Program Planning

How does LEAP work?

To prepare for success in their chosen master’s program, LEAP students begin their program in the foundational phase. The foundational phase is a streamlined set of undergraduate courses that put LEAP students on par with students who have earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Since each master’s program requires different skillsets, each LEAP track (i.e. biomedical, electrical & computer, materials science, mechanical, and systems engineering) will have its own foundational phase.

After completing their foundational phase courses, LEAP students will move into the master’s program of their choice. Students will also have the opportunity to be reevaluated for merit-based scholarships at this time. When students enter their master’s program, they will be required to meet the academic requirements of their individual programs.

Students in LEAP can earn one of the following master’s degrees:

Foundational Phase Courses:

If students have already taken and earned a B or higher in a course listed in the foundational phase, they will likely be exempt from retaking that course during their foundational phase.  LEAP faculty advisors will review students’ transcript(s) to identify which, if any, foundational phase courses a student would be exempt from taking during LEAP.

If you are looking to take foundational phase courses prior to matriculating into LEAP, we strongly recommend you only take the courses listed below. These courses are required by all LEAP tracks and have standard curricula across most regionally accredited colleges and universities.

  • Calculus II
  • Multivariate Calculus
  • Calculus-based Physics I
  • Introduction to Programming for Engineers

Students interested in the Biomedical Engineering LEAP track may also take introductory courses in the natural sciences (i.e., biology or chemistry) at other institutions prior to beginning LEAP.

The Graduate Programs Office is not able to review individual courses outside of BU to confirm that they align with the courses offered at BU. For more information about the topics our courses cover, you can view all courses offered through the College of Engineering here and the College of Arts and Sciences here. Students can also use the TES Equivalency Database as a reference for courses our undergraduate students have successfully transferred to BU in previous years. 

Program-specific classes:

Below, you’ll find a sampling of courses you might take during your foundational phase in the following LEAP tracks. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists of all the foundational phase courses and the courses you may be required to take during your foundational phase may differ from those below.

Program-Specific Biomedical Engineering Classes

  • Computational Linear Algebra
  • Probability, Statistics, and Data Science for Engineers
  • Principles of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology
  • Control Systems in Biomedical Engineering
  • Transport Phenomena in Living Systems
  • Introduction to Solid Biomechanics

Program-Specific Electrical and Computer Engineering Classes

  • Computer Organization
  • Software Design
  • Analog Electronics
  • Physics of Semiconductor Devices
  • Introduction to Digital Signal Processing
  • Signals and Systems

Program-Specific Materials Science and Engineering Classes

  • Introduction to Materials Science
  • Energy and Thermodynamics
  • Introduction to Clean Energy and Storage Technologies
  • Electric Circuit Theory
  • Fundamentals of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology

Program-Specific Mechanical Engineering Classes

  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Energy and Thermodynamics
  • Structural Mechanics
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Heat Transfer
  • Product Design

Program-Specific Robotics & Autonomous Systems

  • Dynamics and Control of Mechanical Systems
  • Electromechanical design
  • Intro to Software Engineering
  • Modern Control in Biomedical Engineering
  • Computer Organization

Program-Specific Systems Engineering Classes

  • Differential Equations
  • Probability with Statistical Applications
  • Introduction to Analysis of Algorithms
  • Dynamics and Control of Mechanical Systems
  • Supply Chain Engineering
  • Communication Systems