What to Expect

Thinking about joining our program? Find out what you can expect as a student at UIC.

The Biomedical Visualization program is a two-year full-time master's program consisting of two Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters. While the majority of our students attend full time, certain exceptions are allowed for students who request to complete the program part-time.

Part Time Track

With permission from faculty, the part-time student will work with their advisors to plan out their graduate career. The part-time track has the same required courses as the full-time track, but spread throughout 4-5 years. Towards the end of the first year, the part-time student will be required to select either an animation, modeling, interactive, illustration, or design focus for their remaining electives.

For more information on the course schedule, download the Biomedical Visualization Part Time Course.pdf. Consult the UIC Academic Catalog for course descriptions.

Full-Time Track

Scroll to view both Year 1 and Year 2 offerings and click on the Summer, Fall, and Spring semester tabs to get a detailed look at the courses students can take each semester of the BVIS program.

Anaplastology Concentration

Anaplastology is a healthcare specialization focused on providing custom patient-specific, restorative prostheses for patients who experience loss or alteration of anatomy of the face or body, resulting from disease, trauma, or congenital origin. Students interested in this practice can specialize through the Anaplastology Concentration in the MS for Biomedical Visualization degree. In this concentration, students are required to complete all requirements of the base degree, along with additional specialized courses to prepare them for the field. The aim is to produce problem-solving specialists with a foundational skillset in medical visualization who can innovate clinical treatment, best practices, and patient care.

For more information about the course schedule for this concentration, download the Biomedical Visualization Anaplastology Concentration.

Year 1

Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.

Summer Required Courses

Required courses
BVIS 518	Web Development	2 hours
BVIS 552	Graphic Design	2 hours
BVIS 501	Professional Practices in Biomedical Visualization	1 hour

Summer Elective Courses

Elective courses
BVIS 500	Biomedical Visualization Techniques	2 hours
BVIS 504	Visual Storytelling in Biomedical Visualization	2 hours

Fall Required Courses

Required courses
ANAT 441	Gross Human Anatomy	5 hours
BHIS 499	Information Sources in BHIS	1 hour
BVIS 505	Visual Learning & Visual Thinking I	2 hours
BVIS 510	Anatomical Visualization	3 hours
BVIS 595	Seminar in BVIS	1 hour

Fall Elective Courses

Electives
BVIS 519	Modeling I	3 hours

Opportunities

Join the Student Association of Medical Artists (SAMA) at UIC
Register as an AMI Student Member

Resources

Utilize the UIC Library of the Health Sciences for resources specific to Biomedical Visualization students & faculty

Spring Required Courses

You’ll begin your research in the spring by selecting topics and research advisors. Courses in illustration, design, modeling and animation provide you with a solid foundation in visual problem solving and critical thinking.
Required courses
BVIS 503	Strategic Inquiry for BVIS (first 8 weeks)	3 hours
BVIS 508	Pathophysiology for Biomedical Visualization	3 hours

Spring One of the Following

At least one of these courses
ANAT 544	Advanced Craniofacial Anatomy	3 hours
NEUS 403	Human Neuroanatomy	3 hours
BVIS 560	Molecular Pharmacology for Biomedical Visualization	3 hours

Spring Elective Courses

Elective courses
BVIS 522	Illustration Techniques	3 hours
BVIS 536	Serious Game Development	3 hours
BVIS 541	Animation I	2 hours
BVIS 551	3D Printing with Data Segmentation (2nd 8 weeks)	2 hours
BVIS 553	Intro to Medical Sculpting and Anatomical Simulation	3 hours
BVIS 594	Special Topics in Biomedical Visualization	1-3 hours
BVIS 596	Independent Study	1-4 hours

Opportunities

Register for the AMI Annual Conference in July and consider being an onsite student volunteer to defray some cost of your student registration
Enter the AMI Student Salon

Year 2

Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.

Summer Required Courses

BVIS summer moves fast with most students attending the AMI Annual Conference later in July. Research presentations in BHIS 595 seminar are a highlight of the summer as you’ll complete your research proposal.
Required courses
BHIS 595	Seminar in BHIS	1 hour

Summer Elective Courses

Elective courses
BVIS 520	Modeling II	3 hours
BVIS 538	Medical Legal Visualization	2 hours
BVIS 542	Animation II	3 hours
BVIS 535	Visual Learning & Visual Thinking II	2 hours
BVIS 537	Advanced Serious Game Development	2 hours
BVIS 554	Anaplastology Materials, Techniques, and Technology (Concentration students only)	3 hours
BVIS 594	Special Topics in Biomedical Visualization	1-3 hours
BVIS 596	Independent Study	1-4 hours

Fall Required Courses

Students agree that the Clinical Sciences course is the highlight of the semester! You’ll complete rotations through various medical specialty departments, looking over shoulders of celebrated UIC physicians and surgeons.
Required courses
BVIS 502	Clinical Sciences for BVIS	3 hours
BVIS 597	Project Research	1-3 hours

Fall One of the Following

At least one of these courses
GEMS 521	Biomedical Sciences	3 hours
NEUS 501	Foundations of Neuroscience I	3 hours
ORTD 524	Craniofacial Anomalies	3 hours

Fall Elective Courses

Electives
ART 454	3D Space I: Modeling (Maya)	4 hours
BVIS 523	Haptics I	2 hours
BVIS 539	Immersive Interactive Visualization	3 hours
BVIS 543	Animation III	4 hours
BVIS 548	Advanced Illustration Techniques	3 hours
BVIS 555	Clinical Anaplastology (Concentration students only)	3 hours
BVIS 562	Advanced Graphic Design	3 hours
BVIS 580	Practicum in BVIS	6-12 hours
BVIS 596	Independent Study	1-4 hours

Opportunities

Apply for the Vesalius Trust Scholarships
Present a research poster during Applied Health Sciences Research Day
Enter the UIC Award for Graduate Research

Spring Required Courses

Look forward to the completion and presentation of your research! You’ll prepare for professional life after graduate school by gaining valuable insight into business practices and exploring the unique and diverse employment opportunities for which you’ve been prepared.
Required courses
BVIS 575	Business Practices	3 hours
BVIS 597	Project Research	1-2 hours

Spring Elective Courses

Electives
ANAT 544	Advanced Craniofacial Anatomy	3 hours
ART 455	3D Space II: Animation (Maya)	4 hours
BVIS 508	Pathophysiology for Biomedical Visualization	3 hours
BVIS 530	Surgical Illustration	4 hours
BVIS 544	Animation IV	4 hours
BVIS 547	360 Animation	1 hour
BVIS 580	Practicum in BVIS	6-12 hours
BVIS 521	Modeling III	2 hours
BVIS 560	Molecular Pharmacology for Biomedical Visualization	2 hours
BVIS 596	Independent Study	1-4 hours
GEMS 515	Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling Prereq: GCLS 501 Biochemistry or approval of the dept.	3 hours
NEUS 502	Foundations of Neuroscience II	3 hours
NEUS 403	Human Neuroanatomy	3 hours

Opportunities

Enter UIC’s Student Research Forum
Enter UIC Image of Research Competition – Deadline usually in late June
Register for the Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Conference in July and consider being an onsite student volunteer to defray some cost of your student registration
Enter the AMI Student Salon
Enter BioCommunications Association Bioimages 2017
Upon graduation complete your application for Professional Member status and a free year of membership in the Association of Medical Illustrators. Request a sponsor letter from a Certified Medical Illustrator such as a BVIS faculty member. Apply here