PhD in Imaging Science (Interdisciplinary PhD)
Requirements
To complete the PhD in Imaging Science, students must do the following:
- Maintain an average grade of B (3.0 grade-point average) for all 72 units (up to 24 graduate units may be transferred with approval)
- Complete courses with no more than one grade below B-
- Complete at least one semester-long research rotation
- Become integrated with a research group
- Pass a qualifying exam
- Successfully defend a thesis proposal
- Present and successfully defend a dissertation
- Complete one mentored teaching experience, including workshops and other related requirements
Courses
Required Core Courses (19 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BME 570 | Mathematics of Imaging Science (or equivalent CSE or ESE course) | 3 |
| ESE 596 | Seminar in Imaging Science and Engineering | 1 |
| ESE 520 | Probability and Stochastic Processes | 3 |
| BME 601C | Research Rotation for BME Doctoral Students (refer to the Research Rotations section later on this page) | 3 |
| ESE 5932 | Computational Methods for Imaging Science | 3 |
| ESE 5933 | Theoretical Imaging Science | 3 |
| ESE 5934 | Practicum in Imaging Science | 3 |
| Total Units | 19 | |
Elective Imaging Courses from any of the Following Categories (at least 12 units):
- Computational Imaging & Theory
- Imaging Sensors & Instrumentation
- Image Formation & Imaging Physics
- Translational Biomedical Imaging
- Medical Physics
Typical Progression of Courses
| Course | Fall Units | Spring Units |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| Mathematics of Imaging Science (BME 570) (or equivalent CSE or ESE course) | 3 | — |
| Seminar in Imaging Science and Engineering (ESE 596) | 1 | — |
| Research Rotation for BME Doctoral Students (BME 601C) (refer to the Research Rotations section later on this page) | 3 | — |
| Elective | 3 | — |
| Biological Imaging Technology (ESE 589) | — | 3 |
| Computational Methods for Imaging Science (ESE 5932) | — | 3 |
| Elective or optional second research rotation (BME 601) | — | 3 |
| 10 | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Theoretical Imaging Science (ESE 5933) | 3 | — |
| Elective or doctoral research | 6 | 6 |
| Practicum in Computational Imaging (BME XXX) (or equivalent CSE or ESE course) | — | 3 |
| 9 | 9 | |
Elective Options
Elective Courses — Computational Imaging & Theory
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CSE 412A | Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| CSE 501N | Introduction to Computer Science | 3 |
| CSE 513T | Theory of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSE 515T | Bayesian Methods in Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSE 517A | Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSE 519T | Advanced Machine Learning | 3 |
| CSE 543T | Algorithms for Nonlinear Optimization | 3 |
| CSE 546T | Computational Geometry | 3 |
| CSE 554A | Geometric Computing for Biomedicine | 3 |
| CSE 559A | Computer Vision | 3 |
| CSE 566S | High Performance Computer Systems | 3 |
| ESE 523 | Information Theory | 3 |
| ESE 524 | Detection and Estimation Theory | 3 |
| ESE 588 | Quantitative Image Processing | 3 |
Elective Courses — Image Formation & Imaging Physics
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BME 494 | Ultrasound Imaging | 3 |
| BME 5820 | Fundamentals and Applications of Modern Optical Imaging | 3 |
| or ESE 582 | Fundamentals and Applications of Modern Optical Imaging | |
| BME 591 | Biomedical Optics I: Principles | 3 |
| BME 594 | Ultrasound Imaging | 3 |
| BME 5XX | Imaging in Nuclear Medicine (to be developed) | |
| BME 5XX | Magnetic Resonance Imaging (to be developed) | |
Elective Courses — Medical Physics
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BME 507 | Radiological Physics and Dosimetry | 3 |
| BME 5071 | Radiobiology | 2 |
| BME 5072 | Radiation Therapy Physics | 3 |
| BME 5073 | Radiation Protection and Safety | 2 |
Approved Life Science Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BME 530A | Molecular Cell Biology for Engineers | 3 |
| BME 538 | Cell Signal Transduction | 3 |
| BME 5902 | Cellular Neurophysiology | 3 |
| Biol 404 | Laboratory of Neurophysiology | 4 |
| Biol 4071 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| Biol 4580 | Principles of Human Anatomy and Development | 3 |
| Biol 4810 | General Biochemistry I | 3 |
| Biol 4820 | General Biochemistry II | 3 |
| Biol 5053 | Immunobiology I | 4 |
| Biol 5068 | Fundamentals of Molecular Cell Biology | 4 |
| Biol 5146 | Principles and Applications of Biological Imaging | 3 |
| Biol 5147 | Contrast Agents for Biological Imaging | 3 |
| or Chem 5147 | Contrast Agents for Biological Imaging | |
| Biol 5224 | Molecular, Cell and Organ Systems | 3 |
| Biol 5285 | Current Topics in Human and Mammalian Genetics | 3 |
| Biol 5319 | Molecular Foundations of Medicine | 3 |
| Biol 5352 | Developmental Biology | 3 |
| Biol 548 | Nucleic Acids & Protein Biosynthesis | 3 |
| Biol 5488 | Genomics | variable; max. 4 |
| Biol 5571 | Cellular Neurobiology | 6 |
| Biol 5651 | Neural Systems | 4 |
| Biol 5663 | Neurobiology of Disease | 2 |
Approved Mathematics Courses
Any graduate-level course within the Department of Mathematics and Statistics is approved.
Research Rotations
During their first year, students are required to register for and complete at least one research rotation (3 units) with program faculty mentors. The research rotations allow students to sample different research projects and laboratory working environments before selecting the group in which they will carry out their PhD dissertation research.
A rotation will be chosen in consultation with program faculty and must be mutually agreeable to both the student and the mentor. At the completion of each rotation, the student must submit to the mentor and director a written report approved by the mentor.
Qualifying Exam
The qualifying exam will be administered during the spring of the student's second year of graduate school. The examining committee, which will develop and grade the exam, will consist of three members of the Imaging Science PhD Program Committee. The director of the graduate program will approve the committee, the members of which will be suggested by the thesis advisor.
Students will choose three out of the following four exam topics:
- Mathematics of Imaging Science
- Imaging Physics & Image Formation Methods
- Image Analysis & Data-Driven Imaging
- Theoretical Image Science
Finding a Thesis Research Mentor
Because the PhD is a research degree, the student is expected to become integrated within a research group. By the end of the first year of study, students should have found a thesis advisor who will oversee their PhD research and assume financial responsibility for their stipend, tuition, health insurance and student fees. The thesis advisor must be a faculty member on the Imaging Science PhD Program Committee with the title of professor, associate professor or assistant professor. Failure to find a research advisor by May 1 will result in the student being placed on probation that can last until August 31. During that time, the student must continue to seek a research advisor. Failure to find a research advisor by August 31 will lead to dismissal from the PhD program and termination of funding.
Research Presentation/Thesis Proposal
Before the end of their third year, the student will give an oral presentation of their proposed PhD project — with the necessary background to support it — to the Research Advisory Committee. This committee must follow all guidelines for PhD degrees in the McKelvey School of Engineering and consists of five members (the dissertation research mentor plus four other members) with the following requirements:
- No more than three faculty members with primary appointment from any one department;
- Four of the members must be tenured or tenure-track faculty at Washington University;
- Three of the members must be imaging science program faculty members;
- If requested by the research mentor and approved by the co-directors, a sixth member may be added to the committee.
The committee will be chaired by the PhD mentor. At least two weeks prior to the presentation, the student will present a written document outlining the research background, proposed procedures, preliminary results and plans for completion. The required document will typically be between 15 and 30 pages in length, and it must contain a comprehensive bibliography.
The student will be placed on probation if they fail to pass their thesis proposal by the sixth semester. The student will be given a second opportunity to pass the exam during their seventh semester. If the student passes the second exam and meets the other program requirements (e.g., grades), they may continue the program without prejudice. If the student fails the exam a second time, they will be terminated from the PhD program.
Dissertation
The student will prepare a written dissertation for examination by the Research Advisory Committee, now referred to as the Dissertation Defense Committee. The student will defend the dissertation before this committee. Should a member of this committee be unable to participate, the director of the graduate program, in consultation with the Associate Dean, will choose a replacement. If the committee members feel that the dissertation has deficiencies, they may recommend that the candidate address them and send the revised dissertation to the committee members for approval. The committee may also recommend that the candidate present another oral defense of the modified work. The Committee will inform the director of the graduate program, and they will warn the student in writing that the student must submit a revised dissertation and pass the oral defense (if recommended) in order to complete the PhD program. If, after revision and reexamination, the Committee still finds deficiencies and cannot reach unanimous agreement to approve the dissertation, the policy from the Office of the Provost on Dissenting Votes will apply.
Teaching Requirements
Students in the PhD program will receive formal pedagogical training by attending a minimum of two teaching workshops offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning. They will be expected to fulfill the teaching requirements of their designated administrative home departments. The teaching requirements must be completed before the students submit their doctoral dissertations to the McKelvey Registrar.