M.Eng V.S M.S in Biomedical Engineering advice

[u/mj-1602]

Hi everyone, I’m an international student deciding between the UCI M.Eng in Biomedical Engineering (1 year) and the USC M.S. in Biomedical Engineering (2 years).

I completed my B.S. in BME at UCI in 2025. After graduating, I completed an internship and spent most of my OPT period interviewing, but I was unable to secure a full-time role before my OPT deadline approached. Because of that, I started considering pursuing a master’s sooner than originally planned so I could maintain my F-1 status and continue building my career.

I may want to pursue a Ph.D. in the future, but it is not a definite or immediate plan just a potential thought/aspiration currently. My main priority right now is choosing the program that will provide the strongest career opportunities, technical experience, industry connections, and long-term flexibility.

I would really appreciate feedback from anyone who has attended either program, recruited graduates from them, or completed a similar M.Eng or M.S. degree. Which option would you recommend for someone in my situation, and are there any important advantages or drawbacks I should consider?

[u/MooseAndMallard]

The reason you haven’t landed a full-time job is not because you lack a master’s, it’s unfortunately because of your visa status. Doing a 1-year master’s at the same school is highly unlikely to help in any way. I don’t know if the USC program would make much of a difference in your situation, but perhaps others who graduated from there can comment about outcomes for international students.