chair.
Download the Guidelines for Selecting Your Committee.
The advisor must approve the dissertation proposal before it can be distributed to the committee. The dissertation proposal is based on the NIH application format, and should have the following sections: Cover page including title, student and advisor name and contact information, Table of Contents, Abstract (<1 page), Specific Aims (1 page) and Research Strategy (6-12 pages). There is a 13-page limit, single-spaced with minimum font size of 11, excluding the Cover Page, Table of Contents, Abstract and References. The Specific Aims section states the specific objectives of the research proposed (e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm or clinical practice, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology). The Research Strategy section includes subsections: Significance (e.g. importance of the problem and how project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability), Innovation (e.g. methods, instrumentation, theories, etc.), and Approach (overall strategy, methods and analyses, as well as preliminary data, potential problems and alternative strategies). This format emphasizes scientific and technical merit of the proposed studies, with less emphasis on preliminary data.
Concurrent with the final stages of writing, the student should schedule a date for the proposal defense allowing a minimum of two weeks for the proposal to be reviewed by the committee. The student should copy his/her advisor on all correspondence with committee members. To facilitate rapid convergence on convenient meeting time and dates, students should find 5-7 dates/times that work for the student and advisor, and use meeting planner websites (e.g. www.doodle.com or when2meet.com) to help schedule the meeting. If the student has continued difficulty scheduling due to an unresponsive committee member, he/she should inform the advisor for help. If the member is non-responsive for more than a week, do not hesitate to contact the Graduate Program Coordinator or Graduate Group Chair to expedite the scheduling of the oral exam.
When the student has finalized a date, he/she must inform the Graduate Program Coordinator. Meeting rooms can be reserved through the SEAS Room Reservation Request Form found on-line: www.seas.upenn.edu/about-seas/room-reservation/ The student should send an email to all committee members with confirmation of the date and meeting place. The student will send a reminder to all committee members of the time and location one week before the meeting. The Graduate Group Chair and Graduate Program Coordinator should be copied on the reminder, which can be distributed by e-mail.
If there is a need to change the meeting time of the presentation the student must confirm these changes with committee members and make sure that everyone is agreeable to the change. The student must also inform the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Graduate Group Chair of any changes that are made.
The Oral Presentation period of the dissertation defense should last approximately 45 minutes and will be followed by a question-answer period of similar length. Adjustments may be made with regard to the length of the presentation and subsequent discussion based on committee discretion, but the student should tailor his/her presentation roughly to these guidelines. The conference room should be reserved for two and a half hours to also allow the committee time for evaluation and discussion. The committee chair will report the recommendations to the Graduate Group Chair through the form below: Acceptance of Proposal Form
It is imperative that all committee members be present at the oral presentation. If a member of the committee is unable to attend, the student must obtain approval of the committee chair and Graduate Group Chair to go on with the proposal. In this case, the absent member will be required to send comments to the Committee Chair two days prior to the presentation. At the Committee Chair’s discretion, these comments or questions may be used to test the candidate’s knowledge of the subject area.
The dissertation advisor is an ex-officio member of the committee and should always be present at the examination and at all meetings of the committee. However, the advisor must allow the student to demonstrate his/her knowledge and command of the subject on his/her own and will be recognized by the committee chair only to clarify issues when requested by a committee member.
The student will be informed orally on the outcome of the dissertation proposal defense following the examination. Confirmation of the outcome should be submitted by the Committee Chair through the Acceptance of Proposal Form.
The committee may request revisions to the proposal, accept it as is, or very rarely, suggest a retake or fail the student. The dissertation committee must accept the proposal before the student advances to Candidacy.
PhD milestones must be recorded and submitted by the student through the school’s new Penn Grad Forms website called BP logix. To access the appropriate form for the proposal, choose – “Penn Graduate Forms”, next select “Available forms”, then choose and complete the “Candidacy Examination” form. The form is simple to complete, enter the date you completed your proposal and click submit. Thank you!
NOTE: Students who have not defended their dissertation proposal and advanced to candidcay by the end of the Fall semester of their 3rd year of graduate studies must petition to the Graduate Group Chair for an extension. The petition should explain why a proposal was not submitted and provide a schedule for submission. The University regulations state that the maximum time limit for a student to “Advance to Candidacy” is five years, after which time the student will be dropped from the rolls. Dissertation proposals must be defended and approved at least 12 months before the Doctoral Dissertation is submitted. The Graduate Group Chair will not accept a Doctoral Dissertation before this period has passed.
Starting in their second year, students will meet with a mentoring committee annually. Prior to candidacy, the mentoring committee will be composed of their Qualifying committee. After candidacy, the mentoring committee will be composed of their Dissertation committee, which depending on the nature of a student’s thesis may include members of the Qualifying committee. At least one week prior to the annual meeting (which also includes the candidacy exam), the student will provide a brief progress report (3-page max, excluding non-mandatory figures), an updated CV, and a copy of their IDP. At the beginning of the meeting, the student will meet alone with the committee, followed by a meeting of the advisor(s) with the committee. The committee chair will fill out the PhD Committee Meeting Report.
Access the Progress Report Submission form here.
The purpose of the Dissertation Committee is to provide objective advice and fresh points of view to the student and Advisor. A lively discussion may be expected at these meetings, which is sure to benefit the student and the student’s research. Committee meetings are also important for ensuring that the student is: i) on schedule to complete the Thesis in an appropriate time frame, including maintaining the appropriate balance of experiments, analysis, writing, and dissemination; ii) thinking about and effectively pursuing post-graduation career plans; and iii) at the appropriate time is given permission to defend.
Upon completion of the research program, as determined by the student and advisor, each student must prepare a doctoral dissertation that is read by the dissertation committee and defended in a public presentation. The dissertation must follow the rules and format stipulated in the Doctoral Dissertation Manual issued by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.
Although strict style guidelines have not been set by the Bioengineering Graduate Group, it is stressed that the requirements of all good scientific writing, i.e. clear logic, clear and grammatically correct writing, and common sense in the presentation, should be followed. In general, the student should also consult previous Ph.D. theses available in the library for guidance as to how to best solve problems of presenting voluminous data, graphs, equations, etc., that are often encountered in an engineering dissertation.
The importance of good organization, with appropriate chapter subheadings as required, cannot be over emphasized, since the reader is faced with the problem of assimilating and critically assessing a great deal of information. Students should also be cognizant that significant differences in styles exist for theses in engineering and the life sciences; although Bioengineering spans both, at Penn the Bioengineering Ph.D. is an engineering degree and students should follow that model.
It is the responsibility of the dissertation advisor to ensure that the written copy of the dissertation submitted to the committee meets the above basic requirements.
In order to submit the dissertation, it must be in its final form, i.e., typed, with final drawings, and complete with references and appendices.
When the advisor approves the dissertation, it is time to send it to the committee and schedule the public defense. The student must allow sufficient time for the reading of the dissertation by the committee, the final examination, and possible revisions and rereading; otherwise the student may be required to register for another semester to complete the process. Specifically, the student may schedule a date for the defense, allowing a minimum of three weeks for the dissertation to be read. When the student has finalized a date he/she must inform the graduate assistant within three weeks of the date so that the Graduate Program Coordinator can prepare the proper paperwork and post notices of the defense to the University community. Communicating confirmation of the date and meeting place to each committee member is the responsibility of the student. If any of the original committee members are unavailable, the Graduate Group Chair will appoint replacements as needed. Upon agreeing to an examination date, the committee members guarantee to complete an initial review of the dissertation at least One week prior to the scheduled exam date. During that week, they should be available for consultation with the student to discuss possible necessary dissertation revisions and deficiencies prior to the examination. The responsibility for initiating contact rests with the student, but an equal responsibility rests with the dissertation committee to make the student and advisor aware of problems prior to the examination. In extreme cases, the committee chair may act to postpone the examination date if in his/her judgment the dissertation is not ready for defense.
The actual final examination consists of a defense of the dissertation by the student. It is conducted in two parts:
At the conclusion of the final examination, the committee decides by majority vote, as to whether the student passes the final examination and whether the dissertation is acceptable. The results are transmitted to the Graduate Group Chair, who has primary responsibility for acceptance of the dissertation as representative of the entire Graduate Group Committee. It is expected that in all but the rarest circumstance the Graduate Group Chair will consent to the committee’s recommendation, and will break a tie vote if necessary the Graduate Group Chair can overrule the dissertation committee. In order to overrule the dissertation committee, the Graduate Group Chair must submit a written opinion to the entire Graduate Group Committee, who then take final action.
If the student is judged to have passed the final examination, but the dissertation is deemed to require revision, the review committee shall determine what revisions are necessary, and the basis for further review. Such revisions will be specified in a letter from the Examining Committee Chair sent to the candidate and his/her advisor within 48 hours of the examination. The dissertation committee chair is responsible for overseeing this aspect of the review and for certifying to the Graduate Group Chair that the dissertation is finally acceptable. The student must then submit sufficient copies of the approved dissertation for each of the committee members, if they require them.
All information needed to deposit your dissertation and graduate is found here: Graduate Degrees – Penn Provost
The must make an appointment with the office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education to submit the dissertation.
The student must inform the graduate assistant of the date and time of the appointment at least one week in advance in order for the assistant to complete the degree worksheet and ensure electronic forms are approved and processed.
Access the University of Pennsylvania Doctoral Dissertation Manual here.
Since all PhD candidates at the University of Pennsylvania are governed by procedures established in the SAS Graduate Office, Engineering PhD candidates should be aware that their applications for graduation are processed in the SAS Graduate Office and that their dissertation is submitted there.
The SAS Graduate Office firmly observes the deadlines they establish, so it is important to adhere to their requirements.
Early application for graduation is necessary to ensure that grades, dissertation preparation and/or revisions, and financial obligations can be fulfilled by the deadline for graduation. Also, the process for ordering and printing diplomas can take up to three months.
Candidates for PhD degrees need to apply for graduation online.
PhD Students – Penn Provost
Confer with your adviser and inform him or her of the need for a timely reading and signature before graduation.
Apply to graduate through the provost’s online application system found on the page at the link below:
Make sure that your financial obligations are cleared before the end of the final semester.
Check that your academic record is complete, and that appropriate courses have been taken for the degree.
Order cap and gown from the University Bookstore in early March if you wish to participate in the May graduation ceremony. May is the only formal graduation ceremony. (Students who graduate in August or December of the preceding year are invited to attend the May ceremony. Students anticipating graduation in the same year may request, by approval, to participate in the May ceremony.)
Transcripts can be viewed through Path@Penn.
Graduate students are encouraged to periodically check transcripts. Look for unreported grades or other discrepancies. Also note that after you complete your thesis proposal, you will be eligible for Dissertation Status.
Please bring any questions or concerns about your transcripts to the attention of the PhD administrators in Bioengineering: bephd-admin@engineering.upenn.edu
Financial support for all Ph.D. students is made available through a number of sources such as funds from the School, the Department, research grants of the faculty, and industrial sources, as well as from federal and foundation fellowships granted to the student.
A given faculty member plays the primary role in selecting a student for a research fellowship supported by his/her grant. The Graduate Group Chair formally makes all fellowship appointments. Full-time students are expected to work full time on research in the summer months. Should a dissertation advisor be unable to provide funding for a student’s stipend and tuition the Graduate Group Chair will work with the student to find another advisor to mentor the student, possibly associated with a change in research topic.
We encourage all students to apply for graduate training fellowships during their graduate studies. Some students apply for fellowships prior to matriculating to Penn and these fellowships provide students tremendous flexibility in choosing a lab for their research.
Any Ph.D. student who is awarded an extramural individual fellowship may qualify for a one-time $3,000 bonus in addition to their standard stipend.
Some of the most common sources for fellowships and PhD training support are provided here. Proposal writing workshops are offered by the School annually.
