biomedical engineering course work

How To Become a Biomedical Engineer

Industry Advice Engineering

Modern advances in medical technology have drastically improved the quality of care doctors are able to provide to patients. From diagnosis to treatment, biomedical devices continue to play a critical role in improving human health. Much of the credit for the development of these advanced technologies goes to biomedical engineers.

Here’s an overview of what a biomedical engineer does, how to become one, and why it’s an excellent career choice.

What Is Biomedical Engineering?

Biomedical engineering is a multidisciplinary field that applies engineering principles and techniques to biology and healthcare. It requires an in-depth understanding of life-science subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics, as well as engineering knowledge in mathematics and design.

What Do Biomedical Engineers Do?

Biomedical engineers are tasked with a wide range of responsibilities depending on their industry. Common roles include:

• Designing medical devices: Developing medical imaging devices like MRIs, sonograms, ultrasound devices, and other medical technology
• Developing new innovations: Researching and contributing to the development of innovative medical advancements such as artificial organs, or replacement of body parts
• Collaborating with medical staff: Training other professionals on safety and the proper use of biomedical equipment, helping maintain medical devices, and troubleshooting medical equipment when necessary
• Research: Conducting statistical analysis, writing research papers, and offering valuable contributions to the overall scientific community on biomedical engineering methods and results

Biomedical engineers typically work behind the scenes and don’t have much interaction with patients. However, their work plays a critical role in patient recovery or improved quality of life. For this reason, many individuals are motivated to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer.

How to Become a Biomedical Engineer

For individuals interested in biological sciences, mathematics, engineering, and other related sub-disciplines, a position in biotechnology is the perfect career path. The steps to become a biomedical engineer are:

• Fulfill the educational requirements
• Obtain relevant experience
• Develop in-demand skills
• Obtain relevant qualifications, if required by employers

Educational Requirements

The first step to becoming a biomedical engineer is fulfilling the educational requirements of the role. Biomedical engineers typically need at least a bachelor’s in life sciences, biotechnology, or engineering. Many, however, continue their education by pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree as well. According to government data, almost 71 percent of biomedical engineers have a bachelor’s degree; of those, 42 percent also hold a master’s, and 14 percent earned a doctoral or professional degree.

Background Experience

Experience is an important aspect of any professional job posting. Many times employers want to know if applicants have been successful performing job responsibilities in other settings. According to government data, the largest percentage of experience requirements for biomedical engineer job postings is between four and six years of prior experience, comprising 31 percent of job postings. Only 18 percent of postings require one year of experience or less.

Since this industry values prior work experience, prospective biomedical engineers hoping to obtain relevant, hands-on experience, can greatly benefit from a program like the Master of Science in Biotechnology . These programs are designed specifically to prepare students for the workforce, presenting them with opportunities to collaborate with industry professionals and work with real-world projects.

In-Demand Skills

In addition to the experience and educational requirements, prospective biomedical engineers can set themselves apart from competing applicants by developing in-demand skills employers frequently look for.

Specialized Skills

Specialized, or “hard” skills, refer to job-specific skills required to achieve success in a biomedical engineering position. The top hard skills employers list on biomedical engineering job postings are:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Devices
• Electrical Engineering

Common Skills

Common, or “soft” skills, are the personal attributes required for biomedical engineers to succeed in their position. These skills aren’t job-specific, but often promote success in interpersonal interactions with team members, or in rare cases, patients. The most commonly listed soft skills in job postings are:

• Communications
• Troubleshooting (Problem Solving)

Top Qualifications

On top of any specialized skills specific to the industry, some biomedical engineering positions require certain credentials and certifications. Many of these certifications are job or industry specific, so you don’t need to pursue them unless you know they’re necessary. Nevertheless, it’s good to be aware that some jobs may require these credentials. According to a government report, some of the credentials listed in biomedical engineering job postings include:

• Engineer in Training (EIT)/Professional Engineer (PE): The EIT and PE certifications demonstrate a proficiency in the engineering field. Some positions give preference to applicants with these credentials, but in most cases biomedical engineers, particularly entry-level, don’t need this certification.
• Security Clearance: Some government positions require security clearance due to the sensitive nature of the position, but it’s not a typical requirement for biomedical engineering positions.

Jared Auclair , associate dean of the Professional Program and Graduate Affairs in the College of Science at Northeastern, recommends that prospective biomedical engineers not worry about these qualifications unless employers require them. “I wouldn’t pursue [these credentials] before I had a job,” he explains. “I would wait to see what was required for me to do that job, and then I would find a way to get those credentials, post-employment.”

Why Should You Consider Biomedical Engineering?

Biomedical engineering is a challenging career, but a rewarding one. A biomedical career typically offers several benefits, including a high average salary, job growth, and opportunities to make a difference.

High Average Salary

Biomedical engineers can obtain a wide range of salaries spanning from $24,000 to $160,000, depending on seniority, education, background, and whether the role is part time or full time. However, according to government data, the median salary of biomedical engineers is approximately $83,800 per year.

A relevant master’s degree can increase your earning potential. According to Auclair, “With a master’s degree, you can advance quickly and pretty far in a company, and the jobs pay pretty well.”

Additional data confirms that job postings requiring a master’s degree advertise a salary approximately 14 percent higher than those requiring a bachelor’s. Master’s-level biomedical engineers earn a median annual salary of nearly $95,000. Conversely, postings that require a bachelor’s degree advertise a median salary of $83,300 per year, and of those postings, 60 percent still prefer graduate-level applicants.

Growth Opportunities

Biomedical engineering is one of the most in-demand careers in the biotechnology industry . In terms of job opportunities, biomedical engineers have many choices. The healthcare industry offers a wide range of jobs for prospective biomedical engineers, including working in medical imaging, pharmaceuticals, neural engineering, mechanical engineering, and a variety of other options. Biomedical engineers can also advance their careers to management positions.

Make a Meaningful Difference

Healthcare professionals who take more of a hands-on role in patient care often receive the credit for patient recovery. While this credit is definitely well-deserved, they wouldn’t be able to provide the same quality of care without the work of biomedical engineers. The reality is that although biomedical engineers operate behind the scenes, they play an essential role in the healthcare industry.

One of biomedical engineers’ primary objectives is to improve patients’ quality of life by applying their engineering problem-solving skills to the medical field. They’re able to make a meaningful difference in others’ lives by increasing the efficiency of medical procedures through innovative technologies, or easing the diagnosis process for medical professionals by improving diagnostic technology. Individuals who are motivated to improve others’ quality of life will likely find biotechnology a rewarding career.

Take the Next Step Toward a Meaningful Career

For many, biomedical engineering is an appealing career. However, the educational requirements for higher-paying positions can be daunting. Auclair assures prospective students that pursuing an advanced degree in biotechnology is “definitely worth the investment, especially in the experiential master’s space.”

If you’re interested in developing the skills required to succeed in the biotechnology industry, consider applying for Northeastern’s Master of Science in Biotechnology program to expedite your biomedical engineering  career and obtain valuable, real-world experience and in-demand skills.

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Biomedical Engineering

Undergraduate Program

Biomedical Engineering lies at the intersection of the physical and life sciences, incorporating principles from physics and chemistry to understand the operation of living systems. As in other engineering fields, the approach is highly quantitative: mathematical analysis and modeling are used to capture the function of systems from subcellular to organism scales. The objectives of this concentration include providing students a solid foundation in engineering, particularly as applied to the life sciences, within the setting of a liberal arts education.

What You Need to Know About Becoming a Biomedical Engineering Major

A biomedical engineering major studies how to apply engineering and design principles to medical problems.

Becoming a Biomedical Engineering Major

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Biomedical engineering majors may go into the health care field and work with artificial organs, medical devices, medical imaging, medical instrumentation or prosthetics.

A biomedical engineering major uses science and engineering techniques to find innovative solutions to issues in medicine and biology. Students learn about ethics and how to account for economic, social, global and environmental factors in their problem-solving. With an interdisciplinary curriculum, these majors can explore many career options, including working in medicine or with technology startups.

What Is a Biomedical Engineering Major?

Students who study biomedical engineering learn to pair biology with engineering to design medical devices and therapies. Students plan experiments and analyze and interpret data, and they use engineering principles to judge the results of their work. Biomedical engineering requires collaboration, so these majors must learn to work in teams to come up with the best solutions to problems.

Schools may offer biomedical engineering or biological engineering degrees. Biomedical engineering programs focus on medical issues and applications, while biological engineering programs focus on a broader scope of applications.

Common Coursework Biomedical Engineering Majors Can Expect

Biomedical engineering majors can expect the first year or two of their coursework to be grounded in introductory mathematics, biology , engineering, chemistry and physics classes. Students can then specialize in areas such as biomechanics, biomolecular engineering, systems and synthetic biology, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, immunoengineering, instrumentation, or neural engineering.

Biomedical engineering majors may need to complete a senior capstone project. For these projects, students might work in small groups to identify a problem, devise a solution and design a product. Some programs also encourage students to participate in research or complete internships during their undergraduate careers.

Biomedical engineering majors who plan to pursue graduate studies should consider programs that offer combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees. These programs, which may have accelerated study for four years or extended study for five years, are designed to prepare students for Ph.D. or medical school programs or for industry work. Depending on the program, students may need to apply to the master’s program and maintain a high GPA.

How to Know if This Major Is the Right Fit for You

Students interested in studying biomedical engineering should be adept with math and science and have strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Group projects can be an important part of coursework, so biomedical engineering majors must work well in teams, maintain leadership skills and manage projects effectively. Some students, however, may complete independent projects, so they should have excellent research and analytical skills. These majors also need to be creative as well as good communicators.

Pick the Perfect Major

Discover the perfect major for you based on your innate wiring. The Innate Assessment sets you up for success by pairing you with majors, colleges and careers that fit your unique skills and abilities.

What Can I Do With a Biomedical Engineering Major?

Biomedical engineering majors may go into the health care field and work with artificial organs, medical devices, medical imaging, medical instrumentation or prosthetics. But they can use their skills to go into a variety of other fields , including medicine, public health, dentistry , device design, entrepreneurship, regulatory agency work, business or patent law.

Given the interdisciplinary requirements of biomedical engineering, these majors are equipped to pursue advanced degrees; some options are engineering, science, law, medicine and business.

Schools Offering a Biomedical Engineering Major

Check out some schools below that offer Biomedical Engineering majors and find the full list of schools here that you can filter and sort.

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What Is Biomedical Engineering?

Required coursework, job prospects, and average salaries for graduates

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Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field that weds the biological sciences with engineering design. The general goal of the field is to improve healthcare by developing engineering solutions for assessing, diagnosing, and treating various medical conditions. The field spans a wide range of applications including medical imaging, prosthetics, wearable technology, and implantable drug delivery systems.

Key Takeaways: Biomedical Engineering

• Biomedical engineering draws upon many fields including biology, chemistry, physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and materials science.
• Biomedical engineers can work for hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical companies, and private manufacturing companies.
• The field is diverse, and research specialties range from large full-body imaging equipment to injectable nanorobots.

What Do Biomedical Engineers Do?

In general terms, biomedical engineers use their engineering skills to advance healthcare and improve the quality of human life. We're all familiar with some of the products created by biomedical engineers such as dental implants, dialysis machines, prosthetic limbs, MRI devices, and corrective lenses.

The actual jobs performed by biomedical engineers vary widely. Some work largely with computers and information technologies in order to analyze and understand complex biological systems. As one example, genetic analyses conducted in medical laboratories as well as companies such as 23andMe require the development of robust computer systems for number crunching.

Other biomedical engineers work with biomaterials, a field that overlaps with materials engineering . A biomaterial is any material that interacts with a biological system. A hip implant, for example, must be made of a strong and durable material that can survive within a human body. All implants, needles, stents, and sutures need to be made from carefully engineered materials that can perform their designated task without causing a harmful reaction from the human body. Artificial organs are an emerging area of study that depends heavily upon experts in biomaterials.

As with all technologies, advancements in biomedical engineering are often linked to creating smaller medical devices. Bionanotechnology is a growing field as engineers and medical professionals work to develop new methods for delivering medicines and gene therapy, diagnosing health, and repairing the body. Nanorobots the size of a blood cell already exist, and we can expect to see significant advancements on this front.

Biomedical engineers frequently work in hospitals, universities, and companies that develop products in the health field.

College Coursework in Biomedical Engineering

To be a biomedical engineer, you will need a minimum of a bachelors degree. As with all engineering fields, you'll have a core curriculum that includes physics, general chemistry, and mathematics through multi-variable calculus and differential equations. Unlike most engineering fields, the coursework will have a significant focus on the biological sciences. Typical courses include:

• Molecular Biology
• Fluid Mechanics
• Organic Chemistry
• Biomechanics
• Cell and Tissue Engineering
• Biosystems and Circuits
• Biomaterials
• Qualitative Physiology

The interdisciplinary nature of biomechanical engineering means that students need to excel in several STEM fields . The major can be a good choice for students with broad interests in math and the sciences.

Students who want to advance into engineering management would be wise to supplement their undergraduate education with courses in leadership, writing and communication skills, and business.

Best Schools for Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is a growing field that is projected to keep expanding as populations increase in both number and age. For this reason, more and more schools have been adding biomedical engineering to their STEM offerings. The best schools for biomedical engineering tend to have large programs with a talented faculty, well-equipped research facilities, and access to area hospitals and medical facilities.

• Duke University : Duke's BME department is just a short walk from the highly regarded Duke University Hospital and School of Medicine, so it has been easy to develop meaningful collaborations between engineering and the health sciences. The program is supported by 34 tenure-track faculty members and graduates about 100 bachelor's degree students a year. Duke is home to 10 centers and institutes related to biomedical engineering.
• Georgia Tech : Georgia Tech is one of the nation's top public universities, and it tends to rank highly for all engineering fields. Biomedical engineering is no exception. The university's Atlanta location is a true asset, and the BME program has a strong research and educational partnership with neighboring Emory University . The program emphasizes problem-based learning, design, and independent research, so students graduate with plenty of hands-on experience.
• Johns Hopkins University : Johns Hopkins does not typically top lists of best engineering programs, but biomedical engineering is a clear exception. JHU often ranks #1 in the country for BME. The university has long been a leader in biological and health sciences from the undergraduate to doctoral levels. Research opportunities abound with 11 affiliated centers and institutes, and the university is proud of its new BME Design Studio—an open floor-plan workspace where students can meet, brainstorm, and create prototypes of biomedical devices.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology : MIT graduates about 50 biomedical engineers each year, and another 50 from its BME graduate programs. The institute has long had a well-funded program for supporting and encouraging undergraduate research, and undergrads can work alongside graduate students, faculty members, and medical professionals at the school's 10 affiliated research centers.
• Stanford University : The three pillars of Stanford's BSE program—"Measure, Model, Make"—highlights the school's emphasis on the act of creating. The program resides jointly in the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine leading to unimpeded collaboration between engineering and the life sciences. From the Functional Genomics Facility to the Biodesign Collaboratory to the Transgenic Animal Facility, Stanford has the facilities and resources to support a wide range of biomedical engineering research.
• University of California at San Diego : One of two public universities on this list, UCSD awards about 100 bachelors degrees in biomedical engineering each year. The program was founded in 1994, but has quickly grown to preeminence through its thoughtful collaboration between the Schools of Engineering and Medicine. UCSD has developed for focus areas where it truly excels: cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Average Salaries for Biomedical Engineers

Engineering fields tend to have salaries that are much higher than national averages for all jobs, and biomedical engineering fits this trend. According to PayScale.com , the average annual pay for a biomedical engineering is $66,000 early in an employee's career, and $110,300 by mid-career. These numbers are slightly below electrical engineering and aerospace engineering , but a little bit higher than mechanical engineering and materials engineering. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median pay for biomedical engineers was $88,040 in 2017, and that there are a little over 21,000 people employed in the field.

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• BS in Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering is a broad, interdisciplinary field that applies the science and technology of engineering to problems in biology, medicine, and biotechnology. These problems include the design and analysis of physiologic measuring and diagnostic systems as well as quantitative analysis and experimentation directed toward obtaining a clearer understanding of the human body’s normal and abnormal functions.

The undergraduate program provides students with integrated and rigorous training in engineering, mathematics, and the basic sciences. It incorporates a strong interdisciplinary component that combines the quantitative aspects of engineering analysis and design with a range of biology and physiology, from the molecular and cellular levels to entire systems and organisms. The program focuses on providing students with the skills necessary to solve problems that impact a wide range of economic, environmental, ethical, legal, and social issues. Virtually all premedical requirements can be satisfied within this program of study. Our graduates are well prepared for a variety of careers in the broad range of areas in engineering, science, healthcare, and business, as well as for advanced study in engineering, science, medicine, business, law, or other health-related disciplines.

The curriculum begins with a broad foundation in engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology. Foundational work is followed by more advanced engineering coursework and laboratory experiences. During the freshman and sophomore years, students complete preparatory courses in mathematics (calculus, differential equations, and linear algebra), physics, chemistry, and biology. This preparatory work is complemented by parallel training in programming for engineers, introductory courses in engineering design, and introductory courses in electric circuits and engineering mechanics. In the junior year, the foundation is used to study physiology, signals, systems, controls, biomechanics, thermodynamics, probability, statistics, and data science. The junior year also incorporates a biomedical measurements laboratory experience. The senior year includes the two-semester capstone senior design project. A variety of advanced elective courses, in the junior and senior years, complete the degree requirements and allow opportunities for specialization in instrumentation, sensory and neural systems, biomechanics, imaging and sensing, signal processing, biomolecular engineering, and systems & synthetic biology.

The BS program in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org .

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the Biomedical Engineering BS program will have:

• 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.

Degree Requirements

A total of 133 credits is required for a BS. In addition to satisfying all degree requirements as listed below, a minimum of 48 credits of coursework must be taken at Boston University in the upper-division program. The upper-division program consists of the program requirements and program electives listed below for the junior and senior years. BU Hub electives and writing courses (CAS WR 120 & WR 150–152) cannot be counted toward this requirement.

All BU undergraduate students, including both entering first-year and transfer students, will pursue coursework in the BU Hub, the University’s general education program that is integrated into the entire undergraduate experience. BU Hub requirements can be satisfied in a number of ways, including coursework in and beyond the major as well as through cocurricular activities. Students majoring in Biomedical Engineering will ordinarily, through required coursework in the major, satisfy BU Hub requirements in the Hub capacities of Quantitative Reasoning, Communication, Intellectual Toolkit, and the Hub areas of Scientific Inquiry I & II. The remaining eight required Hub units will be satisfied by selecting from a wide range of electives outside the major or, in some cases, cocurricular experiences.

Required Courses (typical sequence)

First Semester (16 credits)

• CAS CH 101 General Chemistry (4 cr)
• CAS MA 123 Calculus I (4 cr)
• CAS WR 120 Writing Seminar (4 cr)
• ENG EK 100 Freshman Advising Seminar (0 cr)
• ENG EK 121 Introduction to Programming and Data Science (2 cr)
• ENG EK 122 Programming for Engineers (2 cr)

Second Semester (17 credits)

• CAS CH 102 General Chemistry (4 cr)
• CAS MA 124 Calculus II (4 cr)
• CAS PY 211 Physics I (4 cr)
• ENG EK 103 Computational Linear Algebra (3 cr)
• ENG EK 131 Introduction to Engineering (2 cr)

First Semester (18 credits)

• CAS MA 225 Multivariate Calculus (4 cr)
• CAS PY 212 Physics II (4 cr)
• CAS WR 151, WR 152, or WR 153 Writing and Research Seminar (4 cr)
• ENG EK 210 Introduction to Engineering Design (2 cr)
• ENG EK 301 Engineering Mechanics I (4 cr)

Second Semester (16 credits)

• CAS MA 226 Differential Equations (4 cr)
• ENG BE 209 Cellular and Molecular Biology (4 cr)
• ENG EK 307 Electric Circuits (4 cr)
• Hub elective (4 cr)
• CAS BI 315 Systems Physiology (4 cr)
• ENG BE 403 Biomedical Signals and Controls (4 cr)
• ENG BE 493 Biomedical Measurements & Analysis (4 cr)
• ENG EK 381 Probability, Statistics and Data Sciences for Engineering (4 cr)
• ENG EK 424 Thermodynamic and Statistical Mechanics (4 cr)
• Fields elective (4 cr)
• Biomedical Engineering Design elective (4 cr)
• ENG BE 465 Senior Project I (2 cr)
• Biomedical Engineering elective (4 cr)
• Engineering elective (4 cr)
• Professional elective (4 cr)
• ENG BE 466 Senior Project II (4 cr)

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Courses listed below are most likely guaranteed. Some courses or details may change.

Open Yale Courses

You are here, biomedical engineering.

Founded in 2003, the Department of Biomedical Engineering constitutes one of Yale’s youngest but also most rapidly expanding departments. With an emphasis on the merger of the disciplines of engineering and biology, the department trains students to use biomedical tools to better understand human physiology and pathology and to develop new tools for disease treatment and prevention. Courses are taught by professors and research scientists and typically involve both classroom and laboratory work in a state-of-the-art space. Learn more at http://www.med.yale.edu/bme/

Introduction to Biomedical Engineering and Translation of Medical Technologies

This course is designed to introduce medical students to the biomedical engineering design, development and deployment of medical and assistive technologies and their translation into clinical practice. Prior coursework or training in engineering is not necessary. A universal, human-centered design approach is essential to developing medical devices and assistive technologies that are ethical, innovative, and socially responsible. Developing an awareness of the ethical, regulatory, and commercial issues that influence the development of medical and assistive devices is critical for effective collaboration between clinicians and engineers and is essential to the process of identifying and translating new technologies into clinical practice. Medical students will be informed about key issues surrounding engineering design, development, and deployment from multiple perspectives including clinical, industry, governmental, entrepreneurial and societal. Students will also engage in facilitated learning experiences to develop their skills, and apply these skills to analyzing design, development, and translation of new and emerging medical technologies. Active learning is organized around content, practice, and discussion with case study analysis as a key outcome.

Course Director: Andrew O. Brightman, PhD Email : [email protected] Phone: (765) 496-3537 Primary contact for Adds/Drops: Cynthia L. Holderbaum, [email protected] Home campus: West Lafayette Type of course: On-site

Learning objectives:

• By the end of this course, a student will be able to: Recognize and be able to analyze ethical, regulatory, and entrepreneurial issues and challenges in the design of medical devices (PBLI1, SBP4, P3)
• Be able to independently engage in observational and reflective activities to enhance their abilities to identify unmet medical needs (PBLI1, SBP5)
• Be able to effectively collaborate with engineers to evaluate potential design solutions that value the perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders (SBP1, P2)

Course activities: The course is delivered through a series of online multimedia content, online learning modules and interactive group sessions to discuss the online content and practice ethical literacy in the context of designing, developing and deploying medical technologies. Course topics include: identifying unmet medical needs, human-centered design; analyzing stakeholder perspectives; establishing design specifications; market evaluation and reimbursement strategies; intellectual property development; verification and validation testing; preclinical and clinical study design; regulatory basics and pathways for FDA approval; and licensing and commercialization. Students will be mentored as they analyze recent and historic cases of medical devices development and emerging technologies; participate in debates about new cases; and hear from thought leaders from clinical medicine, engineering innovation, and the healthcare products industry who will offer their professional insights. They will also engage with engineers to practice identifying unmet medical needs and evaluating potential solutions. Estimated time distribution:  Small group sessions meet for 2-3 hours per month for 9 months during the fall and spring semesters. In-class lecture/presentation/discussion: 80% Online learning: 20% Assessments: Participation in group sessions as demonstrated by active participation and contribution to oral discussion, as assessed by faculty observation, including attendance at >80% of recitation sessions: 50%

Completion of all online modules and written assessments (interviews, analyses, and case reports); the student must receive a score of 75% or greater on each assessment including quizzes (delivered through online modules) or written submissions: 50%

Prerequisites: Scholarly Concentration enrollment Interprofessional collaboration: None at this time

Introduction to Customer Discovery

Introduction to Customer Discovery (ICD) is based on the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) curriculum that helps learners discover the commercial potential of medical technologies. During the course, students will learn how to build a business model, talk to customers and gain insight from experienced leaders in the field of medical devices/technologies. This is an experiential learning opportunity; teams will be engaged by “getting out of the building” and interviewing customers to discover the value of their idea each week for four weeks. Along the way, ICD instructors will guide the teams through the course, but the bulk of the work comes from engaging with real customers. Updates will be made weekly, with the course culminating in a final presentation of findings and learnings. Startups often communicate in a very direct and urgent style. This can feel brusque and impersonal, but in reality is focused and oriented to create immediate action in time- and cash- constrained environments. Students have limited time and the program leaders will push, challenge, and question participants in the hope they will quickly learn the most critical elements of their business model. ICD leaders will be direct, open, and tough to help students identify clear, next-step questions to address. This approach may seem intense, but it is all intended to help challenge quickly and objectively, and to appreciate that as entrepreneurs it’s critical to learn and evolve faster than ever imagined. Students will be expected to question, challenge, disagree and engage in real dialogue with the course leaders.

Course Director: Andrew O. Brightman, PhD Email: [email protected] Phone: (765) 496-3537 Primary contact for Adds/Drops: Cynthia L. Holderbaum, [email protected] Home campus: West Lafayette Type of course: On-site Online modules and team work may be done remotely and workshops via Zoom, pending project locations and agreement by leadership. Email access to instructors required. Learning objectives:

• Use a Business Model Canvas to collect information from customers and key stakeholders to validate an idea(s) before beginning development (SBP1, PBLI1, ICS5)
• Identify approaches that can be used to reduce stakeholder risk (PBLI2, ICS1, ICS5, SBP1)
• Generate presentations capable of demonstrating the commercial potential of innovative medical technologies. (ICS5)

Course activities: The pre-course work consists of approximately 15 hours of online modules, readings and a pre-survey that provide a foundation in the courses methodology. For approximately 15-20 hours a week for four weeks (~60-75 hours), students will engage in course learning, customer interviews and update and improve a Business Model Canvas for presentation. Estimated time distribution: 55% Laboratory or Scholarly Research 15% Lecture/Seminar 10% Library/Research 20% Online

Assessments: Completion of pre-course work (readings, videos and pre-survey): 20%

Participation in customer interviews as demonstrated by active participation and contribution to weekly oral presentations, as assessed by faculty observation: 45%, Final Canvas and oral presentation, as assessed by a standardized rubric: 35%

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PhD Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical engineering contributes to the advances in a variety of technical areas including biomaterials, tissue engineering, stem cells and regenerative medicine, cell and gene therapy, medical devices, bioinstrumentation, systems physiology etc. The  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics  projects 5% growth in biomedical engineering jobs over the next 10 years, which is higher than the 4% growth projected for all engineering jobs and faster than the average for all occupations. There are many engineering grand challenges that rely on biomedical engineering such as engineering better medicines, reverse-engineering the brain, and advancing health informatics.

To learn more about the innovative and translational research being conducted, click  here . Contact the  graduate coordinator  for additional details.

Exceptional and highly motivated students with a B.S. degree who have not completed an M.S. degree may apply for direct admission to a Ph.D. program provided they have demonstrated research experience. The student’s desire and suitability to enter a Ph.D. program should be clearly articulated in their statement of purpose and in accompanying letters of recommendation.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Program of Study

Minimum requirement – 72 credit hours (minimum of 28 credit hours course work; minimum of 45 credit hours research and dissertation)

A thesis master’s degree from an accredited university may be accepted for up to 30 credit hours, in which case a minimum of 42 credit hours of approved course work, research and dissertation beyond the M.S. degree would be required

General Requirements

In addition to  Graduate School requirements  and  College of Engineering requirements , the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering has the following doctoral program requirements:

• Ph.D. students must form their Graduate Advisory Committee within 18 months of starting their Ph.D. program. The committee must be comprised of 5 members, all of whom must be members of the graduate faculty and at least one, but no more than two faculty members on the Advisory Committee must have an appointment exclusively outside the College of Engineering.
• A student must pass written qualifying and oral comprehensive exams before completing and orally defending a dissertation. The written qualifying exam will be administered by the school. The oral comprehensive exam will follow the  Graduate School Requirements .
• Ph.D. students are expected to be admitted to candidacy within 24 months of starting their Ph.D. program.
• Student must make two oral presentations in the School Seminar Series advertised to the UGA scientific and engineering community.
• The student’s dissertation research is expected to generate significant scholarship (such as publications, patents, conference presentations).

A complete list of PhD program milestones is available  here .

* Only 3 hours of Bioengineering Seminar may apply on the Program of Study. Individual Programs or Schools may require students to enroll for additional semesters. Students are strongly encouraged to continue regular attendance of speaker series presentations even if not formally registered in the seminar.

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Learn Essential Biomedical Skills

The Biomedical courses listed are tailored to equip you for a career in medical research, healthcare technology, and clinical engineering. They encompass vital topics like bioinformatics, medical imaging, and biomaterials, essential for advancing in this dynamic field.

The language used throughout the course, in both instruction and assessments.

Choose the Biomedical Course That Aligns Best With Your Educational Goals

University of Glasgow

Biomedical Visualisation

Skills you'll gain : Human Computer Interaction, Computer Graphic Techniques, Interactive Data Visualization, Scientific Visualization, Virtual Reality, Application Development, Human Learning

(406 reviews)

Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

University of Manchester

Industrial Biotechnology

(3.2K reviews)

Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Duke University

Medical Neuroscience

Skills you'll gain : Health

(2.7K reviews)

Advanced · Course · 3 - 6 Months

Yale University

Introduction to Medical Software

Skills you'll gain : Software Engineering, Software Testing, Entrepreneurship, User Research

(160 reviews)

Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months

University of Michigan

Skills you'll gain : Human Learning

(3.6K reviews)

Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST)

MRI Fundamentals

Skills you'll gain : Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Spatial Analysis, Spatial Data Analysis, Scientific Visualization, Mergers & Acquisitions

(382 reviews)

Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months

The University of Edinburgh

Data Science in Stratified Healthcare and Precision Medicine

Skills you'll gain : Computer Programming, Data Analysis, Python Programming, Applied Machine Learning, Clinical Data Management, Machine Learning, Data Analysis Software, Data Management, Data Visualization, Probability & Statistics, Natural Language Processing

(314 reviews)

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Systems Biology and Biotechnology

Skills you'll gain : Bioinformatics, Probability & Statistics, Mathematics, Differential Equations, Network Analysis, Graph Theory, Matlab

(941 reviews)

Intermediate · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

Universiteit Leiden

Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation

(353 reviews)

Anatomy of the Chest, Neck, Abdomen, and Pelvis

(1.7K reviews)

Johns Hopkins University

Foundations of Healthcare Systems Engineering

Skills you'll gain : Problem Solving

(252 reviews)

Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

Technical University of Denmark (DTU)

Whole genome sequencing of bacterial genomes - tools and applications

Skills you'll gain : Bioinformatics

(1.4K reviews)

Searches related to biomedical

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular biomedical courses.

• Biomedical Visualisation :   University of Glasgow
• Industrial Biotechnology :   University of Manchester
• Medical Neuroscience :   Duke University
• Introduction to Medical Software :   Yale University
• Anatomy :   University of Michigan
• MRI Fundamentals :   Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology(KAIST)
• Data Science in Stratified Healthcare and Precision Medicine :   The University of Edinburgh
• Systems Biology and Biotechnology :   Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation :   Universiteit Leiden
• Anatomy of the Chest, Neck, Abdomen, and Pelvis :   Yale University

Frequently Asked Questions about Biomedical

What is biomedical ‎.

Biomedical is often used as a signifier to describe the study of medical, biological, and physical sciences. It can be used to describe breakthroughs in biomedicine, which applies physiological and biological principles to medical science to create new life-saving methods and solutions to illnesses.

Researchers who work in biomedical science study medical conditions in humans, like diabetes, stress, hepatitis, cancer, aging, and other elements to support the analysis, diagnosis, and treatment of human illnesses and diseases. ‎

Why is it valuable to learn biomedical? ‎

Learning about biomedical research and the study of human illnesses leads to breakthroughs in modern medicine. When you learn about biomedical advances in science, you are learning about how the human body resists illnesses and diseases and what types of drugs and medicines can provide answers to people. The knowledge of biomedical science can also help you learn how cells in our body can be used to create artificial muscles, or how humans react to stress and anxiety, and what treatments can offset these conditions. ‎

What are typical careers that use biomedical? ‎

The types of careers that are in the biomedical field include medical researchers, biomedical scientists, biotechnologists, forensic scientists, microbiologists, medical physicists, and other similar occupations. Gaining a degree in biomedicine can lead to an exciting career in a wide range of fields, not just clinical work. Your biomedical career might take you into business and industry, healthcare, government work, and environmental sciences.

When you work in the biomedical profession, you may find work in the study of biochemical and physiological functions, epidemiology, anatomy, and pharmacology. You’ll gain knowledge about illnesses, bodily functions, nutrition, and the study of immunology. ‎

How can taking online courses help me to learn about biomedical topics? ‎

Taking online courses in biomedical topics can help you learn how to better understand the biochemistry within our bodies, and help you better understand how to make a difference in the study of living beings and their health.

You can also learn how laboratory research on both humans and animals can assist in overall biomedical knowledge. When you take online courses on biomedical research, you may gain new insights into the infectious virus COVID-19 and learn how advances in science can serve to stop the disease in its tracks. ‎

What are the benefits of taking an online Biomedical course? ‎

Online Biomedical courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your existing knowledge or learn new Biomedical skills. With a wide range of Biomedical classes, you can conveniently learn at your own pace to advance your Biomedical career skills. ‎

What Biomedical courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce? ‎

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Biomedical, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here . ‎

Other topics to explore

• Honors Biomedical Engineering
• PowerSchool Code: 30205X0
• Grade Level: 10th, 11th, 12th graders
• Semester: Fall Semester
• Schedule: Monday — Thursday
• Time: 8:00am – 9:10am
• Course Pathway(s): Engineering, Health Sciences
• NCSSM Connect

Course Introduction

How are electrical signals from the heart measured outside the body? Is there a way to design high-heel shoes that don’t hurt women’s feet? How do engineers design heart valves that only allow blood to flow one way? This course introduces students to the different subspecialties of biomedical engineering including bioelectronics and instrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, and biochemical. Through written problems, hands-on and design activities, and reviewing literature in the field, students explore and experience biomedical engineering principles, the engineering design process, and problem-solving and troubleshooting.

PREREQUISITE(S):

Completion of Math II Honors with a B or better, or in Math II with an A through your local high school or NCVPS.

MATERIALS/TEXTBOOK:

SITE REQUIREMENTS:

Students must have computer access with a stable internet connection and appropriate permissions for web conferencing. Students in shared spaces should have individual audio devices (headphones with microphones).

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46 results found

Introductory Biomeasurements

The foundations of basic circuit theory are introduced including voltage-current characteristics of resistive and reactive elements, Ohm's and Kirchhoff's Laws, equivalent sources, transformations and superposition, transient response, instantaneous and average power, AC impedance, dynamic response of first and second order systems.

Biomeasurements Lab

Laboratory exercises will reinforce the foundations of basic circuit theory. Electronic instruments are used in the context of biomedical signal measurement and processing and include the use of oscilloscopes, function generators, transducers, electrodes, biopotential amplifiers and digital data collection and analysis. Laboratory exercises utilize industrially relevant instruments for measurement and acquisition of time varying signals arising from electronic and bioelectric sources.

Introductory Biomechanics

This course uses didactic lecture material to introduce students to the principles of mechanics and how these concepts apply to musculoskeletal tissues.

Biomechanics Lab

Probability and applications in bme.

Probability theory and statistical methods are developed for life science applications. Analytical tools such as hypothesis testing, estimation of moments, sampling theory, correlation and spectral analysis are developed and applied to identifying underlying processes in biological systems, developing realistic models of physiological processes, designing experiments, and interpreting biological data.

Biosignals and Systems

This course applies mathematical analysis tools to biological signals and systems. Frequency analysis, Fourier and Laplace transforms, and state equations are used to represent and analyze continuous and discrete-time biosignals. Classic feedback analysis tools are applied to biological systems that rely on negative feedback for control and homeostasis.

Biomedical Computing

This course explores computational approaches to analyzing biological data and solving biological problems. Students will fit and interpret biological data, apply probabilistic and differential equation modeling techniques to biological processes, and assess numerical tools for biomedical applications. Special attention is given to the built-in analysis functions of MATLAB.

Cell and Tissue Mechanics

This course will introduce the students to the biological principles of cellular/tissue behaviors and properties. Topics include: fundamental concepts of cellular structure and tissue organization, biomolecular elements and their properties, cell shape, cell adhesion and migration, mechanotransduction, pattern formation in embryos, and stem cell and tissue regeneration.

Cell and Tissue Lab

This course develops quantitative biomechanical methods to analyze cell/tissue behavior and properties to solve biomechanical engineering problems.  Topics include:  bioviscoelasticity, failure, filament dynamics, membrane dynamics, biofluid dynamics, cellular dynamics, and tissue dynamics.

Implantable Materials and Biological Response

This course combines biomaterials, their biological response, and interactions between implantable materials and biological systems. Materials science of implantable materials; overview of implantable biomaterials and interactions between implants and biosystems; in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility tests; and specific examples on implant-tissue interactions, biocompatibility, and evaluation tools are presented.

Implantable Materials Lab

BME 38300 is a corequisite course to BME 38100, supplementing the basic science of BME 38100 with quantitative, analytical examples and problems related to fundamental engineering principles in implantable materials. Topics include: microstructure, phase transformation, processing and design issues related to major engineering materials used for implantation purposes.

Applied Biomaterials

This course covers foundational knowledge in the fields of materials science and engineering. Emphasis is placed on the materials used in biomedical applications and the relationship between material properties and the performance of these biomaterials.

Senior Seminar

BME 40200 explores career and professional topics in Biomedical Engineering. Topics include resume writing, interviewing, and professional conduct; post-graduate education and life-long learning; and industrial, clinical, and research opportunities in Biomedical Engineering.

Quantitative Physiology in BME

This course is an introductory course in physiological systems and an introductory course in classical feedback control theory for biomedical engineers.  It aims to apply systems theory and classical feedforward and feedback control in the context of physiological.  Control, frequency response, and linear systems concepts are applied to action potential generation, motor control, heart rate regulation, and other physiological processes.  Approximately a third of the course will be devoted to physiological systems, as third to classical control theory and a third to the application of classical control and systems theory to physiological systems.

Biofluid Mechanics

This course explores fluid mechanics in the context of the human circulatory system. Principal equations are derived from differential analysis of fluid flow, and models of characteristic flow conditions are fully analyzed. Biofluid mechanics, vessel biomechanics, and hemodynamic analysis of the circulation system will also be discussed.

Transport Processes in BME

This course explores engineering principles in mass and other transport processes in biological systems.  Topics covered include diffusion, convection, reaction kinetics, transport in porous and fluid mediums, etc.  Mathematical models of transport are developed and applied to biomedical problems and physiological systems such as the kidney/renal and oxygen/arterial systems.

Biomedical Engineering Design I

BME 49101 prepares students for engineering practice through a major design experience, encompassing conceptualization, requirements generation, and system and detailed design. Essential design constraints will be reviewed and applied including: safety, economic, and manufacturability. The course encompasses lectures, case studies, team formation, project assignments and generation of initial design.

Biomedical Engineering Design II

This course continues the design experience from BME 49101 with verification, validation, and re-design of student projects. Regulatory and ethical design constraints will be discussed. Oral presentation and report writing are required .

Tissue Engineering

This is a senior undergraduate level Tissue Engineering class that focuses on the basic principles of tissue engineering, including cell sources, influence of soluble and immobilized cues in tissue morphogenesis, matrix/scaffold preparation and characterizations, as well as the integration of the abovementioned components for the goal of assisting tissue regeneration, replacing lost tissues, or restoring tissue functions.

BME Graduate Seminar

Implantable systems.

Engineering constraints surrounding the selection of a power source for an implantable system and in particular how the control of the target organ system impacts power plant design. The organ specific design of cochlear neuroprosthetics, functional neuromuscular stimulation systems and cardiac pacemakers are presented in detail as but three examples of technically mature implantable systems that have had broad clinical impact. For each, there is a brief introduction to the related anatomy, physiology and neurophysiology of the target organ system so that students may gain perspective on the functional limits of the artificial control of these organ systems. Several implantable systems presently in the early stages of bioengineering design or in the early stages of clinical trials are presented as state-of-the-art examples. Particular attention is given to practical bioengineering issues related to the ever expanding use of implantable biomedical sensors in order to provide real-time control of the implant and improved response to challenges to the homeostasis of organ system function. Issues related to ethical and regulatory considerations related to implantable system design including animal testing, human clinical trials and FDA premarket approval are also introduced.

Experimental Methods in Biomedical Engineering

The course begins with the basic principles of hypothesis formulation and testing. Lectures rapidly progress toward the statistical design of experiments and proper selection of laboratory instrumentation, techniques and methodologies for testing a particular hypothesis, i.e. all experimental instrumentation and methodologies impart limits upon data interpretation relative to the specific biological questions understudy. Practical examples are derived from areas of neuroscience and cardiovascular research and involve a diverse range of instrumentation and methodologies including in vivo , in situ and in vitro electrophysiology (intra and extracellular recordings, care and use of animals, etc.), microscopy (optical, confocal, electron etc.) and fluorescent indicators (lipophilic dyes, antibody labeling, etc.) along with basic principles of noncontact in vivo imagining at the level of organ systems and cellular networks. Class time will also be devoted to development of experimental protocols that involve animal and human subjects, biosafety issues and the review processes for protocol submission.

Musculoskeletal Biology and Mechanics

This course will cover topics relevant to skeletal biology including skeletal morphology, physiology, cell biology, embryonic development, adult osteogenesis, mineral homeostasis, tissue mechanics, mechanical adaptation, failure (fracture), fracture fixation, implants, implant mechanics and disease dynamics.

Drug Delivery

This course will explore the principles, techniques, and applications for therapeutic drug delivery and administration. This course will start with the fundamentals of drug administration: engineering principles such as diffusion and mass transport, with specific emphasis on transport in biological systems and barriers, pharmacokinetics, and drug distribution. We will examine the existing state of art in drug delivery systems: controlled release, biomaterials, and polymer-based delivery systems. Finally, we will also discuss the current field of biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals: identification of novel drug targets, latest development in drug discovery, development, clinical trials, and product development, going from research to market using the latest examples from the pharmaceutical industry.

Advanced Biomedical Polymers

This is an advanced polymer course that provides the most recent development of biomedical polymers and their applications and covers a variety of biomedical areas such as in cardiovascular, dental, orthopedic, ophthalmologic and wound healing research. Drug, cellular and gene delivery are also covered. This course is designed for all the senior undergraduate and graduate students (M.S. and Ph.D. level) in biomedical areas. Except for learning, students are also required to discuss the related topics and write term papers related to the assigned special topics in the class.

Vascular Biomechanics

This course will cover the mathematical preliminaries and theoretical framework to analyze the mechanics of soft biological tissues. Emphasis is placed on the application of continuum mechanics to the study of the arteries; the measurement and quantification of material properties and the calculation of vascular stresses.

BME 3D Modeling in Medicine

Fall 2023 Course

Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging

Ultrasound imaging is one of the most widely used medical imaging modality in the world. This course will present the physical basis for using high-frequency sound in medicine. We will explore ultrasound instrumentation, transducers, and the physical principles of sound waves/ultrasound propagating in tissue. Such topics will include the wave equation, acoustic impedance, reflection and transmission of sound, refraction, basic signal processing, sound beams, transducers, ultrasound attenuation, and scattering. The latter part of the course will heavily emphasize medical ultrasound. Students will construct a tissue-mimicking phantom, acquire ultrasound images, and then work through image post-processing on their data. Finally, we will discuss emerging ultrasound technologies in industry and clinics, including bubble dynamics and drug delivery, lithotripsy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound for thermal ablation. Students will learn via lectures, homework, in-class lab exercises, and a final project to gain knowledge, retain the ability to think critically, and develop problem-solving skills through medical imaging.

Biomolecular Engineering

This course covers the experimental and computational tools useful to analyze biological molecules and molecular systems, potential applications of DNA/protein molecules for designing nano-scale motors, switches, and computers. The topics include electrophoresis, genome-wide molecular analysis, network analysis, DNA manipulations, protein interactions, and microfluidics.

Biosignal Processing Laboratory

This is laboratory based course which cover several biosignal processing problems. These would include the origin and biophysics of biosignals; noise, interference and simple digital filtering; adaptive filters and signal averaging; correlation and spectrum estimation; data compression; orthogonal expansion techniques.

Embedded Bioinstrumentation

The advent of the current generation of low cost, low power, electronically programmable embedded systems has enabled the development of a new generation of portable medical bioinstrumentation. However, implementation of such devices requires the integration of analog interfaces, analog to digital/digital to analog signal conversion, digital filtering and programming in the medical devices arena. These topics will be reinforced through the development of a embedded TI-MSP430 based biomedical device.

Advanced Tissue Engineering

This course will cover biological principles and physiological phenomena underlying cellular regulation during development, homeostasis, and wound healing. Topics also include tissue engineering fundamentals, such as cell sources, transplantation immunology, processing of scaffolding materials, integration at cell-material interfaces, mechanisms of incorporation and release of biologics, engineered culture environments, and host-transplant integration. Students will have opportunity to evaluate clinically relevant tissue engineering products and cutting-edge tissue engineering research.

Polymers for Biomedical Applications

This course describes basic synthesis, characterization and applications of current synthetic and natural biocompatible polymers. This course is designed for undergraduate and graduate students in all areas who are interested in biomedical polymers, since polymers currently are so popular in biomedical, pharmaceutical and tissue engineering research. Topics include: overview of basic materials science, organic chemistry and biochemistry, introduction to polymers, biodegradable polymers, and polymeric hydrogels.

Neural Engineering

Neural engineering is an emerging engineering discipline that combines the various disciplines of engineering with the biological, physical and material sciences to find the means to access, understand, manipulate, and perhaps enhance the nervous system and the information it contains. The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the field of neural engineering and will start with the introduction of the neuron, the bioelectric phenomenon and the neural / electronic interface. These topics will be reinforced through hands on practical experiments using electrodes for stimulation and recording.

Cellular Electrophysiology

This course provides both the theoretical and practical training necessary to understand the operational principles of voltage and current clamp instrumentation most often used in cellular neurophysiology. The application and capabilities of the instrumentation are presented relative to the fundamental principles of bioelectricity most often studied in cellular electrophysiological research including: current, voltage, charge, resistance, capacitance, impedance relative to the phospholipid bilayer and protein pore, elementary properties of ions in solution, the Nernst-Plank equation, subthreshold membrane phenomena, space clamp of membrane potential, electrotonic considerations, conduction of action potentials along axons and spread of membrane potential throughout cell body and dendrites. Additional topics include the origin and analysis of extracellular biopotentials. Course lectures progress from the practical aspects of extracellular recording techniques through to understanding fundamental principles of volume conduction and the effects these have upon the recorded biopotential signals. The course closes with the study of advanced topics of bioelectric phenomena including elementary field theory, the core conductor and lumped fiber source models.

Molecular and Cellular Mechanics

This course is aimed at understanding the mechanical designs of cells with emphasis on the dynamics of cellular components such as biopolymers (DNA and proteins), two-dimensional and three-dimensional filament networks, and lipid membranes. The topics include entropic consideration and persistence length of biopolymers, energy distributions in network structures, dynamics of filaments and motor proteins, membrane stability and undulations, integration of cellular components, and mechanical design of cells.

Cardiac Electrophysiology

This course will introduce the basic principles of cardiac generated bioelectricity and will be examined at the cellular, extracellular, and body surface levels. The generation of abnormal cardiac rhythms and the relevant electro-therapies will be emphasized. These include the principles of cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators as well as the tools used in cardiac ablation therapy, e.g., cardiac mapping and ablative energy sources. Modern signal processing methods applied to electrocardiography will also be presented.

Engineering Principles of Biotechnology

This course will explore the engineering principles behind advanced biomedical technologies and modern biotechnology. This course will examine in depth the engineering fundamentals used in the development of modern biotechnology. More specifically, we will discuss engineering and mathematical fundamentals used in microbial fermentations, enzyme kinetics, biological thermodynamics, genetic and recombinant engineering, and the production of monoclonal antibodies, and other biopharmaceuticals. Topics to be covered include: bioproducts and biofules, microbial fermentation and bioreactors, mathematical modeling and simulations of biological processes, enzyme kinetics, metabolic pathways and genetic engineering.

Cellular Mechanotransduction

This course will cover the biochemical signaling in response to various mechanical stresses in the context of physiology and pathophysiology. Topics include the behavior of live cells during cell motility, force generation, and interaction with the extracellular matrix; the advanced biomechanical testing tools used for in vitro characterization of living cells; mechanotransduction that converts mechanical forces into biochemical signaling.

Engineering Principles of Biomolecular Interaction

This course will introduce principles of thermodynamics, physical chemistry, and reaction kinetics in the context of biomolecular recognition. Advanced topics include principles and techniques to manipulate receptor-ligand recognition processes and cell-biomaterials interactions, as well as design and delivery of biomolecular and cellular therapeutics for disease treatment.

Engineering Analysis of Tissues

This course will cover the principles of a number of characterization methods used to assess the quantity and quality of tissues. These will include, but are not limited to: Atomic force microscopy, Indentation, mechanical testing (static and dynamic), Raman/FTIR, EM, Fluorescence, CT, Backscatter EM.

Advanced Biomolecular Engineering

One of the most challenging tasks for the current biomedical engineers is to extract biologically important information from a large amount of data such as genomic DNA sequences and mRNA/protein expression data. Using examples in human genomics and proteomics, this course describes cutting-edge biomolecular technologies, computational algorithms, and mathematical models. The first half is genomics focusing on experimental designs with microarrays and analyses of microarray-derived data, and the second half is proteomics focusing on the principles of mass spectrometry and analyses of protein expression data. The subjects include structure of human genome, DNA microarrays, cluster analyses, singular value decomposition, modeling and voting, mass spectroscopy, protein arrays, systems biology, and biostatistics.

Advanced Biomedical Engineering Topics

Credits: 1-6

Individual research projects to be approved by the supervising faculty member before registering for the course. An approved written report is required.

Directed Readings in Biomedical Engineering

Credits: 1-3

Individualized reading course supervised by an appropriate faculty member. Approval for each reading course must be obtained from the department prior to registration.

Research Master of Science Thesis

Credits: 1-9

Research M.S. thesis.

Research PhD Thesis

Research PhD thesis.

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The medical physics graduate program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs, Inc. ( CAMPEP ). The program, serving both MS and PhD degrees, ensures that the students receive adequate didactic and clinical training to continue in education and research, enter clinical physics residencies or begin working as medical physicists in radiation therapy and diagnostic radiology departments. MS students are trained with an emphasis on developing skills necessary for clinical medical physicists, 

In addition to the requirement of physics minor-equivalent undergraduate coursework, the qualifications and documentation required for admission to the MS program in Medical Physics are the same as for the College of Engineering.

In general, the following four types of students are typically admitted to the MS program in Medical Physics:

• Students with undergraduate degrees in biomedical engineering and other engineering disciplines who seek advanced professional training or specialization in a particular area of medical physics
• Professional engineers with degrees in other engineering disciplines who plan to enter the field of medical physics
• Students with an undergraduate degree in Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology or other fields of natural or health science who seek to diversify their career opportunities by acquiring a medical physics degree
• Students who are preparing for admission to advanced health-related or other professional programs such as medical school

Students may be given conditional admission and required to take additional undergraduate courses in engineering, physics, and/or mathematics depending on their previous course work, as specified in the admission letter. The requisite courses will be prescribed by the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director during the first advising session.

The objective of the Medical Physics program is to provide advanced knowledge in the field of medical physics with an emphasis on therapeutic medical physics, and to provide the training required for students to become licensed medical physicists. This program is coordinated by the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Radiation Oncology at the School of Medicine.

The program is opened to students enrolled in the regular MS program, as well as the dual degree (BS/MS) program. Candidates are required to have completed the physics minor equivalent coursework that must include Modern Physics ( PHY 360  or equivalent), before they start their coursework in the Medical Physics program. 

Students in the Medical Physics program must complete Human Physiology for Engineers ( BME 602 ) and one of the remaining two courses from the human physiology ( BME 601 or  BME 603 ) course series, and 23-credits in the core curriculum in the area of medical physics.

The topic of the non-thesis MS project  ( BME 707 / BME 708 ), or MS thesis must be related to medical physics. In general, the project is co-supervised by Faculty from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Department of Radiation Oncology

Required Core Courses 

All students enrolled in the MS program are required to complete the following core graduate courses: 

• Two human physiology courses ( BME 602 , and  BME 601  or  BME 603 )
• 23 credits in medical physics

The Human Physiology Courses ( BME 601 / BME 602 / BME 603 , 3 credits each) are designed to provide a basic understanding of organ-level physiology and anatomy, neurophysiology, and cellular and molecular biology. Students with an MD from a medical school accredited by the World Health Organization are exempted from taking these courses. Students holding advanced degrees in the life sciences, or equivalent experience in the field, may also be exempt. Each such exception requires the approval of the Department Chairperson and Faculty member responsible for the course of concern. Students who receive an exemption, must replace the exempted course(s) with another 3-credit graduate course(s) that meets the degree requirements.

Curriculum Requirements

Ms in medical physics - nonthesis option.

The MS non-thesis option is intended for students with an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering or related disciplines who seek advanced training or specialization in a specific area of biomedical engineering; for professional engineers with undergraduate degrees in other disciplines who want to enter the field of biomedical engineering; and for students who want to prepare for admission to advanced health-related or other professional programs.

Non-Thesis MS Project

General description.

All students enrolled in the MS non-thesis program must complete a two-semester 3 credit Master's project ( BME 707  and  BME 708 ), under the supervision of a project mentor and departmental project coordinator. The project must demonstrate the candidate’s ability to solve complex scientific or technical problems at the interface of engineering and medical physics.

The MS project can be a research or design project. The project must include a significant research or design component contributed by the M.S. student, including, but not limited to, the design of an experiment or process; the development of a device, instrument, or system; the development of a computer program; the analysis of experimental data. Projects cannot be limited solely to the review of literature, the development of research or design proposals, or the collection of experimental data.

At the completion of their project, students must submit a written project report and complete a public oral defense of their project.

Project Mentor

Students who select the MS non-thesis track must identify a project mentor and select a project before they register for their second semester of full-time study. The project mentor is generally a primary faculty member from the Medical Physics Graduate Program. The role of the project mentor is to help the student identify a suitable project, to monitor the progress of the student, to provide guidance and training in the relevant topics, and to review the final report and presentation.

Students may complete their project under the supervision of a faculty member from another Department at the University of Miami, or from the local biomedical industry, or from a local clinic, under the following conditions:

• The student must receive the approval of the Department Chairman and Graduate Program Director.
• The student must identify a co-mentor who must be a primary faculty member from the Medical Physics Graduate Program. The co-mentor must be familiar with the topic of the proposed project. The role of the co-mentor will be to monitor the student progress and ensure that the Master's project report and presentation satisfy all of the relevant requirements.

Project Coordinator

The project coordinator is a member of the primary faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering who is responsible for teaching the  BME 707 / BME 708  course. The role of the project coordinator is to:

• Help students identify a project and mentor.
• Ensure that the projects satisfy the program objectives.
• Provide general guidance and graduate scholarship training.
• Ensure that the students are making suitable progress towards the project goals.

Project Abstract

Non-Thesis MS students must submit a one-page project abstract to the Department Chairman or Graduate Program Director and to the MS Project Coordinator at the time when they register for  BME 707 / BME 708 . The abstract must include the name of the project mentor (and co-mentor, if any), the title of the proposed project, and a brief description of the goals of the project and proposed methods. The abstract must be approved by the mentor, MS Project Coordinator, and Department Chairman or Graduate Program Director before the student can start work on the project. ( Project Abstract Template )

Project Report

Non-thesis MS students must submit a detailed report describing the work completed during the project. The report must describe the objectives and significance of the work, and summarize the activities completed by the student as part of the MS project. The report must demonstrate that the work performed by the student satisfies the general project criteria. The typical length of non-thesis M.S. project reports is 20 to 30 pages. If the project resulted in the submission of a full-length peer-reviewed scientific article, the article can be submitted in lieu of a report, as long as the following conditions are satisfied:

• The student must be the first author of the article.
• The article must reflect the work performed by the student as part of the project.
• The article must be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or conference proceedings volume.
• A one to two page introduction must be submitted to summarize the project goals and main outcomes.

The report must be reviewed and approved by the project mentor (and co-mentor, if any). Once the report is approved by the mentor(s), one printed copy and one electronic version in PDF format must be submitted to the Project Coordinator by the specified deadline. The final report must be approved and signed by the Project Mentor(s), Project Coordinator and Graduate Program Director or Department Chairman. ( Signature Page Template )

Project presentation

Non-thesis MS students must give an oral presentation of their project. The oral presentation is generally scheduled during the scheduled final examination time of  BME 707 / BME 708  in the semester of graduation. 

Project grade

The final grade for the project is given by the Project Coordinator. The final grade is a combination of a grade submitted by the Project Mentor(s) assessing the overall performance of the student on the project, and a grade given by the Project Coordinator assessing the quality of the oral presentation and report.

Curriculum Requirements:

Ms in medical physics - thesis option.

The thesis option is typically selected by students who are oriented towards a career in academic or industrial research and development, or students who want to acquire an initial independent biomedical research experience before seeking admission to doctoral programs.

Thesis Option

General description.

The Master's thesis is a research monograph which describes the significance of the research and summarizes the research activities completed as part of the MS degree requirements. The objective of the thesis is to evaluate the candidate’s competence in the area of the MS research. The thesis must demonstrate that the research is original and that the candidate has the ability to solve complex scientific and/or technical problems at the interface of engineering and medicine or biology.

Thesis Mentor

Students who select the MS thesis track must identify a thesis mentor before they register for their second semester of full-time study. The thesis mentor must hold a primary or secondary faculty appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Exceptions can be made only with approval of the Graduate Program Director and Department Chairman.

The thesis mentor supervises the research work of the student and provides training and guidance in the relevant research topics, including design of experiments, experimental techniques, and scholarship activities. The mentor helps the student select a thesis topic and develop a plan, and chairs or co-chairs the thesis committee. The mentor works closely with the student to ensure that there is satisfactory progress towards the thesis goals.

Thesis Committee

The thesis must be approved by a thesis committee. The duties of the thesis committee are:

• to consult with and to advise students on their research;
•  to meet, at intervals, to review progress and expected results;
• to read and comment upon the draft thesis;
• to meet, when the thesis is completed, to conduct the final oral examination and to satisfy itself that the thesis work is original; that it demonstrates the candidate's ability to solve complex scientific and/or technical problems at the interface of engineering and medicine or biology; that it is written in lucid and correct English; and that it is submitted in approved format.

The thesis committee will consist of not less than three members, with the following requirements:

• The committee chair shall be a Primary Faculty member of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, as well as a regular member of the Graduate Faculty. The Committee Chair is generally also the thesis mentor.
• A thesis mentor who is not a member of the Primary Faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, can serve as Co-Chair of the Thesis Committee, together with a second Co-Chair who shall be a member of the primary faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
• It is an additional requirement of the Department of Biomedical Engineering that at least two committee members should be primary Faculty members from the Department.
• One committee member must be from outside the Department. Outside members of the thesis committee can include part-time faculty that teach within the Department.
• At least one committee member must be a regular member of the Graduate Faculty of the University of Miami.

The committee is nominated by the Graduate Program Director. Usually, the student consults with his/her research mentor and with the Chairperson or Graduate Program Director to select the Committee members.

Thesis Format and Deadlines

It is the duty of the student to ensure that the thesis defense is scheduled and that a final version of the thesis approved by the Dissertation Editor is submitted to the Dissertation Editor by the required deadlines set by the Graduate School. All information pertaining to the formatting and electronic guidelines for electronic thesis submission can be found on the  Graduate School website . 

Each thesis must be accompanied by a  Certificate of Defense Approval for Master’s Thesis  signed by all members of the Committee. Forms can be downloaded from the Graduate School website.

Evaluation Forms

The student is responsible for distributing dissertation  evaluation forms  to the members of the Thesis Committee for the final oral examination. The evaluation forms are used to assess the overall quality of the graduate program at the Department, College, and University level. The evaluation forms are available on the Graduate School and Department of Biomedical Engineering websites. The completed forms must be collected by the Thesis Mentor and forwarded to the Office Manager at the Department of Biomedical Engineering.

Transfer to MS Non-Thesis Program

Students enrolled in the MS thesis program who do not wish to complete their thesis can transfer to the MS non-thesis program and graduate from the MS program under the following conditions:

• The transfer must be approved by the Department Chair or Graduate Program Director.
• All requirements of the MS non-thesis option must be satisfied, including completion of a two-semester 3 credit Master's project  ( BME 707  and  BME 708 ), submission of a project report, and oral defense of project. Completed thesis credits may count towards the three credit MS project requirement.

Sample Plan of Study

Ms program in medical physics.

Typical curricula for each option of the MS program in Medical Physics are shown in the following tables. The course sequence and timeline can be adjusted based on individual needs. The minimum residence requirement for the MS degree is two semesters in full-time study or the equivalent in part-time work. Students can also complete the BS/MS program in Medical Physics.

MS without Thesis

Ms with thesis*.

*Students who are not able to complete their thesis during the 3rd semester and have completed all 30 required credits of graduate work, must enroll in 0 credits of Research in Residence ( BME 820 ) to maintain full-time student status.

The goal of the Medical Physics Graduate Program at the University of Miami is to train students to develop the necessary academic framework as well as a thorough practical understanding in medical physics, including areas of diagnostic radiologic physics, health physics, nuclear medicine, and a designated focus on radiation therapy.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering to formulate and solve relevant medical physics problems.
• Students will be able to communicate scientific and technical research effectively in writing and oral presentations.
• Students will be able to work with physicians and technicians in conducting diagnostic radiology or radiation therapy.

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Undergraduate Minor in Biomedical Engineering

The Biomedical Engineering minor is a unique opportunity for engineering students to acquire a multi-disciplinary engineering and biology background for entering the field of biomedical engineering. The program is open to all undergraduate engineering students at Iowa State University. This minor will provide students with a foundation of core biology and engineering relevant to further study in biomedical engineering along with an introduction to the application of engineering principles to biomedical problems from a multidisciplinary perspective as well as the applications within the majors of the College of Engineering.

Minor Requirements

A minimum of 17 cr. meeting the six requirements below with a minimum of 9 of those credits not being used to meet degree requirements and a minimum of 6 cr. at the 3000 level or above. No more than 3 cr. of 4900 credit may be applied to this minor.

Note: Ideally you would take BIOL 2120, then together take BME 2200 and BIOL 2560 or 3350. Electives could follow at your convenience but pay attention to when they are offered. 

Elective Courses

• Engineering Introduction electives (PDF)
• Advanced Engineering electives (PDF)
• Professional electives (PDF)

How to Declare

To declare the Biomedical Engineering Minor, follow these steps:

• Complete the  “Curriculum Change” form  (PDF) available from the Iowa State University Registrar’s office. The specific elective courses you plan to take must be noted in the additional notes section.
• Submit to your advisor for signature and continued routing.

Students are strongly encouraged to consult either their undergraduate academic advisor or the Biomedical Engineering advisor for assistance with selecting elective courses.

Student Resources

• ISU Course Catalog

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Mechanical Engineering MEng

Mechanical engineering meng , 4-5 years.

Start date:

Course information

Typical offer ABB

UCAS codes H305, H307, H306

Institute code L34

Taught by School of Engineering

• Engineering facilities
• Scholarships

Accredited by IET, IMechE and InstMC

School of Engineering website

Course description

Whether you study for the BEng or the MEng, your Mechanical Engineering degree will emphasise how mechanical engineering has been transformed by the use of powerful computer-aided design, prototyping and manufacturing tools and by the use of modern materials such as composites.

Engineers are innovators who bring about change through their ingenuity, experience and curiosity to improve the quality of life for people throughout the world. Their work is central to thriving economies and competitive industries. It is equally important in developing countries where engineers provide appropriate technologies during difficult times of change.

Professional engineers have a high degree of specialist knowledge but increasingly they use a broad approach to problem solving across a range of engineering disciplines. This is coupled with an awareness of environmental, social, legal, economic and regulatory aspects of the problem at hand.

Mechanical systems are at the core of the manufacturing, process and service industries including:

• Advanced engines, traction and braking systems for vehicles
• Aircraft, satellites and deep space probes
• Biomedical technologies such as imagers, ventilators and prosthetics
• Air and water pollution control equipment
• Transportation and mass transit systems
• Industrial plant for the processing of raw materials and for power generation

Building on a broad foundation of engineering studies in Year 1, you will develop specific expertise and skills in mechanisms and vibrations, structures, mechanical materials, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics.

Successful engineers must be able to analyse and solve complex problems in the industrial context, communicate ideas to others and work effectively in teams and exercise leadership skills. This is why all our Engineering degrees include a selection of management content or specialised modules throughout. Topics covered include business finance, project planning and management, intellectual property, health and safety, motivation theory, marketing, total quality management, ethics and professionalism.

What's the difference?

Each of our Engineering subjects is available in six forms:

• BEng (3 years), BEng with Industry (4 years), BEng with Year Abroad (4 years)
• MEng (4 years), MEng with Industry (5 years), MEng with Year Abroad (5 years)

The MEng places greater emphasis on industrially-related project work, advanced technical content and leadership, and automatically meets the academic requirements for  Chartered Engineer  (CEng) status. The MEng shares its first three years with the corresponding BEng.

Entry requirements

• A/AS-levels : ABB including Maths. Two AS-levels considered in place of one A-level.
• EPQ with A-levels : BBB + EPQ at grade B. A-level subjects to include Maths.
• GCSEs : Grade C/4 in English Language.
• BTEC Nationals : DDM in Engineering including Further Maths at Distinction.
• International Baccalaureate : Pass Diploma with 30 points, with grade 5 in Maths HL. Must include minimum of grade 4 in English A or 5 in English B if minimum of grade 4/C not held in English Language at GCSE.
• Access to HE Diploma : Pass Engineering Diploma with 45 credits at level 3, 30 of which are at Distinction. To include all level 3 Maths modules at Distinction. 
• T Levels: Distinction in either: Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing or Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control or Maintenance, Installation and Repair for Engineering and Manufacturing (plus Maths test).

Please note: If you do not have Grade B at Maths A-level, you will need to take an additional Maths assessment test.

Other official national and international qualifications considered from across the world. You can review some of the qualifications we accept on our countries page  and English Language equivalencies .

If your qualification or country is not listed, please contact us  for more information, including the name and result of the qualification you have studied.

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course, you can apply for  Engineering with Foundation Year BEng .

Second year entry may be possible with suitable qualifications.

Contextual offers

The University of Leicester is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all applicants from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to support students who may be impacted by the area they live in, their personal circumstances or who have completed one of our progression programmes . These offers are usually one or two grades lower than the standard entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must apply for an eligible course and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible .

Selection Process

When considering your application, we will look for evidence that you will be able to fulfil the objectives of the course and achieve the standards required. We will take into account a range of factors including previous exam results.

Interview and maths assessment test may be required. If you receive an offer you will be invited to visit the department.

English Language Requirements

IELTS 6.0 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability . If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

International Qualifications

Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

Fees and funding

Uk students, starting in 2025.

Tuition fees for 2025/26 are yet to be confirmed. As an indication of what you might pay, the fees for students who started in 2024/25 were:

• £9,250 in your first year. Tuition fees are subject to government regulations and may change in future years
• Year Abroad: your fee will be £1,385 for that year
• Year in Industry: your fee will be £1,850 for that year

Find out more about scholarships and funding .

International Students

• £24,500 per year
• Year Abroad: £6,125 which is 25% of the full-time tuition fee
• Year in Industry: £3,675 which is 15% of the full-time tuition fee

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to  pay a deposit of £3,000  to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

From 2022 onwards, EU nationals will pay the International fee. If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

Accreditation

All our Mechanical Engineering degrees are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology , the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Measurement and Control . The MEng satisfies the academic requirements of the Engineering Council, enabling you to become a Chartered Engineer (CEng).

Careers and employability

Our Mechanical Engineering degrees offer excellent preparation for industrial employment. Practical lab work puts theory into practice, and design work teaches you skills in Computer Aided Design using industry standard software. Individual projects allow you to specialise in an area you find fascinating, enhancing your knowledge and exposing you to methods used widely in industry. Your project work may also include output from an industrial partner.

Graduate destinations

Oishi took the Year in Industry option and spent a year working at Rolls Royce. This helped her land a job there after she graduated - she is now a software engineer working on aircraft engines.

Careers and Employability Service

Get career-ready at Leicester with guidance from our award-winning Careers and Employability Service . We're here to give you a lifetime offer of support, even after graduation. Our team of specialist careers advisers and mentors will help you every step of the way. From supporting you with CVs and interviews, to volunteering opportunities and placements, we're here to help you reach your professional goals.

Related courses

Mechanical engineering, general engineering, aerospace engineering, browse all courses, sustainable development goals.

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals .

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• Goal 13: Climate action

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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Course structure.

All engineers require an excellent knowledge of basic engineering principles, which is why our courses in Aerospace ,  General and Mechanical Engineering share the exact same first year. This means that you can switch between any of these degrees before your second year.

• Sustainable Engineering Design
• Digital Electronics and Communications
• Engineering Mathematics with programming 1
• Solid Mechanics
• Principles of Electrical Engineering
• Engineering Mathematics with programming 2
• Fluid Mechanics
• Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer

This is the same as the first year of the BEng.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

In your second year you will begin to specialise in the field of mechanical engineering while continuing to develop fundamental engineering principles. You will also take an integrated design project in which you will work in a team with students from other engineering disciplines – vital experience for the modern world of engineering.

• Integrated Engineering Design *
• Engineering Experimentation and Analysis *
• System Dynamics and Control *
• Materials and Structures
• Dynamics and Thermofluids
• Materials Processing
• Applied Engineering Thermodynamics

This is the same as the second year of the BEng.

You must achieve at least 55% in your second year in order to continue on the MEng. If not, you will transfer to the BEng and complete your degree one year earlier.

Modules marked with an * are common to all Engineering UG programmes.

Optional Year Abroad or in Industry

If you want to, you can spend the third year of the BSc studying abroad at one of our partner institutions or working in an industrial placement. Alternatively, you can opt to continue studying at the University and complete your degree in four years.

Year Abroad

We’ll make sure you have everything you need for your future career: not just by awarding you a high quality degree, but also by helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to make your mark in the world as a Citizen of Change. One way you can do this is by opting to take a Year Abroad between Years 2 and 3 of your degree.

Studying abroad is not just for people who are interested in travelling and meeting new people. It is about acquiring life skills that are becoming increasingly significant for a wide range of jobs in our modern globalised society. Whether you go on to a career in the private, public or third sector - or plough your own furrow as an entrepreneur – you will find the experience invaluable.

For more information, including a list of destinations, please visit our Study Abroad website .

Please note

• A year spent abroad still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.
• You may be eligible for a travel grant from Student Finance England .
• Places are offered on a competitive basis, and eligibility is dependent on your academic performance in Years 1 and 2.
• Language courses, at beginners or advanced level, are available through our Languages at Leicester  scheme.

Year in Industry

If you choose a 'With Industry’ degree you will spend a year on an industrial placement with a sponsoring company between your second and third years at Leicester. You will undertake a programme of training and practical experience that is agreed between the sponsoring company and the University. Recent placements have included: Rolls-Royce, Force India F1 Team, Ford Motors, Intel UK, Network Rail, Porsche Engineering Services, Aero Engine Controls, Babcock International, Auto Electrical Services and Jaguar Land Rover.

A member of staff will be individually assigned to you as your industrial placement tutor, who will be in contact with you throughout your placement and will visit the sponsoring company. During the year you will return to Leicester to present details of your placement to other students studying for 'With industry' degrees.

A year in industry is a great opportunity which can give you first-hand experience of working in an engineering-related career while also enhancing your employability skills and allowing you to network with people in industry.

A year in industry still incurs a tuition fee, but this is much lower than for a normal year at Leicester. See the Fees and Funding tab of this page for details.

In your third year (or fourth year if you take a year out) you have the opportunity to specialise in different aspects of mechanical engineering through a number of optional modules. Your individual project is a significant part of this year, giving you the opportunity to investigate a specific mechanical engineering concept or challenge.

• Engineering Management
• Finite Element Analysis and Design
• Heat Transfer and Energy Systems
• State Variable Control

Plus  two option modules

• Tribology in Engineering Design *
• Rigid Body and Structural Dynamics *
• Digital Control and Actuators
• Aerospace Materials and Structures

Plus your Individual Project

This is the same as the final year of the BEng.

Examples of recent Third Year Projects include:

• Analysis of valve spring surges in a racing engine
• Design, construction and commissioning of aerodynamic corner vanes
• Design of a test facility to evaluate the use of novel materials for motorcycle protective clothing
• Development of a fluid damping system to reduce vibrations from a high-speed rotating shaft
• Mathematical modelling of a metal matrix composite
• Modelling of the lubrication system of a diesel engine to aid fault diagnosis

Project work forms a substantial part of your final year mark, reflecting your development into an engineering professional. Your group project will give you the freedom to investigate an engineering challenge relevant to mechanical engineering systems, often alongside students from other engineering subjects. Alongside this you will consider the business elements of engineering, such as leadership and project management, and have the opportunity to take further specialist modules.

• Leadership and Project Management

Plus two option modules from:

• Fluid Instability, Transition and Turbulence
• Advanced Solid Mechanics
• Rotorcraft Mechanics and Control
• Spacecraft Systems Engineering
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Advanced Composite Materials
• Attitude and Orbit Control Systems
• Signal Processing
• Advanced Gas Turbines

Plus your  Group Project

Why Leicester?

Engineering at leicester.

Seeking practical engineering experience, Oishi spent a ‘Year in Industry’ working at Rolls-Royce.

All our Engineering degrees are accredited by the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Measurement and Control.

A shared first year allows you to swap between degrees in General Engineering, Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at the start of Year 2.

Our 'Management and Leadership' modules will help you achieve your professional goals.

The School of Engineering operates an Open Door policy meaning you can access support when you need it. We also keep our teaching groups small so you won't be a face in the crowd at Leicester.

Teaching and learning

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will be on hand throughout your course to offer advice and support on personal matters, provide guidance on course choices and help you appraise your own work.

For the practical aspects of the course you will work, with a partner or as part of a small team, in our well-equipped engineering labs. On your third year project you will work individually with an academic member of staff.

Continuous assessment of your experimentation, computing, design and project work will contribute about 30-50% of your overall mark, with the rest based on your performance in exams for each module. You will also be expected to give presentations about your work.

Most of the teaching in the final year of the MEng will be in small seminar groups, and you will be expected to organise an industrially relevant team based project.

Independent learning

When not attending lectures, seminars or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for exams. To help with your independent learning, you can access the Library and our social study spaces in halls of residence.

Your contact hours will depend on the option modules you select. You can see details of the contact hours on individual module pages.

Academic support

Our Centre for Academic Achievement provides help in the following areas:

• study and exam skills
• academic writing
• presentations
• dissertations
• numerical data skills
• referencing sources

Our AccessAbility Centre offers support and practical help for students with dyslexia or other specific learning difficulties, including physical, mental health or mobility difficulties, deafness, or visual impairment.

Teaching staff

You will be taught by an experienced teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course. PhD research students who have undertaken teacher training may also contribute to the teaching of seminars under the supervision of the module leader. Our teaching is informed by the research we do. You can learn more about our staff by visiting our staff profiles .

Applying for

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The Department’s close links with industry mean I can do projects relevant to the research happening in industry today.