Department of Bioengineering
Ronald L. Fournier, Chairperson
Degrees Offered
The Department of Bioengineering offers a course of study leading to the Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering (B.S.BE.) degree.
Bioengineering is a relatively new discipline that applies engineering and life science principles to study, understand, modify and control biological systems. It is a branch of engineering in which knowledge and skills are developed and applied to define and solve problems in biology, the bioprocessing industry and medicine. Bioengineers develop new and better concepts, techniques, and solutions, that may be applied to a variety of problems in medicine and in the manufacture of bio-related products, instruments and devices. Bioengineers are employed by drug companies, medical device manufacturers, hospitals, research facilities in universities and medical institutes, and in governmental regulatory agencies.
The goal of the Bioengineering program of study is to learn to solve problems at the interface of engineering and the life sciences by combining the necessary background in biology with training in advanced mathematics, chemistry, physics and traditional engineering topics.
The undergraduate curriculum consists of four components. The first is a balanced general education in communication skills, social sciences and the humanities. The second is a basic program in the sciences: biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and computers. The third component aims at providing a firm foundation in the fundamentals of bioengineering, with courses in thermodynamics, physiology, electrical circuits, bioelectronics, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials and biological transport. The fourth is a series of technical elective courses that provide the opportunity to specialize in some area of bioengineering. Typical specialties formed from the technical elective courses include: bioelectrical engineering, biomechanics, medical imaging, biochemical engineering, medical informatics, and artificial organs. A design project in the last semester of the senior year serves as a culminating experience, integrating and applying the knowledge gained during the program.
Students interested in using bioengineering as a premedicine program should consult with both the PreMed adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences and their faculty adviser the Department of Bioengineering.
Degree Requirements
Students should follow and complete the degree requirements as displayed in the Bioengineering Program Plan A is a 5-year Co-op program and Plan B is a 4-year Premedical program with a summer co-op.