The University of Texas at Austin’s Department of Biomedical Engineering graduate program ranked No. 19 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 graduate engineering program rankings, released on Tuesday.
Biomedical engineering graduate students have a variety of research areas, internships, externships and training programs to choose from. Many students take advantage of a 100% fully-funded Ph.D. with coursework that includes a Personal Learning Plan—tailoring educational experiences to meet individual needs.
The newly launched Graduate Portfolio Program in Pharmacoengineering, led by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, opens new doors to drug discovery and delivery with an interdisciplinary effort that bridges expertise in pharmaceutics, chemistry, engineering, biochemistry, biologics and drug metabolism. The goal is to use new technology to develop next-generation, personalized treatments to ensure patients receive optimal dosages delivered to the precise part of the body that needs help—reducing harmful side effects and increasing their efficacy.
Graduate students can also choose from a B.S.E./M.S.E. Integrated degree. This program allows students to earn both a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering and Master of Science degree in engineering in five years. A student's coursework is selected in consultation with the student's supervisor, dissertation committee and the graduate advisor to ensure adequate breadth and depth of knowledge across the department’s eight research areas.
Lastly, there is a M.D./M.S. Dual Degree Program. In collaboration with Dell Medical School, the department offers an M.S. degree specifically designed for current medical students. Dell Medical students can choose the biomedical engineering M.S. to fulfill requirements in year 3, also known as the Growth Year. The overarching goal of the program is to produce physicians who can practice medicine and biomedical research with the quantitative analytical skills of an engineer.
The Cockrell School of Engineering is yet again among the top 10 engineering programs in the nation, landing at No. 7 in the country.
"I'm so proud of our faculty, staff and students that make us one of the top 10 engineering schools in the U.S.," said Roger Bonnecaze, dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering. "From energy to health care to next-generation computing technology and beyond, our courageous engineers are tackling the world's biggest and most challenging problems."
There are more than 2,300 students enrolled in the Cockrell School’s 13 graduate degree programs, working alongside renowned engineering faculty to develop impactful solutions to global problems across more than 25 research units and centers.
U.S. News & World Report’s annual engineering graduate program rankings are based on student acceptance rates, faculty/student ratios, research expenditures, reputation among engineers in industry and academia, the number of doctoral degrees produced, the percentage of faculty elected to the National Academy of Engineering and entrance exam scores.
WRITTEN BY JOSHUA KLEINSTREUER
