BS Degree Requirements

A student using a pipette to implant cells in a device.

What You’ll Learn

Curriculum Overview

Our curriculum emphasizes fundamental engineering and design principles taught in the context of current problems in medicine and biology. A series of nine core courses provides a solid foundation in engineering principles and biomedical engineering practice. Students can then choose which area of biomedical engineering they want to specialize in by choosing one of the following concentration areas:

  • Biomechanics
  • Biosignals and biosystems
  • Cell and tissue engineering
  • Medical optics

Our program is well suited for students looking for careers in research, industry, or for those who wish to continue on to professional medical or dental programs.

Requirements

The BS degree in biomedical engineering (BME) requires a total of 132 credit hours in the following areas:

Check out the undergraduate biomedical engineering curriculum diagram (pdf) for a visual outline of the undergraduate program. For an in-depth look at BME requirements, please refer to the Undergraduate BME Curriculum Guide (pdf).

Core Courses

All of the following courses are required:

  • BME 101/EAS 101: Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
  • BME 201: Fundamentals of Biomechanics
  • BME 201P: MATLAB for Biomechanics (two credits)
  • BME 210: Biosystems and Circuits
  • BME 221: Biomedical Computation and Statistics
  • BME 230: Biomedical Signals, Systems and Imaging
  • BME 245: Biomaterials
  • BME 260: Quantitative Physiology with Lab
  • BME 295: BME Design Seminar (two credits)
  • BME 296: BME Senior Design

Basic Science and Math Courses

Students must take nine courses in natural sciences and mathematics.

Four math courses:

  • MATH 161: Calculus IA*
  • MATH 162: Calculus IIA*
  • MATH 165: Linear Algebra with Differential Equations
  • MATH 164: Multidimensional Calculus

*MATH 141, 142, and 143 are equivalent to MATH 161 and 162

Two chemistry courses:

  • CHEM 131: CHM Concepts, Systems, Practice I
  • CHEM 132: CHM Concepts, Systems, Practice II

Two physics courses:

  • PHYS 121 or PHYS 121P: Mechanics or PHYS 113, if taking MATH 140 series
  • PHYS 122 or PHYS 122P: Electricity and Magnetism

One biology course:

  • BIOL 110: Principles of Biology I

Basic Science Electives

All students must complete at least two additional courses (at least eight credit hours) in the basic sciences in addition to the required basic science courses. Most natural science courses with a number of 110 or higher (biology, microbiology, environmental science, neuroscience, chemistry, physics, or selected courses from brain and cognitive sciences) may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Students are encouraged to choose their basic science electives to complement their biomedical engineering concentration area and career plans. Independent study courses cannot be used to satisfy this requirement.

Approved Basic Science Electives

Only one cell biology course and one human anatomy course can be counted for the Basic Science Elective requirement.

Most biology, microbiology, environmental science, neuroscience, chemistry, and physics courses typically satisfy the basic science elective requirements; however, students should check the list of courses that are not approved.

Examples of approved basic science electives are:

  • ASTR 142: Elementary Astrophysics
  • ASTR 231: Gravitation and General Relativity
  • BCSC 110: Neural Foundations of Behavior
  • BCSC 221: Auditory Perception
  • BCSC 223/OPT 248: Vision and the Eye
  • BIOL111: Principles of Biology II
  • BIOL113: Perspectives in Biology II
  • BIOL190: Genetics and the Human Genome
  • BIOL198: Principles of Genetics
  • BIOL 217: Principles of Human Anatomy
  • BIOL 202: Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 204: Principles of Human Physiology
  • BIOL 205: Evolution
  • BIOL 206: Eukaryotic Genomes
  • BIOL 250: Introduction to Biochemistry
  • BIOL 210: Molecular Cell Biology
  • BME 211: Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • BME 258: Human Anatomy
  • BME 415: Neuroscience of Neuroprosthetics
  • CHEM 203: Organic Chemistry
  • CHEM 204: Organic Chemistry II
  • CHEM 262: Biological Chemistry
  • EESC 204W: Earth Minerals
  • EESC 206: Petrology
  • EESC 209: Introduction to Geochemistry
  • EESC 213: Hydrology and Water Resources
  • NSCI 201: Basic Neurobiology
  • NSCI 243: Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior
  • NSCI 245: Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
  • NSCI 249: Developmental Neurobiology
  • MBI 220: Introduction to Microbiology
  • PHYS 123: Modern Physics

Most independent study course brain and cognitive science courses do not satisfy the basic science elective requirements; however, the following courses DO:

  • BCS 110: Neural Foundations of Behavior
  • BCS 221: Auditory Perception
  • BCS 223: Vision and the Eye
  • BCS 240: Basic Neurobiology and Lab
  • BCS 242: Neuropsychology
  • BCS 243: Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior
  • BCS 245: Sensory and Motor Neuroscience
  • BCS 246: Biology of Mental Disorders
  • BCS 247: Topics in Computational Neuroscience
  • BCS 248: Neuroeconomics
  • BCS 249: Developmental Neurobiology

Online courses not taken at the University of Rochester are allowed if taken through a degree granting institution, provided that the offering institution itself accepts the course. Students should get approval prior to taking the course to ensure it will count towards their degree.

Courses That are NOT Approved

Independent study courses cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. iGEM courses BIOL 228A and BIOL 228B also cannot be used to fulfill basic science requirements.

Most biology, microbiology, environmental science, neuroscience, chemistry, and physics courses typically satisfy the basic science elective requirements, however the following DO NOT:

  • BIOL 112: Perspectives in Biology I
  • BIOL 214: Biostatistics
  • BIOL 253: Computational Biology
  • CHM 137: Chemistry Principles for Engineers
  • PHYS 252: Biomedical Ultrasound
  • PHYS 257/457: Ultrasound Imaging
  • EESC 220W: Geobiology
  • EESC 251: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
  • EESC 310: Science and Sustainability

Writing Requirements

Humanities and Social Sciences

All biomedical engineering majors must complete a total of four courses* in humanities and/or social sciences. Three of these courses must constitute an approved cluster in humanities or social sciences and must be passed with a 2.0 average or better. See the Cluster Search Engine to review courses and descriptions.

The fourth course can be chosen from any humanities or social science course.

*A minor, or a second major, in a humanities or social science area will also satisfy the cluster and additional course requirement.

Primary Writing Requirement

The primary writing requirement must be satisfied before declaring your major. Review the primary writing requirement page for more information.

Professional Writing Requirement

All students must complete WRTG 273: Communicating Your Professional Identity, an interactive course designed to teach "real life communication skills and strategies that help students present their best professional selves."

Students will explore and articulate their internship, career and graduate school goals for distinct audiences and purposes as they develop a professional communication portfolio of materials such as resumes, cover letters, statements of purpose, electronic communications, technical project abstracts, online profiles (i.e. LinkedIn), and oral presentations.

This course may be taken either in the spring of the sophomore year or the fall of the junior year.

Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Significant writing experience within the discipline is an important complement to the technical material. The following courses, as well as any upper-level BME course, will satisfy this requirement including:

  • BME 221: Biomedical Computation and Statistics
  • BME 230: BME Signals, Systems and Imaging
  • BME 260: Quantitative Physiology
  • BME 296: Senior Design Project

Biomedical Engineering Concentration Courses

Students choose to concentrate in one of four biomedical engineering specialty areas, or can make their own custom concentration by petition. Each concentration includes an upper-level BME course in the specialty area. See the Undergraduate BME Curriculum Guide (PDF) for examples of course schedules by concentration area.

Biosignals and Biosystems

ECE 230: Electromagnetic Waves
ECE 221: Electronic Devices and Circuits or BME 228: Physiological Control Systems
ECE 246: Digital Signal Processing
Upper-Level BME (e.g., BME 251: Biomedical Ultrasound, ECE 452: Medical Imaging, BME 218: Introduction to Neuroengineering)

Biomechanics

ME 226: Introduction to Solid Mechanics
ME 225: Introduction to Fluid Dynamics
ME 123: Thermodynamics
Upper-Level BME (e.g., BME 283: Biosolid Mechanics or BME 212: Viscoelasticity in Biological Tissues)

Cell and Tissue Engineering

CHE 243: Fluid Dynamics
CHE 244: Heat and Mass Transfer
ME 123: Thermodynamics or CHE 225: Thermodynamics with pre-requisites
Upper Level BME (e.g., BME 262: Cell and Tissue Engineering)

Medical Optics

BME 270: Biomedical Microscopy
OPT 241: Geometrical Optics
OPT 261: Interference and Diffraction
Upper Level BME: (e.g., BME 255: Translational Biomedical Optics or BME272: Advanced Biomedical Microscopy)

Free Electives

At least 12 credit hours of free electives are required. Any courses taken at Rochester, AP courses, or transfer courses can be counted toward this requirement.