Graduation with Departmental Distinction

Requirements

To be awarded Graduation with Departmental Distinction (GWDD) in BME, eligible students should:

1. Have a grade point average of 3.500 or higher at graduation
2. Complete an original and independent research project in biomedical engineering under faculty supervision. Note well that a project from a BME course or an independent study course does not automatically qualify. To determine the suitability of your proposed project, students are advised to speak with their project supervisor(s).
3. Pay particular attention to the biomedical engineering content of the project. The abstract, poster, and report should reflect this content explicitly—particularly if the project is done with a faculty member outside Duke BME.
4. Select an examination committee of three (3) faculty members—two (2) of whom must be primary faculty in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. See a list of primary faculty
5. Submit a one-page research abstract and an online Application for Graduation with Departmental Distinction in BME. Note well these must be signed by a faculty supervisor and submitted before the deadline
6. Submit a written report on the research project if your faculty supervisor requests it. In the report, describe the problem considered, methods used, and results obtained. Also, discuss the results and their significance. Speak with your faculty supervisor about any additional guidelines. The deadline is typically one week following the deadline to submit the one-page abstract
7. Prepare a poster for the GWDD Poster Session and attend the event. Applicants and their faculty supervisors will determine the poster format. The applicant’s faculty committee and others will view the poster and ask questions concerning the research. Easels will be available on the day of the poster session, which is typically held in late April
8. Students graduating in December must complete requirements 2 through 7 in April of the same year. Requirement 1 should be met by December.