The Research Option is intended for students who seek a concentrated research experience, culminating in an undergraduate thesis, integrated into their undergraduate studies in biomedical engineering. Students are strongly encouraged at the end of their experience to work with their faculty mentor to develop a journal publication or conference presentation on the research in addition to the actual thesis. Students who complete this option receive a designation on their transcript.

Students may be able to satisfy the additional requirements imposed for the Research Option designation through appropriate choices of electives without additional credit hours to complete the degree. The Research Option designation may be pursued separately, or in combination with the Cooperative Plan and/or the International Plan.

The Research Option requirements are as follows:

Complete at least 9 credit hours of undergraduate research (i.e. BMED 2698, 2699, 4698, or 4699) spanning typically at least three terms. The research may be for either pay or credit, and at least 6 hours must be on the same research project, broadly defined.
Complete a research proposal outlining their research topic and project for the thesis which must be approved by a faculty advisor and one other faculty member. The proposal will normally be completed at the end of the student's first semester of research
Take the class LCC 4700 Writing an Undergraduate Thesis during the thesis-writing semester
Write an undergraduate thesis or other substantial written report showing results of research. The thesis/report must be approved by two faculty members and will be published in the GT Library