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Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering (BS)

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Students studying biomedical engineering at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill are challenged with a curriculum at the interface of engineering and medicine.Ìý During the first year, students are introduced to the fundamentals of engineering.Ìý These courses include calculus, physics, chemistry and biology.Ìý All of which provide the foundation for future engineering courses.Ìý Once accepted into the program, students take engineering courses in mechanics, circuits and materials followed by specialized courses in biomedical engineering.Ìý The design process is woven throughout the curriculum.Ìý 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 BMEÌýdepartment, students are given access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities at both UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State ¸£Àû±ÆÕ¾.ÌýThis 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

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
°ä±áÌý101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 3
°ä±áÌý102 General Chemistry Laboratory 1 1
·¡Ìý101 Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving 2 1
·¡Ìý115 Introduction to Computing Environments 1
²Ñ´¡Ìý141 Calculus I 1 4
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research 2 4
ÌýHours14
Spring Semester
CHÌý201 Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 3
CHÌý202 Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1
MAÌý241 Calculus II 4
PYÌý205
&ÌýPYÌý206
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 Ìý
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics Ìý
Principles of Microeconomics Ìý
Fundamentals of Economics Ìý
EÌý102 Engineering in the 21st Century 2
ÌýHours17
Second Year
Fall Semester
BMEÌý201 Computer Methods in Biomedical Engineering 3
BMEÌý209 Introduction to the Materials Science of Biomaterials 4
BMEÌý298 Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing I 2
MAÌý242 Calculus III 4
PYÌý208
&ÌýPYÌý209
Physics for Engineers and Scientists II
and Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory
4
ÌýHours17
Spring Semester
BIOÌý183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 4
BMEÌý205 Introduction to Biomedical Mechanics 4
BMEÌý207 Biomedical Electronics 4
CHÌý221
&ÌýCHÌý222
Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry I Lab
4
ÌýHours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
BMEÌý301 Human Physiology : Electrical Analysis 4
MAÌý341
Applied Differential Equations I
or Differential Equations for the Life Sciences
3
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective 3
STEM Elective 3 3
PHIÌý325 Bio-Medical Ethics 3
ÌýHours16
Spring Semester
BMEÌý302 Human Physiology: Mechanical Analysis 4
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective 3
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective 3
BMEÌý398 Biomedical Engineering Design and Manufacturing II 2
ÌýHours12
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
BMEÌý451 BME Senior Design: Product Development 3
BME Specialty Elective 4 3
BME Specialty Elective 4 3
ÌýHours9
Spring Semester
BMEÌý452 BME Senior Design: Product Implementation and Strategy 3
BME Specialty Elective 4 3
BME Specialty Elective 4 3
ÌýHours9
ÌýTotal Hours110
GEP Courses
GEP Humanities6
GEP Social Sciences3
GEP Health and Exercise Studies2
GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts)3
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives3
GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement)
GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement)
Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement)
Total Hours17

BME 3x5 Gateway Electives

BMEÌý315Biotransport3
BMEÌý325Biochemistry for Biomedical Engineers3
BMEÌý335Biomaterials 3
BMEÌý345Biomedical Solid Mechanics3
BMEÌý355Biocontrols3
BMEÌý365Linear Systems in Biomedical Engineering3
BMEÌý375Biomedical Microcontroller Applications3
BMEÌý385Bioinstrumentation3

BME Specialty Electives

Group 061
Pharmacoengineering
BMEÌý516Advanced Drug Delivery3
BMEÌý570ImmunoEngineering3
BME 498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering
BMME 511Genetic Engineering
BMME 523Biomolecular Engineering
BMME 524Biomolecular Sensing Technologies
BMME 527Engineering Principles in Targeted Photomedicine
Group 062
Regenerative Medicine
BITÌý466
&ÌýBMEÌý483
Animal Cell Culture Techniques
and Tissue Engineering Technologies
2
or BIT/POÌý566 and BME/BECÌý583
BMEÌý448Functional Tissue Engineering3
orÌýBMEÌý548 Functional Tissue Engineering
BMEÌý462Biomaterials Characterization3
BMEÌý484Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering3
orÌýBMEÌý584 Fundamentals of Tissue Engineering
BMEÌý498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering3
MAEÌý201Engineering Thermodynamics I3
orÌýMSEÌý301 Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials
or BMME 441
Thermal Physics
MAEÌý308Fluid Mechanics3
orÌýCEÌý282 Hydraulics
or BMME 455
Biofluid Mechanics
TEÌý463Polymer Engineering3
BME 498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering3
BMME 420Intro to Synthetic Biology
BMME 435Biological Physics
BMME 470Analysis of Tissue Engr. Tech.
BMME 511Genetic Engineering
Group 063
Rehabilitation Engineering
BMEÌý418Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems3
orÌýBMEÌý518 Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems
BMEÌý425Bioelectricity3
orÌýBMEÌý525 Bioelectricity
BMEÌý438Bone Mechanobiology3
orÌýBMEÌý538 Bone Mechanobiology
BMEÌý444Orthopaedic Biomechanics3
orÌýBMEÌý544 Orthopaedic Biomechanics
BME/TE 467Mechanics of Tissues & Implants Requirements3
BMEÌý456Rehabilitation Robotics3
orÌýBMEÌý556 Rehabilitation Robotics
BME 498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering
BMME 405Biomechanics of Movement
BMME 445Systems Neuroscience
BMME 447Neural Basis of Rehabilitation Engineering
Group 064
Biosignals and Imaging
BMEÌý412Biomedical Signal Processing3
orÌýBMEÌý512 Biomedical Signal Processing
BME 418Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems
or BME 518
Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems
BME 425Bioelectricity
or BME 525
Bioelectricity
BMEÌý463Biomedical Optics and Lasers 3
orÌýBMEÌý563 Biomedical Optics and Lasers
BMEÌý464Microscopy3
orÌýBMEÌý564 Microscopy
BME 498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering
ECE 505Neural Interface Engineering
ECEÌý455Industrial Robot Systems3
ECEÌý456Mechatronics3
orÌýECEÌý556 Mechatronics
ECEÌý461Embedded System Analysis and Optimization3
orÌýECEÌý561 Embedded System Analysis and Optimization
MAÌý501Advanced Mathematics for Engineers and Scientists I3
or MATH 528
Mech. Method for Physical Sciences and Engineers
BMME 461Intro to Medical Imaging
BMME 575Machine Learning
BMME/COMP 576Mathematics for Imaging Computing
Group 065
Medical Microdevices
BMEÌý412Biomedical Signal Processing3
orÌýBMEÌý512 Biomedical Signal Processing
BME 418Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems
BME 498Undergraduate Research in Biomedical Engineering
BME/ECE 522Medical Instrumentation3
EÌý304Introduction to Nano Science and Technology3
ECEÌý436Digital Control Systems3
ECEÌý505Neural Interface Engineering3
MAEÌý201Engineering Thermodynamics I3
orÌýMSEÌý301 Introduction to Thermodynamics of Materials
or BMMEÌý455 Biofluid Mechanics
MAEÌý308Fluid Mechanics3
orÌýCEÌý282 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.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
°ä±áÌý101 Chemistry - A Molecular Science 1 3
°ä±áÌý102 General Chemistry Laboratory 1 1
·¡Ìý101 Introduction to Engineering & Problem Solving (CP) 1 1
·¡Ìý115 Introduction to Computing Environments (CP) 1 1
·¡±·³ÒÌý101 Academic Writing and Research (CP) 2 4
²Ñ´¡Ìý141 Calculus I (CP) 1 4
GEP Health and Exercise Studies 1
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
CHÌý201 Chemistry - A Quantitative Science 3
CHÌý202 Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory 1
MAÌý241 Calculus II (CP) 1 4
PYÌý205 Physics for Engineers and Scientists I (CP) 1 3
PYÌý206 Physics for Engineers and Scientists I Laboratory (CP) 1 1
EÌý102 Engineering in the 21st Century 2
Select one of the following: 3
Fundamentals of Economics Ìý
Principles of Microeconomics Ìý
Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics Ìý
ÌýHours17
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
MAÌý242 Calculus III 4
PYÌý208 Physics for Engineers and Scientists II (CP) 3
PYÌý209 Physics for Engineers and Scientists II Laboratory (CP) 1
ÌýHours17
Spring Semester
BIOÌý183 Introductory Biology: Cellular and Molecular Biology 4
BME/BMME 205 Introduction to Biomedical Mechanics (CP) 4
BME/BMME 207 Biomedical Electronics (CP) 4
CHÌý221 Organic Chemistry I 3
CHÌý222 Organic Chemistry I Lab 1
ÌýHours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
BME/BMME 301 Human Physiology : Electrical Analysis 4
MAÌý341
Applied Differential Equations I
or Differential Equations for the Life Sciences
3
BME 3x5 Gateway Elective 3
Engineering Elective 3
PHIÌý325 Bio-Medical Ethics 3
ÌýHours16
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
ÌýHours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
BMEÌý451
or BMMEÌý697
BME Senior Design: Product Development
or
3
BME Specialty Elective 3
BME Specialty Elective 3
GEP Requirement 3
GEP Requirement 3
ÌýHours15
Spring Semester
BMEÌý452
or BMMEÌý698
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
ÌýHours13
ÌýTotal Hours124

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.