Biomedical Engineering and Master of Business Administration

This innovative program will give you the acumen to develop innovative technology that enhances quality of life, the financial ability to make those products viable in the marketplace, and the managerial skills to lead successful engineering and technology firms.

The Duquesne MBA/MS in Biomedical Engineering joint degree is offered cooperatively by the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business and the School of Science and Engineering. This dual-degree program will help prepare graduates to enter the fast-paced technology-based healthcare industry with a strong business acumen that will propel them into upper level managerial positions.

A combined 74 credits for these two degrees, 32 credits for the M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and 42 credits for the MBA, is reduced to 65-68 credits through credit sharing. The MBA capstone course may be waived, if the MS-BME thesis/research requirement is fulfilled through a project with a corporate partner. 

Graduate Viewbook

How to Apply

Students must apply and be accepted to both programs of study, and students must receive approval from the Department of Biomedical Engineering in order to pursue the joint degree. 

Tuition Information

Both the MBA and MS-BME are billed on a per-credit basis. Students will pay the MS-BME tuition during any semester in which they are enrolled in at least one MS-BME class. Students will pay the MBA tuition rate during any terms in which they are solely enrolled in MBA courses.

Program Information

Gain the acumen to develop innovative technology that enhances quality of life, the financial ability to make those products viable in the marketplace, and the managerial skills to lead successful engineering and technology firms.

Program Type

Dual Degree

Degree

Master's

Duration

2

Required Credit Hours

65-68

Recommended Course Sequence | Fall Year One

13 credits

1 credit

The ability to effectively disseminate current scientific ideas and research through both oral and visual presentations is a critical skill for engineering graduates. This course will focus on both effective presentation and evaluation skills. The course is a required BME MS course and will meet once a week. Seminar. Offered fall only.
3 credits

This introductory graduate course offers students a broad knowledge of modern methods and engineering tools used in biomedical engineering. Topics include MATLAB programming, 3D modeling/printing using Fusion 360, soft tissue characterization, optical sensing/imaging, FDA guidelines for medical device development/verification. This course features hands-on learning experience. Students will complete a group project after each module. In addition to projects, students will have opportunities to do experiments related to specific topics, such as tissue testing and optical imaging. Lecture. Offered fall only.
3 credits

This course introduces mathematical and computational techniques that are relevant for describing and modeling physical processes encountered in biomedical engineering. Topics will include linear algebra and matrix methods, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, singular value decomposition, linear system of equations, and numerical methods for solving differential equations. Mathematical methods will be introduced within the context of current problems in biomedical engineering. This course makes extensive use of MATLAB computer programming to aid problem solving. The graduate version of this course has additional assignments and expectations. Lecture. Offered fall only.
1.5 credits

This course provides graduate business students with an introduction to fundamentals of accounting for corporations. Topics will include the accounting cycle, an introduction to the basic financial statements of a corporation and determinations of corporate profitability and solvency. Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

Financial Management is about decisions firms make in two broad areas: the investments it makes and how it pays for them. The first involves expenditures for physical capital, human capital, technological capability, brand capital, and so forth. The second involves raising money in financial markets. In business decision making, the objective is to maximize shareholder wealth. Why the emphasis on shareholders? Among stakeholders generally (i.e., customers, employees, suppliers, government, communities, etc.), shareholders alone possess a uniquely comprehensive and long-term view of the firm’s viability as an ongoing enterprise. This perspective arises from the residual nature of shareholders’ claim to earnings and assets. Wealth is created when the return from investing business resources exceeds their opportunity cost. FINC 501 Finance Fundamentals provides an introduction to fundamental topics which are prerequisite for FINC 530 Financial Management: • Financial Statements and Ratio Analysis • Financial Statement Forecasting • Time Value of Money Pre-Requisite: ACCT 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C (may be taken concurrently). Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

This course provides the necessary foundation in probability and statistics necessary for students looking to go on to study the application of statistics to business. In this course, students will learn the rules of probability, how to identify and use common probability distributions, and how to conduct basic hypothesis tests. Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

The course is a prerequisite for ECON 520 and covers introductory topics in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Online. Offered every semester.

Recommended Course Sequence | Spring Year One

10 credits

1 credit

The ability to effectively communicate scientific and engineering ideas is a critical skill for biomedical engineers. This course will focus on effectively communicating scientific ideas and interacting in a professional setting with both technical and nontechnical individuals. The course is a required BME MS course and will meet once a week.  Seminar. Offered spring only.
3 credits

This course is geared towards the applications of the advanced computational techniques to various biomedical engineering problems and covers advanced computational methods from a biomedical engineering perspective. A basics knowledge of biomechanics in various physiological systems, including the cardiovascular system (arteries, aneurysms, blood circulation), and the respiratory system (lung, breathing, inhalation drug delivery) will be presented. Lectures focus on providing an understanding of computational methods used in simulating biomechanical phenomena such as the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Course topics include equations of motion and equilibrium for solids and fluids, biomechanical constitutive models of tissue, hyperelasticity, viscoelasticity, and poroelasticity, biofluids, software introduction, various computational methods and their applications in biomechanical simulations. Lecture. Offered spring only.
3 credits

This course focuses on utilizing computational methods to solve engineering problems, which often can’t be solved analytically. The goal of this course is to provide students a comprehensive understanding of a variety of computational methods and algorithms. Those methods will be introduced in the context of engineering examples, and implemented in MATLAB. Advanced MATLAB programming techniques will be introduced to solve complex engineering problems. Topics of this course includes: errors, roots and optimization, curve fitting, integration, and differentiation. Advanced topics may also be introduced. The graduate version of this course has additional assignments and expectations. Lecture. Offered spring only.
3 credits

In this course, students will learn how to apply statistical methods of inference, produce and interpret statistics that attempt to answer typical business questions, and use probability theory and statistical methods to draw conclusions. Students are required to arrive having a working understanding of basic probability and statistics up through and including hypothesis testing. This course places heavy emphasis on the application of statistical techniques to business problems and the interpretation of results for a non-technical audience. Pre-requisite: STAT 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.

Recommended Course Sequence | Summer Year One

12 credits

3 credits

This course provides graduate business students with a deeper understanding of the accounting cycle used in companies to produce both internal and external financial information. Special emphasis is placed throughout the course on understanding, analyzing and interpreting financial statements and related information. Additionally, students will be introduced to decision making tools such as ratio analysis and challenged to utilize them to critically evaluate financial information and make effective decisions. The basics of corporate sustainability reporting will also be covered. PR: ACCT 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

This course is designed to develop the legal literacy of MBA students by raising their conscious awareness of potential legal problems or challenges as they discharge their professional responsibilities. Because business decisions have legal implications, it is important that managers understand the legal environment in which they must function. In fact the significance of the law is so great it has been suggested that modern organizations are immersed in a “sea of law.” As a part of an integrated professional MBA program students will come to understand how law affects all aspects of business. This is not a stand alone legal course. In this course we will bring a legal sensitivity to the financial, managerial, organizational and strategic dimensions of business. The larger goal of this course is to develop a legally astute manager. Although we tend to think of the law as the exclusive province of lawyers, the reality is that law is too important a matter to be entrusted to lawyers alone. To do so is in effect an abdication of the business professional’s responsibilities. The legally astute manager understands that success in business requires, among other things, the development of critical thinking skills. There is no better context in which to develop those skills than in the study of business law. Critical thinking skills honed in the study of law provide a foundation for business professionals who must navigate across a wide range of disciplines in order to achieve business success. Toward that end, MBA students will examine substantive concepts relative to such matters as contract formation, risk management, intellectual property, environmental management, employee relations and corporate form and governance. As we live in a time in which the law, business and society nexus is so significant, it would be foolhardy to underestimate the importance of legal education in shaping our business leaders. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

This course teaches graduate students essential qualitative decision-making skills for analyzing business issues with an ethical dimension. Conflicting and complementary conceptions of the ethical decision making model are presented that demonstrate how to critically reason through ethical dilemmas in business across all business functions. These rational processes will enable students to effectively recognize, evaluate and resolve ethical conflicts. Throughout the seminar, the analytical frameworks will be applied to common ethical challenges to businesses. The purpose is for students completing this module to be able to identify which ethical framework is most appropriate for addressing a given real world issue and ultimately be able to apply that framework to facilitate responsible decision making. Thus, the course begins with a detailed description and application of each ethical decision making framework to ensure students understand how and in what contexts these tools are utilized. Then, attention is paid to the various individual, organizational, and institutional factors that affect ethical misconduct in the workplace. Personal cognitive influences, common intra-organizational pressures, regulatory factors, and market forces are discussed in terms of how they moderate ethical behavior in business. Once students learn the sources of ethical indiscretions in organizations, methods for constructing and manipulating organizational environments to increase the likelihood of ethical behavior among the firm’s stakeholders are offered. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
3 credits

The course covers selected topics in microeconomics. It emphasizes the integration of microeconomic theories and tools from a managerial perspective. The applied aspect of the course comes from analyzing case studies and studying empirical evidence of the theories. Topics include both traditional topics in microeconomics (quantitative demand analysis, elasticities, production and costs, market structures and profit maximization), in addition to advanced topics (game theory and pricing strategies). Pre-Requisite: STAT 510 for level GR with minimum grade of C (may be taken concurrently). Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
3 credits

This course examines the role of marketing in creating exchanges that satisfy consumer and organizational objectives thereby creating value for the firm. The course focuses on formulating and evaluating marketing strategies. Students learn how marketing mix decisions – product, place, promotion and price – are made as part of a cohesive strategy. Contemporary concepts and theories will be presented with a focus on analytical and financial models that will assist marketing managers in making better decisions. Emerging perspectives on strategic sustainability, marketing management and the impact of digital media are also emphasized. Pre-Requisite: ECON 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.

Recommended Course Sequence | Fall Year Two

12 credits

3 credits
1.5 credits

The primary responsibility of all managers is to make decisions in situations in which there are multiple competing objectives. This course introduces students to a set of tools that can be applied to scenarios in a variety of business environments. Specifically, this set of tools will include data summarization, data visualization, optimization methods, Monte Carlo simulation, multi-criteria decision analysis, and decision trees. Subsequent courses in the program will utilize these analytical methods within their specific decision environments. Pre-Requisite: STAT 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C (may be taken concurrently). Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

This course examines the ways in which leaders, managers, and employees can improve employee performance and commitment – key factors underlying competitive organizations. Guided by an examination of contemporary research and real-world cases, students will develop the knowledge and tools needed to help them navigate the opportunities and challenges inherent in managing themselves and others to generate enduring social and financial value, while incorporating long-term sustainable business objectives into the vision for the firm. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
3 credits

Financial Management is about decisions firms make in two broad areas: the investments it makes and how it pays for them. The first involves expenditures for physical capital, human capital, technological capability, brand capital, and so forth. The second involves raising money in financial markets. In business decision making, the objective is to maximize shareholder wealth. Why the emphasis on shareholders? Among stakeholders generally (i.e., customers, employees, suppliers, government, communities, etc.), shareholders alone possess a uniquely comprehensive and long-term view of the firm’s viability as an ongoing enterprise. This perspective arises from the residual nature of shareholders’ claim to earnings and assets. Wealth is created when the return from investing business resources exceeds their opportunity cost. FINC 530 Financial Management provides an advanced discussion of the analytical techniques used to assess the impact of business decisions on shareholder value. The course covers these topics: • Valuation—stocks, bonds, corporate valuation • Interest rates and financial markets • Investment decision making (capital budgeting analysis) • Risk, return and the opportunity cost of capital • Market efficiency • Capital structure Pre-Requisite: FINC 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C and ACCT 515 for level GR with minimum grade of C and STAT 501 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
3 credits

Recommended Course Sequence | Spring Year Two

9 credits

3 credits. Replaces MGMT-548 Capstone Project with the approval of Capstone Project instructor
3 credits
3 credits

This course addresses the process of planning and implementing business strategies. In order to develop a future direction for an organization, this class builds on the formulation of a company’s mission, industry analysis, an organization’s internal assessment, innovation, and strategic planning. This course emphasizes corporate governance, sustainability, and ethics in strategic management. Prerequisites: ECON-520 with minimum grade of C, FINC-530 for level GR with minimum grade of C, and MKTG-535for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.

Recommended Course Sequence | Summer Year Two

9 credits

3 credits

This is a dynamic course that provides an overview of executive leadership and opportunities to interact with senior managers.  The course draws on the collective experience and wisdom of distinguished business leaders who visit the class to provide students with executive perspectives on the challenges associated with thinking entrepreneurially, strategic leadership, developing a vision and motivating organizational change.  Students use a variety of conceptual frameworks in leadership and related areas to assess and evaluate these “executive insights” (e.g., via papers and projects) with an eye toward developing their own leadership skills, particularly their ability to seize opportunities and create effective solutions for the contemporary challenges facing business leaders.   Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

This course helps students acquire the knowledge and skills needed to interact and manage effectively in a global business environment. Students will be exposed to international aspects of organizational behavior, human resource management, labor relations, corporate strategy, political risk and ethical issues. Overall, this course is designed to raise students' international business acumen as well as their cultural intelligence. While business is an increasingly global proposition, cultural differences impact everything from how employees are hired to how they are led to how business strategies are formed. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the business process that has evolved from the integration of the traditional business disciplines of forecasting, demand planning, materials planning, purchasing, production, operations management, transportation, inventory management, warehousing, packaging, materials handling, customer service, and related information systems. SCM focuses on efficient and effective customer satisfaction from the exchange of goods, services and information to complete the business transaction from supplier’s supplier to customer’s customer. This course provides insight into the goals and best practices of each business discipline included in the SCM process, and how these disciplines integrate to ensure a competitive advantage and corporate success. Students will assess industry specific differences in managing the flow of materials, goods, services, information and cash via the processes, technologies, and facilities that link primary suppliers through to ultimate customers for both service and product industries. Pre-requisite GRBR 503 for level GR with minimum grade of C and STAT 510 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

The purpose of this course is to provide business professionals with the knowledge needed to manage and utilize information systems and technology within a business organization.  As information systems have become critical to the success of modern business organizations, knowledge of information systems has become a key success factor for all business professionals within the organization. This course provides comprehensive and integrative coverage of essential new technologies, information system applications, and their impact on business models.  Moreover, this course emphasizes the conceptualization of information systems as structured technology configurations working collectively to serve the information needs of an organization.  Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.
1.5 credits

Strategic sustainability advances students’ managerial skills for identifying, researching, evaluating and communicating innovative opportunities involving the efficient and effective management of financial, social, and environmental resources. Building on our commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), this course experience serves as a foundation for strategic sustainability, models and tools across the curriculum. Students work individually, and in teams to frame problems, research and develop training seminars, and manage resources for assigned topics. The focus is inspiring innovation, and creating competitive advantage – both short and long term – for organizations. Deliverables include presentations of mini training seminars to peer, analytical life cycle assessment along with participation in class discussions while applying critical thinking to identify productivity gains, cost savings, revenue increases, and profit growth when implementing sustainable business practices. The course is taught as a seminar where sharing learning, best practices and sustainability knowledge across teams and individuals enables all to gain insight to emerging issues beyond the scope of a single entity. Students work within an integrated curriculum to analyze internal/external situations, drivers and risks; to identify problems and opportunities; to evaluate return on investment from alternative courses of action; and to value both short- and long-term prosperity. Students independently learn about, apply, and reflect on proven models and methodologies while honing their skills as a researcher, analyst, writer, and speaker. Pre-Requisite: GRBU 503 for level GR with minimum grade of C. Lecture, Online. Offered every semester.