Biomedical Engineering

The foundations of biomedical engineering are the same as those in other engineering disciplines: mathematics, physics, chemistry, and engineering principles. Biomedical engineering builds on these foundations to solve problems in biology  and medicine over the widest range of scales-from the nanoscale and molecular levels to the whole body. Biomedical engineering provides a robust platform for employment in the medical device and instrumentation industries as well as careers in companies that specialize in the development and application of biologics, biomaterials, implants and processes. Our graduates gain entry into nationally recognized graduate schools for continuing studies in biomedical engineering.

Biomedical engineering is also a rigorous path for admission to and success in medical school for those students willing and able to excel in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, physiology, and engineering.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt is unique among biomedical engineering programs in its immediate proximity to the world class Vanderbilt Medical Center, located on our compact campus. Our School of Medicine is among the top ten in funding from the National Institutes of Health and includes a National Cancer Institute- recognized Comprehensive Cancer Center, a major children's hospital and a Level I trauma center. This proximity and the strong relationships among faculty across multiple schools stimulate high impact research and provide unique educational and research opportunities for students.

Degree Programs. The Department of Biomedical Engineering offers courses of study leading to the B.E., M.S., M.Eng., and Ph.D. Vanderbilt biomedical engineering is a well-established program with undergraduate degrees granted continuously since 1965. Our undergraduate curriculum undergoes regular review and revision to ensure relevancy and to maintain full ABET accreditation. Students have complete flexibility in the selection of biomedical engineering, technical, and open electives. This allows students to design their own focus areas such as regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, wearables and point-of-care diagnostics, global health, surgery and engineering, robotics and prosthetics, lasers and medicine, medical imaging, biotechnology and nanomedicine, medical technology and entrepreneurship.

Facilities. The Department of Biomedical Engineering is located in Stevenson Center. Undergraduate instructional laboratories are equipped for study of biomedical processes, measurement methods and instrumentation. These facilities are equipped with embedded systems for instrumentation, design, and testing that mirror professional practice. Specialized facilities for biomedical imaging, biophotonics, surgery and engineering, regenerative medicine, nanobiotechnology, and nanomedicine are used both for faculty-led research and instructional purposes.

Undergraduate Honors Program. With approval of the Honors Program director, junior and senior students in biomedical engineering who have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 may be accepted into the undergraduate Honors Program. Students in the program take at least 6 credit hours of 5000-level or above (graduate) biomedical engineering courses, which can be counted toward the 127-hour undergraduate degree requirements as biomedical engineering electives or which can be taken for graduate school credit. Students in the Honors Program must also complete a two-semester-long research project and present a research report; this is generally accomplished through the BME 3860 and 3861 Undergraduate Research elective courses. Honors students must make a grade point average of 3.0 in these classes and maintain an overall 3.5 GPA to be designated as an honors graduate. The diploma designation is Honors in Biomedical Engineering.

• All required parts of the Common Application or Coalition, powered by Scoir, including the personal essay and short answer
• $50 nonrefundable application fee, or fee waiver for qualified students
• Official high school transcript
• Counselor letter of recommendation
• Two academic teacher letters of recommendation
• Optional for students applying for fall 2024 entry: SAT or ACT scores (SAT code: 1871 / ACT code: 4036)

Three Ways to Apply:

• Coalition, powered by Scoir
• Common Application
• QuestBridge

Choose the application system that is right for you - we do not prefer one over the others. Do not submit an application through more than one system. Choose one application, and submit all required materials through that method.