The Major
The department offers an undergraduate degree program that leads to a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering. There are three main areas of study – Biomaterials, Biomechanics, and Bioinstrumentation. Biomechanics is the study of the structure, function and motion of the mechanical aspects of biological systems, at any level from whole organisms to organs, cells and cell organelles, using the methods of mechanics. Bioinstrumentation includes the development and application of instrumentation and devices that can be used to measure, evaluate and treat biological systems. Biomaterials is the study of materials that control cell behavior through direct interactions or by delivering therapeutics, with the goal of regenerating tissue, preventing pathological tissue formation, or studying biological systems. Students take the core course in each of these main areas, and may then focus their technical electives in the area(s) that most interest them.
The educational objectives of the curricula are to develop engineers who think critically, creatively, and rigorously; who employ engineering methods to identify and solve important problems in healthcare, industry, business, government, and academe; who communicate effectively and function cooperatively in professional contexts; who approach professional practice responsibly and ethically and with an awareness of business, environmental, safety, cultural, societal, and global concerns; who demonstrate professional leadership; and who employ their engineering education as a foundation for advanced study, life-long learning, and career development in engineering, management, and other professional fields.
Requirements
No course taken on a Pass/Fail basis may be applied to General Education, major or PR-ENGIN requirements. See the Undergraduate page of the BME website for more details on the curriculum and suggested course flow, or contact the BME Academic Advisor. BME students must also complete the General Education social world (AL/AT, HS, SB, SW) and diversity (DU, DG) requirements.
First Year/PR-ENGIN Courses for Biomedical Engineering
- ENGIN 114 (or 100, 110, 111, 112, or 113) Introduction to Engineering*
- ENGLWRIT 112 College Writing
- CHEM 111 Chemistry I
- CHEM 112 Chemistry II
- MATH 131 Calculus I
- MATH 132 Calculus II
- PHYSICS 151 General Physics I
- ECE 122 Introduction to Programming OR COMPSCI 121 Introduction to Problem Solving with Computers
Biomedical Engineering Foundation & Core Courses
- BME 210 Introduction to Bioengineering*
- BME 230 Statics and Dynamics*
- BME 275 Biomechanics†
- BME 300 Biomaterials*
- BME 310 Introduction to Laboratory Techniques
- BME 320 Bioinstrumentation†
- BME 330 Quantitative Physiology†
- BME 497B/430 Systems Biology*
- BME 414 Senior Design I*
- BME 415 Senior Design II†
Other Required Courses
- PHYSICS 152 General Physics II
- ECE 361 Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering*
- MATH 233 Multivariate Calculus
- MATH 331 Differential Equations
- MIE 201 Introduction to Materials Science
- MIE 211/CEE 241/BME 297M Strength of Materials
- KIN 270 Anatomy and Physiology I
- ENGIN 351 Writing in Engineering
- STAT 515 Statistics I
*Courses only offered in Fall semester
†Courses only offered in Spring semester
BME Technical Elective Courses
BME students are also required to earn credit in a set of five elective courses approved by the Academic Advisor or Undergraduate Program Director. These electives can be chosen from among advanced courses in BME, or courses in Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Electrical Engineering, Kinesiology, Microbiology, and Mechanical Engineering. See the BME website for a full list of pre-approved electives, and instructions for approval of alternative elective courses.
Currently approved technical electives outside of BME include but are not limited to the following courses: BIOCHEM 420; CHEM 261; CHEM 262; ECE 210; ECE 213; ECE 231; ECE 310; ECE 241; KIN 272; KIN 530; KIN 535; KIN 597R; MICROBIO 310; MICROBIO 390B; MICROBIO 680; MIE 340; MIE 597; MIE 597R; MIE 597MB.
Please note that technical electives may not be offered every year, and some may be offered infrequently based on faculty availability. Please consult with the offering department to confirm the availability of a specific course you are considering.
Course Prerequisites
All students must meet the listed prerequisites for a course or obtain permission of the instructor. Students may be dropped from any course for which they have not met the prerequisites and, in the instructor’s opinion, do not have adequate preparation.
Curriculum Approval and Modifications
Students must obtain written approval from the Academic Advisor or Undergraduate Program Director for foundation and elective course selection and for any curriculum modifications.
Honors Program
The BME program supports a departmental honors (DH) program for qualified students. Information on the Honors Program can be found in the Commonwealth Honors College section in this Guide. Students interested in the departmental honors program should contact the undergraduate program director or academic advisor.