Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering (BS)
To see more about what you will learn in this program, visit the Learning Outcomes website!
Students studying biomedical engineering at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill are challenged with a curriculum at the interface of engineering and medicine. During the first year, students are introduced to the fundamentals of engineering. These courses include calculus, physics, chemistry and biology. All of which provide the foundation for future engineering courses. Once accepted into the program, students take engineering courses in mechanics, circuits and materials followed by specialized courses in biomedical engineering. The design process is woven throughout the curriculum. Students take courses that familiarize them with manufacturing processes while preparing them for the capstone senior design course that use a Design Control Process based on the FDA's Quality System Regulations. Computers are used throughout the program. Graduates will be prepared for professional employment in research, design, engineering and the life sciences. First year students interested in this curriculum should enroll in the Engineering First Year program and select BME as their intention.
In the BME department, students are given access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at both UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University. This unique relationship offers students a wealth of opportunities for research, group collaboration, coursework, and exposure to experts in medicine and engineering. While all of the classes undergraduate students need to complete their degree are available on their home campus, students may choose to take courses on either campus. Students never have to travel to the partner campus; the joint program simply offers additional opportunities.
Plan Requirements
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall Semester | Hours | |
CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 | 1 |
E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments | 1 |
MA 141 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research 2 | 4 |
Hours | 14 | |
Spring Semester | ||
CH 201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 |
CH 202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
MA 241 | Calculus II | 4 |
PY 205 & PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I and Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory 1 | 4 |
Select one of the following Economic Courses: | 3 | |
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
Principles of Microeconomics | ||
Fundamentals of Economics | ||
E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
Hours | 17 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME 201 | Computer Methods in Biomedical Engineering | 3 |
BME 209 | Introduction to the Materials Science of Biomaterials | 4 |
BME 298 | Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing I | 2 |
MA 242 | Calculus III | 4 |
PY 208 & PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory | 4 |
Hours | 17 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
BME 205 | Introduction to Biomedical Mechanics | 4 |
BME 207 | Biomedical Electronics | 4 |
CH 221 & CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry I Lab | 4 |
Hours | 16 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME 301 | Human Physiology : Electrical Analysis | 4 |
MA 341 or MA 331 | Applied Differential Equations I or Differential Equations for the Life Sciences | 3 |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
STEM Elective 3 | 3 | |
PHI 325 | Bio-Medical Ethics | 3 |
Hours | 16 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BME 302 | Human Physiology: Mechanical Analysis | 4 |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
BME 398 | Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing II | 2 |
Hours | 12 | |
Fourth Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME 451 | BME Senior Design: Product Development | 3 |
BME Specialty Elective 4 | 3 | |
BME Specialty Elective 4 | 3 | |
Hours | 9 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BME 452 | BME Senior Design: Product Implementation and Strategy | 3 |
BME Specialty Elective 4 | 3 | |
BME Specialty Elective 4 | 3 | |
Hours | 9 | |
Total Hours | 110 |
1 | A grade of C or higher is required. |
2 | A grade of C- or higher is required. |
3 | Students should consult their academic advisors to determine how to complete this requirement. |
4 | Take 4 specialty electives from no more than two groups |
Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
---|---|---|---|
GEP Courses | |||
GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
GEP Social Sciences | 3 | ||
GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | ||
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | ||
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement) | |||
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
Total Hours | 17 |
BME 3x5 Gateway Electives
Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
---|---|---|---|
BME 315 | Biotransport | 3 | |
BME 325 | Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineers | 3 | |
BME 335 | Biomaterials | 3 | |
BME 345 | Biomedical Solid Mechanics | 3 | |
BME 355 | Biocontrols | 3 | |
BME 365 | Linear Systems in Biomedical Engineering | 3 | |
BME 375 | Biomedical Microcontroller Applications | 3 | |
BME 385 | Bioinstrumentation | 3 |
BME Specialty Electives
Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
---|---|---|---|
Group 061 | |||
Pharmacoengineering | |||
BME 516 | Advanced Drug Delivery | 3 | |
BME 570 | ImmunoEngineering | 3 | |
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | ||
BMME 511 | Genetic Engineering | ||
BMME 523 | Biomolecular Engineering | ||
BMME 524 | Biomolecular Sensing Technologies | ||
BMME 527 | Engineering Principles in Targeted Photomedicine | ||
Group 062 | |||
Regenerative Medicine | |||
BIT 466 & BME 483 | Animal Cell Culture Techniques and Tissue Engineering Technologies | 2 | |
BME 448 | Functional Tissue Engineering | 3 | |
or BME 548 | Functional Tissue Engineering | ||
BME 462 | Biomaterials Characterization | 3 | |
BME 484 | Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering | 3 | |
or BME 584 | Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering | ||
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | 3 | |
MAE 201 | Engineering Thermodynamics I | 3 | |
or MSE 301 | Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials | ||
or BMME 441 | Thermal Physics | ||
MAE 308 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 | |
or CE 282 | Hydraulics | ||
or BMME 455 | Biofluid Mechanics | ||
TE 463 | Polymer Engineering | 3 | |
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | 3 | |
BMME 420 | Intro to Synthetic Biology | ||
BMME 435 | Biological Physics | ||
BMME 470 | Analysis of Tissue Engr. Tech. | ||
BMME 511 | Genetic Engineering | ||
Group 063 | |||
Rehabilitation Engineering | |||
BME 418 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | 3 | |
or BME 518 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | ||
BME 425 | Bioelectricity | 3 | |
or BME 525 | Bioelectricity | ||
BME 438 | Bone Mechanobiology | 3 | |
or BME 538 | Bone Mechanobiology | ||
BME 444 | Orthopaedic Biomechanics | 3 | |
or BME 544 | Orthopaedic Biomechanics | ||
BME/TE 467 | Mechanics of Tissues & Implants Requirements | 3 | |
BME 456 | Rehabilitation Robotics | 3 | |
or BME 556 | Rehabilitation Robotics | ||
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | ||
BMME 405 | Biomechanics of Movement | ||
BMME 445 | Systems Neuroscience | ||
BMME 447 | Neural Basis of Rehabilitation Engineering | ||
Group 064 | |||
Biosignals and Imaging | |||
BME 412 | Biomedical Signal Processing | 3 | |
or BME 512 | Biomedical Signal Processing | ||
BME 418 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | ||
or BME 518 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | ||
BME 425 | Bioelectricity | ||
or BME 525 | Bioelectricity | ||
BME 463 | Biomedical Optics and Lasers | 3 | |
or BME 563 | Biomedical Optics and Lasers | ||
BME 464 | Microscopy | 3 | |
or BME 564 | Microscopy | ||
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | ||
ECE 505 | Neural Interface Engineering | ||
ECE 455 | Industrial Robot Systems | 3 | |
ECE 456 | Mechatronics | 3 | |
or ECE 556 | Mechatronics | ||
ECE 461 | Embedded System Analysis and Optimization | 3 | |
or ECE 561 | Embedded System Analysis and Optimization | ||
MA 501 | Advanced Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists I | 3 | |
or MATH 528 | Mech. Method for Physical Sciences and Engineers | ||
BMME 461 | Intro to Medical Imaging | ||
BMME 575 | Machine Learning | ||
BMME/COMP 576 | Mathematics for Imaging Computing | ||
Group 065 | |||
Medical Microdevices | |||
BME 412 | Biomedical Signal Processing | 3 | |
or BME 512 | Biomedical Signal Processing | ||
BME 418 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | ||
BME 498 | Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering | ||
BME/ECE 522 | Medical Instrumentation | 3 | |
E 304 | Introduction to Nano Science and Technology | 3 | |
ECE 436 | Digital Control Systems | 3 | |
ECE 505 | Neural Interface Engineering | 3 | |
MAE 201 | Engineering Thermodynamics I | 3 | |
or MSE 301 | Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials | ||
or BMME 455 Biofluid Mechanics | |||
MAE 308 | Fluid Mechanics | 3 | |
or CE 282 | Hydraulics | ||
or BMME 441 | Thermal Physics |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
Critical Path Courses – Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. Place the (CP) next to the credit hours for the course.
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall Semester | Hours | |
CH 101 | Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 | 3 |
CH 102 | General Chemistry Laboratory 1 | 1 |
E 101 | Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving (CP) 1 | 1 |
E 115 | Introduction to Computing Environments (CP) 1 | 1 |
ENG 101 | Academic Writing and Research (CP) 2 | 4 |
MA 141 | Calculus I (CP) 1 | 4 |
GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester | ||
CH 201 | Chemistry - A Quantitative Science | 3 |
CH 202 | Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory | 1 |
MA 241 | Calculus II (CP) 1 | 4 |
PY 205 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I (CP) 1 | 3 |
PY 206 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory (CP) 1 | 1 |
E 102 | Engineering in the 21st Century | 2 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Fundamentals of Economics | ||
Principles of Microeconomics | ||
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
Hours | 17 | |
Second Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME/BMME 201 | Computer Methods in Biomedical Engineering (CP) | 3 |
BME/BMME 209 | Introduction to the Materials Science of Biomaterials (CP) | 4 |
BME/BMME 298 | Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing I (CP) | 2 |
MA 242 | Calculus III | 4 |
PY 208 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II (CP) | 3 |
PY 209 | Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory (CP) | 1 |
Hours | 17 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BIO 183 | Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
BME/BMME 205 | Introduction to Biomedical Mechanics (CP) | 4 |
BME/BMME 207 | Biomedical Electronics (CP) | 4 |
CH 221 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
CH 222 | Organic Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
Hours | 16 | |
Third Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME/BMME 301 | Human Physiology : Electrical Analysis | 4 |
MA 341 or MA 331 | Applied Differential Equations I or Differential Equations for the Life Sciences | 3 |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
Engineering Elective | 3 | |
PHI 325 | Bio-Medical Ethics | 3 |
Hours | 16 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BME/BMME 302 | Human Physiology: Mechanical Analysis | 4 |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective | 3 | |
BME/BMME 398 | Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing II | 2 |
GEP Requirement | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Fourth Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
BME 451 or BMME 697 | BME Senior Design: Product Development or | 3 |
BME Specialty Elective | 3 | |
BME Specialty Elective | 3 | |
GEP Requirement | 3 | |
GEP Requirement | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester | ||
BME 452 or BMME 698 | BME Senior Design: Product Implementation and Strategy or | 3 |
BME Specialty Elective | 3 | |
BME Specialty Elective | 3 | |
GEP Requirement | 3 | |
GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
Hours | 13 | |
Total Hours | 124 |
1 | A grade of C or higher is required. |
2 | A grade of C- or higher is required. |
Career Opportunities
Biomedical engineers are employed by hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical device and testing companies, government agencies, universities, and medical schools. With so many areas of specialization within the field, graduates are encouraged to further their education by attending graduate or professional school after graduation. Graduates from this program have attended graduate programs in biomedical engineering, physical therapy, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, microbiology, virology, public health, and sports physiology, among others, at many different institutions. Graduates who have taken additional courses to satisfy entrance requirements have also been accepted by medical, dental and pharmacy schools.