BHI Program Core Coursework Requirements (both M.S. and Ph.D.): All courses listed below are to be numerically graded, with the exception of Research Seminars, and the student must pass all these with individual grades of at least 2.7.

• MEBI 530 Intro to Biomedical & Health Informatics
• MEBI 533 Public Health and Informatics
• MEBI 534 Biology and Informatics
• MEBI 535 Clinical Topics for Informaticists
• MEBI 537 Biomedical Informatics Research Methods
• MEBI 539 Teaching and Communication in Biomedical Informatics
• MEBI 550 Knowledge Representation and Applications
• MEBI 554 Biomedical Information Interactions and Design

Research seminars: In addition to the numerically graded courses listed above students must regularly enroll in BHI research seminars, MEBI 591 (Biomedical and Health Informatics Research Colloquium) &/or MEBI 590 (Selected Topics in Health Informatics)—12 credits required for Ph.D. students, 6 credits for MS students.

For the M.S. degree:

General UW Graduate School requirements: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 minimum. Total of 60 credits minimum, including at least nine 700-level Thesis credits. At least 30 credits must be from numerically graded courses.

M.S. Thesis & Final Examination:  All students must complete an M.S. thesis and pass a final exam for the Master’s Degree (aka the thesis defense).

For the Ph.D. degree:

General UW Graduate School Requirements: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 minimum. Total of 90 credits minimum, of which 60 must be prior to scheduling the General Examination, and 27 are 800 level Dissertation credits over a period of at least three quarters. 60 credits minimum completed at the University of Washington. 

The Qualifying Exam: After completing required coursework students must pass a qualifying exam that covers breadth of knowledge prior to formally creating a Ph.D. supervisory committee and proceeding with dissertation research. (See qualifying exam description document.)

The General Exam: Scheduled at least four months after the Qualifying Exam, successful completion of the General Exam results in admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. Enrollment in Dissertation credits (MEBI 800) may begin in the quarter following successful completion of the General Exam. (See BHI General Exam policy)

Final Exam (AKA Dissertation Defense):  Candidates for the Ph.D. must present a dissertation demonstrating original and independent investigation and significant achievement in the field of Biomedical and Health Informatics--formatted according to UW Graduate School Requirements. The final oral exam includes a presentation and defense of the dissertation to the Supervisory Committee, Biomedical and Health Informatics faculty and students, and public, in accordance with Graduate School regulations.