Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison

University Rank:#110

University of Wisconsin Madison offers the Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering, B.S. as a full-time degree delivered on campus at its main campus in Madison , United States of America. Taught in English and completed over 4 years, the program equips students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required for biomedical engineering, b.s. and related professional fields. The next available intake begins on September 7, 2027.

About Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

Biomedical engineering (BME) is the application of engineering tools for solving problems in biology and medicine. It is an engineering discipline that is practiced by professionals trained primarily as engineers, but with a specialized focus on the medical and biological applications of classical engineering principles. BMEs apply their multidisciplinary expertise to problems such as designing new medical instruments and devices, understanding and repairing the human body, and applying resourceful and cross-disciplinary approaches to age-old problems in the fields of medicine, biology, and beyond. A biomedical engineer can expect to work in a wide variety of multidisciplinary teams with professionals such as physicians, biologists, researchers, nurses, therapists, mathematicians, administrators, and many others while working in industry, as entrepreneurs, and in the medical profession and academia.

To prepare students for such careers, the 128-credit, four-year BME undergraduate degree emphasizes engineering design; access to cooperatives/internships at local or national medical device manufacturers, hospitals, or laboratories; continuous advising; flexibility in engineering specialization areas; participationin program evaluation and improvement; study-abroad opportunities; and an option to complete a one-year M.S degree following the undergraduate program.

The cornerstone of the BME program is its unique, seven-semester design curriculum. Students take an advising/design project course the freshman year and every semester during the sophomore through senior years. A faculty member advises small teams of students, serving as advisor/consultant/mentor, to guide them through real-world design projects solicited from clients throughout the university, medical profession, industry, and the community. These clients serve as resources for students in their project, conduct discussions, and expose the students to various aspects of the BME field. Over the course of each semester, teams design, fabricate, and ultimately present a product that meets the needs of the client. This novel approach gives students an exceptionally balanced education by incorporating clinical and biomedical industry experience, thus expanding their network. Overall, the design experiences highlight the very multidisciplinary nature of BME.

Within the program, BME students choose a course of study that emphasizes one of the following four specializations within the field:

Bioinstrumentation and medical devices is the application of electronics, measurement principles, and techniques to develop devices used in diagnosis and treatment of disease. Examples include the electrocardiogram, braincomputer interface, implantable electrodes, sensors, tumor ablation, and other medical devices. Neuroengineering, a subfield, involves using engineering technology to study the function of neural systems and the development of implantable technology for neuroprosthetic and rehabilitation applications.
Biomedical imaging and optics involvesthe design and enhancement of systems for noninvasive anatomical, cellular, and molecular imaging. In addition to common imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET), biomedical imaging includes topics such as biophotonics, optics, and multimode imaging, and is now expanding to serve functional and therapeutic purposes as well. Advanced capabilities result when fundamentals of engineering, physics, and computer science are applied in conjunction with the expertise of clinical collaborators.
Biomechanicsapplies engineering mechanics for understanding biological processes and for solving medical problems at systemic, organ, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels. This includes the mechanics of connective tissues (ligament tendon, cartilage and bone) as well as orthopedic devices (fracture fixation hardware and joint prostheses), vascular remodeling (pulmonary hypertension), muscle mechanics with injury and healing, human motor control, neuromuscular adaptation (with age, injury, and disease), microfluidics for cellular applications, cellular motility and adhesion, and rehabilitation engineering (quantifying, adapting and restoring function for those who lost abilities).
Biomaterials, cellular and tissue engineering involves the characterization and use of structural materials, derived from synthetic or natural sources, to design medical products that safely interact with tissues for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes such as artificial blood vessels, heart valves, orthopedic joints, and drug delivery vehicles. Tissue engineers understand structurefunction relationships in normal and pathological tissues to engineer living tissues and/or biological substitutes to restore, maintain, or improve function. At the cellular and molecular level this includes the study or manipulation of biological processes such as the cells differentiation, proliferation, growth, migration, and apoptosis.

Although the various disciplines within BME can be separately defined, solving a biomedical program requires an overall understanding of the field. For example, the design of an artificial hip requires an understanding of the forces and biomechanics of human movement as well as the mechanical and material properties of the prosthetic device. The material choice and topography play a critical role in cellular and tissue integration, which ultimately leads to long-term stability of the implant. In addition, biomedical imaging techniques are required to characterize the morphology of the diseased hip and the success of the procedure. Finally, instrumentation devices are utilized during the hip replacement surgery.

Students choose the biomedical engineering field to be of service to people; for the excitement of working with living systems; and to apply advanced technology to the complex problems of medical care. Students in the BME program can expect to develop skills in innovative thinking, critical analysis of ethics, project management, and technical writing, all in an environment that cultivates creativity, teamwork, and curiosity. With many possible focuses within the major, BME students have the opportunity to explore and cultivate their interests in specific topics while applying the concepts of engineering to medical applications, hands-on projects, and cutting-edge research.

Students successfully completing the B.S. degree in BME with an overall GPA of 3.0 or a GPA of 3.25 for the last 60 credits of the B.S. program are eligible to apply for the one-year M.S. degree.

Biomedical Engineering Program Educational Objectives

We recognize that our graduates will choose to use the knowledge and skills that they have acquired during their undergraduate years to pursue a wide variety of career and life goals, and we encourage this diversity of paths. Whatever path graduates choose, be it a job, postgraduate education, or volunteer service, be it in engineering or another field, we have for our graduates the following objectives; that they will:

exhibit strong skills in problem solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication;
use these skills to contribute to their communities;
make thoughtful, well-informed career choices; and
demonstrate a continuing commitment to and interest in their own and others education.

an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
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
an ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
an ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and societal contexts
an ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives
an ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions
an ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Entry Requirements

All undergraduate students at UW–Madison must complete the university-wide General Education Requirements, which are designed to convey the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. These requirements provide for breadth across the humanities and arts, social studies, and natural sciences; competence in communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary for success in college and beyond; and investigation of the issues raised by living in a culturally diverse society. This core is intended to provide students with intellectual and practical skills, basic knowledge of human cultures and the physical world, strategies for understanding these topics, and tools intended to contribute to their sense of personal and social responsibility. General Education complements the work students do in their majors and degrees. Together, these requirements help students learn what they need to know not just for making a living, but also for making a life.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Each school and college may choose to allow General Education courses to count toward other degree and/or major requirements. Students should always check with their advisors to discuss any additional degree requirements and determine if students are required to take specific General Education courses or to complete the requirements in a particular order. Students should review their Degree Audit (DARS) report to see how they are progressing toward fulfilling the General Education requirements. Please refer to.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

Freshman applicants educated in non-English speaking countries must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET) score, unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school.

All English proficiency exams should be sent electronically, directly from the testing service.

We do not superscore any English Proficiency exam and score reports cannot be older than two years from the time you apply.

How to Send Official Test Scores

Duolingo English Test (DET)

Minimum accepted score: 105+
When submitting your score(s): Search category should be “Undergraduate,” then select “University of Wisconsin–Madison”
Please do not send to offices listed under “Other,” as we are unable to retrieve those scores
The DET should be sent with sub-scores

IELTS

Minimum accepted score: 6.5+
When submitting your score(s): IELTS does not require a code, so please select our account name, “University of Wisconsin, Madison Undergraduate”
Please do not send paper copies of your IELTS scores
We do accept the IELTS Indicator

TOEFL iBT:

Minimum accepted score: 80+
When submitting your score(s): TOEFL test code is 1846
We do not accept “MyBest” score from TOEFL nor any English Proficiency exam
For each TOEFL you submit, we will require the full score report
We do not accept the TOEFL iTP Plus for China, but we will accept the iBT Special Home Edition

If you feel that you qualify for an English Proficiency Exam waiver based upon the requirements above, please submit all required transcripts to our office. Other test scores such as ACT, SAT, or AP (Advanced Placement) scores do not meet the requirements for a waiver. Once your transcripts are received in our office (are no longer displayed on your to-do list in your Student Center), we will determine your waiver eligibility. Waivers will not be processed prior to receipt of both the admissions application and transcripts.

Career Opportunities after Completing Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

Each College of Engineering program has academic advisors dedicated to serving its students. Program advisors can help current College of Engineering students with questions about accessing courses, navigating degree requirements, resolving academic issues and more. Students can find their assigned advisor on the homepage of their student center.

Engineering Career Services

Engineering Career Services (ECS) assists students in identifying pre-professional work-based learning experiences such as co-ops and summer internships, considering and applying to graduate or professional school, and finding full-time professional employment during their graduation year.

ECS offers two major career fairs per year, assists with resume writing and interviewing skills, hosts workshops on the job search, and meets one-on-one with students to discuss offer negotiations.

Students are encouraged to utilize the ECS office early in their academic careers. For comprehensive information on ECS programs and workshops, see the ECS website or call 608-262-3471.

Tuition and Fee Information for Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Application Fee 60

How to Apply for Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Every year, we are fortunate to receive thousands of applications from a diverse range of students who are incredibly bright, engaged, and passionate. They have challenged themselves and those around them to make a difference in the world. They know that the University of Wisconsin–Madison is their next step toward something extraordinary—a place where they can lead, make discoveries, tackle key issues, gain knowledge, and establish lifelong friendships.

Starting on August 1 every year, you can begin applying to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The following deadlines pertain to both domestic and international applicants.

Applications and all required application materials must arrive in our office by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the noted deadline dates.

We cannot begin to review your application until all required materials are received.

We strongly recommend that you apply with an email that is not affiliated with your high school and that you check often. This will ensure that you have continued access to your email account after graduation from high school.

You can apply using either the Common Application or the UW System Application.

Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison