Biomedical Engineering

Department Information - Biomedical Engineering (BME)

The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers the major in Biomedical Engineering, leading to the Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree.  In a rigorous, cross-disciplinary training and research environment, the major program provides an engineering education along with a strong background in the biological and physical sciences. It is designed to enhance the development of creativity and collaboration through study of a specialization within the field of biomedical engineering. Teamwork, communication skills, and hands-on laboratory and research experience are emphasized. The curriculum provides students with the underlying engineering principles required to understand how biological organisms are formed and how they respond to their environment. The Biomedical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.abet.org.

Core courses provide depth within the broad field of biomedical engineering. These are integrated with, and rely upon, course offerings from both the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences. To achieve the breadth of engineering experience expected of Biomedical Engineer­ing graduates, additional elective courses from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences are required of all Biomedical Engineering students.

The Department also offers a five-year accelerated B.E./M.S. degree, which can be completed within one additional year of studies beyond the Bachelor's degree.

The accelerated B.E./M.S. is intended to prepare high-achieving and highly-motivated undergraduate BME students for either doctoral studies or a variety of advanced professional positions. The program is highly selective with admission based on academic performance as well as undergraduate research. Juniors can be admitted into the accelerated degree program if they satisfy the requirements outlined in the Graduate Bulletin. The requirements for the accelerated program are the same as the requirements for the B.E. and M.S. degree, except that two graduate 500-level courses replace two 300-level electives, so that six graduate credits are counted toward the undergraduate degree.

Graduates are prepared for entry into professions in biomedical engineering, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology, as well as careers in academia and government. Potential employers include colleges and universities, hospitals, government, research institutes and laboratories, and private industry.

The undergraduate program in biomedical engineering has the following four specific program educational
objectives:

• Our graduates will apply skills and insight gained from a curriculum integrating
  engineering and biology to biomedically related fields in sectors including academia,
  industry, medicine, law, and/or government.
• Our graduates will strive to become inspirational leaders who make socially and ethically
  responsible decisions that beneficially impact health and society from local communities
  to the global population.
• Our graduates will use scientific research and collaborations to develop biomedical
  technologies that can be translated into cost-effective clinical solutions to enhance
  diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of health issues.
• Our graduates will remain lifelong learners, continue to grow professionally and
  personally throughout their careers, and be partners to grow future generations of
  biomedical engineers.

The students will demonstrate the following:

1. An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
2. An ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
3. An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
4. An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgements, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts.
5. An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inlcusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
6. An ability to develop and conduct approrpriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
7. An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.