Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Trine University

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Trine University combines engineering, biology, medicine and hands-on design to prepare students to develop technologies that improve healthcare and quality of life. It suits students interested in medical devices, biomechanics, tissue engineering, biomedical research or healthcare technology, with three concentration options in research, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish the scientific and engineering foundation needed for biomedical engineering through subjects such as GE 101 Introduction to Engineering (1 hour), ES 141 Biology for Engineers (1 hour) or BIO 114 Principles of Biology I (4 hours), and ES 213 Statics (3 hours). Mathematics, chemistry, physics and engineering fundamentals prepare students to connect biological systems with engineering design and analysis.

Year 2: Students begin dedicated biomedical engineering study with BME 2011 Intro to BME Programming MATLAB (1 hour) and BME 2012 Intro to Biomedical Engineering (2 hours), followed by BME 2401 BME Design and Manufacturing Lab (1 hour) and BME 2402 BME Design and Manufacturing (2 hours). This stage introduces programming, biomedical engineering applications, design processes and manufacturing techniques while students continue developing their mathematics, science and engineering skills.

Year 3: Students move into specialized biomedical engineering concepts through courses such as BME 3003 Musculoskeletal Biomechanics (3 hours), BME 3103 Biomaterials (3 hours) and BME 3203 Biomedical Engineering Laboratory Techniques (3 hours). They also study BME 3212 Biomedical Engineering Research Techniques (2 hours) and BME 3223 Biostatistics and Probability (3 hours), developing practical laboratory, research and biomedical data-analysis skills.

Year 4: The final year focuses on advanced biomedical engineering applications and professional design through BME 4403 Biomedical Engineering Measurements & Instrumentation I (3 hours), BME 4503 Tissue Engineering (3 hours), BME 4603 Bio Fluid Mechanics (3 hours) and BME 4613 Biological Mass & Energy Transport (3 hours). Students complete the two-part BME 4853 Biomedical Engineering Design I (3 hours) and BME 4863 Biomedical Engineering Design II (3 hours) sequence and complete one of the program's three 15-hour concentration areas.

Focus Areas

Biomedical design and manufacturing, biomechanics, biomaterials, tissue engineering, biofluid mechanics, biological mass and energy transport, biomedical instrumentation, biomedical research, MATLAB programming, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply biological, medical and engineering knowledge to biomedical problems, demonstrate technical competence, communicate effectively, work as valued members of teams, solve open-ended problems through innovation and technology development, and contribute to society with professional and ethical responsibility.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Trine University is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering.

Reputation (Employability)

Trine reports 100% graduate placement for its Biomedical Engineering program, with 95% of BME courses including hands-on components and 33% of students receiving national research opportunities. The university also reports that graduates are prepared for careers with organizations such as Abbott, Boston Scientific, DePuy Synthes, Eli Lilly, GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Philips Healthcare, Roche and Stryker Orthopedics.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Trine's Biomedical Engineering program is strongly project- and laboratory-based, with 95% of BME courses containing a hands-on component. Students work with contemporary biomedical equipment, conduct laboratory and research projects, develop tissue-engineering scaffolds, take physiological measurements and complete applied human-centered design projects. The program also provides access to an eight-camera Vicon Motion Capture Biomechanics Lab, an Instron Tensile Machine in the Biomaterials Lab and a 3D Tissue Printer for cellular-integration work.

Students can put these facilities and skills into practice through:

MATLAB programming: BME 2011 introduces students to MATLAB for biomedical engineering applications.
Design and manufacturing: BME 2401 and BME 2402 provide practical experience with 3D printing, casting, welding, laser cutting and milling.
Biomechanics: The Vicon Motion Capture Biomechanics Lab supports movement analysis, while BME 3003 covers quantitative movement analysis and musculoskeletal biomechanics.
Biomaterials: The Biomaterials Lab uses an Instron Tensile Machine for material-property analysis.
Biomedical laboratory work: BME 3203 introduces laboratory techniques used in developing human diagnostics and therapeutics, while BME 3212 integrates laboratory techniques with biomedical research processes.
Tissue engineering: Students work with tissue-culture and cellular-behavior concepts and can develop scaffolds for cellular integration using a 3D Tissue Printer.
Senior design: Students complete a year-long, applied senior design project addressing human-centered biomedical challenges; recent projects have included a customized pediatric walker, human-tissue cold shipment system and lymphedema measurement technology.
Research: BME 3212 involves a semester-long research project, while the university reports that 33% of students receive national research opportunities.
Industry-grade technology: Innovation One's Technology Commercialization Laboratory provides access to NX, SolidWorks, FeatureCAM, finite element analysis, electron microscopy, material testing, CNC equipment, prototyping and chemical analysis.
Space-health research: The program offers a special-topics course in Space Health Research, where students conduct independent research guided by NASA's Human Research Program objectives.
Internships and co-ops: Trine's Career Center provides access to internships and co-ops through Handshake, career fairs, employer connections and career-development support.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Trine's Biomedical Engineering degree prepares graduates for professional roles in design, manufacturing, quality control, testing and research and development, as well as pathways into healthcare and graduate education. The university reports 100% graduate placement for the program and identifies major biomedical and healthcare organizations including Abbott, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Stryker Orthopedics and Zimmer Biomet among companies likely to recruit Trine graduates.

Typical job roles include Biomedical Engineer, Biomedical Design Engineer, Research and Development Engineer, Quality Control Engineer.

Career and progression opportunities include:

Career services: Trine Career Center helps students build and review resumes, find internships, prepare for career fairs and interviews, search for careers, evaluate job offers and plan for graduate school.
Internships: Trine's Internship Assurance program states that eligible students in the Allen School of Engineering and Computing will receive support toward securing at least one relevant internship before graduation, subject to the program's requirements and employer availability.
Job and internship platform: Handshake allows students to search and apply for internships and full-time jobs, research employers and find career fairs, workshops and other events.
Graduate placement: The Biomedical Engineering program reports a 100% graduate placement rate on its official program page.
Industry connections: Trine identifies companies such as Abbott, Boston Scientific, CareFusion, DePuy Synthes, Eli Lilly, GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Össur, Ottobock, Philips Healthcare, Roche, Smith & Nephew, Stryker Orthopedics and Zimmer Biomet as likely recruiters.
Sponsored design projects: Biomedical engineering students work on practical projects with sponsors and external partners; recent projects included a human-tissue cold shipment system sponsored by Mechtek and a lymphedema measurement project sponsored by Dr. Courtney Sproat, PT, DPT, CLT.
Accreditation value: ABET EAC accreditation provides an established quality framework for the biomedical engineering curriculum and aligns the program with recognized engineering education standards.
Leadership and professional growth: Trine's program objectives expect graduates to advance professionally, contribute through innovation and technology development, and provide leadership and service while maintaining ethical and social responsibilities.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into master's or doctoral study in biomedical engineering and related engineering and health-science fields. Trine specifically identifies graduate research, prosthetics programs, MBA and Master of Science in Engineering Management pathways among possible directions, and students may also begin graduate courses during their undergraduate studies.