I agree with the perspective that there is no "golden ratio" for the balance between practical and academic courses, as it truly depends on each student’s career goals. For instance, a student pursuing research may benefit more from a higher number of academic or technical courses to build the in-depth knowledge required for labs or academic settings. On the other hand, someone aiming to enter the industry would likely benefit from more practical courses taught by professionals who understand the real-world applications of their studies.
It’s not just about the number of courses, but the quality of those experiences. I’ve seen firsthand how one well-taught practical session can be more valuable than an entire academic course. For example, I took a class that was technically industry-focused, but the material wasn’t taught effectively because it was led by a researcher rather than an industry professional. However, a 2-hour session with a knowledgeable industry expert helped me grasp the concept in a much more applicable way. This quality of learning made a big difference in my understanding, enabling me to confidently discuss the topic in interviews.
Additionally, in my experience, employers tend to focus less on coursework and more on the academic projects and practical experiences students have gained as that is where more of the transferable “industry knowledge” is. That’s why I believe the ideal ratio depends on the student's career path and how well they can articulate what they’ve learned. A 50/50 split between practical and academic courses might be a good starting point to give students on both research and industry tracks strong opportunities. However, the quality of these courses is ultimately what will provide the most value, regardless of the ratio. A high-quality, engaging class will offer more learning than several mediocre ones, and that’s what students need most when entering their fields.
@asimbana , completely agree.
I find it very interesting going through the comments and seeing a slight divide, in that many that are already out of college agree that more practical courses would be better, and some in college are the opposite. Speaking as someone working in industry now, I strongly feel that learning more practical courses would have been an excellent boon. I've used maybe 50% of my academia/hard engineering knowledge in my career, with the other half being the working with people aspect.
Having struggled in getting projects completed and having people cooperate with me, I've found myself wondering why on earth there wasn't more of an emphasis on this topic in school. It's interesting being on the other side also; my job has been accepting a steady flow of interns, and the ones who shine are the hard workers but ALSO the ones with good communication skills. The better the practical skills, the better the impression on many they left behind. I think the ratio should be slightly higher in undergrad, and definitely higher for an MS degree.
I think practical courses are very important for student after graduation. so many said experience is what employers really look for, and i agree with that point .Academic courses give us the theory , but without practice it is hard to apply the knowledge in real life. in my opinion, I would prefer a ratio closer to 40/60,with more practical courses. This way i can build the skills i need and feel more ready for industry jobs.
If you are pursuing a Master’s in BME, then you are most likely intending to use the knowledge gained from your classes in industry or in a practical setting. In this case, the ratio of practical to academic classes should be higher since this is a postgraduate degree and you gained a lot of academic knowledge from your undergraduate. For a PhD, however, you will need more in depth knowledge on specific BME topics and research, since that will be a large application of your PhD. Thus, more academic classes should be offered for a degree like that. Overall, it depends on what you want to do in the future with your degree. For me, I want to become a physician so I would appreciate academic classes more. I think there should be a large offering of practical and academic courses, but the student should talk to their advisor and have a personal plan that outlines how many practical and academic classes are required to best suit their interests. A large majority of students doing a BME degree and postgraduate degree are trying to work in industry, but I know a couple that are premed as well. NJIT allows undergraduate students to take graduate classes to fulfill undergraduate requirements. For those who are premeds, do you think it’s a good option to have physician and clinical setting focused graduate classes to bridge the gap between BME and clinical practice?
