Biomedical Engineering (BME)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Utah

Program Overview

The Biomedical Engineering (BME) BS at the University of Utah combines engineering, biology, physiology, chemistry, mathematics, and medicine to prepare students to solve real healthcare and biomedical problems. It is a strong fit for students who want to design medical technologies, work in biomedical research or industry, or continue into medicine, graduate study, or another health-related professional field.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students begin by developing the engineering and scientific foundation needed for biomedical engineering through courses such as CHEM 1210 General Chemistry I, MATH 1310 Engineering Calculus I, and BME 1020 Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering I. They also begin programming through CS 1400 Introduction to Computer Programming, giving them early exposure to the mathematical, chemical, biological, and computational tools used throughout the degree.

Second Year: The second year brings together more advanced science and engineering preparation through BME 2100 Fundamentals of Biomedical Engineering II, BIOL 2020 Cell Biology, and MATH 2250 Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. Students also study PHYS 2210 Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, PHYS 2220 Physics for Scientists and Engineers II, and organic chemistry, strengthening their understanding of the physical and biological systems they will eventually engineer.

Third Year: Students move into specialist biomedical engineering subjects such as BME 3101 Biosignals Analysis, BME 3202 Physiology for Engineers, and BME 3150 Digital Design and Fabrication. They also study BME 4101 Biosystems Analysis/Modeling, BME 3801 bioDesign I, and BME 4301 Biomaterials, allowing them to connect engineering analysis and design with physiological systems, medical technologies, and biomaterials.

Fourth Year: The final year focuses heavily on advanced design, research, and professional preparation through courses such as BME 4801 bioDesign II, BME 4250 Biomechanics I, and BME 4001 Biotransport/Biomolecular. Students also complete BME 4990 Biomedical Engineering Research and the two-semester BME 4991 and BME 4992 Senior Thesis Communication sequence, culminating in a research project, technical communication, and a public research symposium.

Focus Areas

Biomedical device design and development, biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, biomechanics, biomedical imaging, computing and modeling, cardiovascular engineering, neural engineering and neuroprosthetics, molecular bioengineering, synthetic biology, biosensors, data science, and drug delivery.

Learning Outcomes

Students learn to apply engineering, mathematics, biology, physiology, chemistry, physics, and statistics to biomedical problems; design and evaluate biomedical devices, systems, components, and processes; conduct experiments and interpret data from living systems; work effectively in multidisciplinary teams; communicate technical ideas; and consider ethical, health, safety, environmental, and social factors when developing engineering solutions.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Biomedical Engineering BS at the University of Utah is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The program's educational objectives are designed around professional biomedical engineering careers as well as preparation for graduate programs and professional schools, including medicine.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

The University of Utah Biomedical Engineering Department reports that undergraduate graduates have been placed across a range of destinations: 33% in industry, 36% in graduate school, 22% in medical-dental school, 5% in other professional schools, and 5% in other destinations. The department also describes itself as the 15th largest BME department nationally, with about 70 BS graduates each year and a strong connection between engineering, medicine, and research.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Hands-on learning is a major part of the University of Utah BME experience. The department requires every BME major to complete a senior research or design-build experience, with students able to work in university research laboratories or undertake an industrial R&D internship; the program also places students close to University Hospital and other health-science facilities, creating opportunities to see how engineering is applied to real clinical problems.

Students can build practical experience through:

BME 4990 Biomedical Engineering Research, which gives students formal research experience as part of the required BME curriculum.
BME 4991 and BME 4992 Senior Thesis Communication, where students develop their research into professional written and oral presentations and present their work at a public research symposium.
Industrial co-op and internship opportunities developed with industry partners, where students can gain experience in design, analysis, manufacturing, testing, and regulatory activities.
Center for Medical Innovation, where students can encounter medical-device prototyping, regulatory affairs, and technology commercialization; its Prototyping & Design Lab includes 3D printing, microelectronics assembly, CNC machining, and other fabrication equipment.
Bench-to-Bedside Medical Innovation Competition, where multidisciplinary student teams develop technology-based solutions to unmet clinical needs.
Research environments including the Advanced Imaging Methods Laboratory, Anesthesia Bioengineering Laboratory, Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, Orthopedic Research Laboratory, Neural Engineering Lab, Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory, Tissue Engineering Laboratory, and Utah Center for Advanced Imaging Research.
Access to research institutes and centers including the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Utah Center for Advanced Imaging Research, Center for Neural Interfaces, and Keck Center for Tissue Engineering.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The degree is designed to keep several pathways open after graduation, whether a student wants to enter biomedical engineering immediately or continue into advanced study. University of Utah data show that undergraduate graduates move into industry, graduate school, medical-dental school, and other professional programs, while the department specifically prepares students for biomedical engineering careers and further study in medicine, science, and engineering. 

Typical career directions include biomedical engineer, medical device engineer, biomedical research engineer, clinical engineer, with opportunities also connected to research, medical technology, biomaterials, imaging, biomechanics, and healthcare technology.

The University of Utah supports students' transition from study to professional opportunities through:

Biomedical Engineering academic advising, including guidance on course sequencing, electives, career planning, research and internship direction, and the BS/MS pathway.
Industrial co-op and internship programs, developed with companies to give students practical engineering experience and exposure to potential employers.
An Industrial Advisory Board involving professionals connected with organizations such as BD Medication Delivery Solutions, Nelson Laboratories, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, Integra LifeSciences, and Stryker Neurovascular, providing a direct industry connection for the department.
A reported $72,000–$165,000 salary range for the Biomedical Engineer career profile featured through the University of Utah's UGuide career resource.
Strong progression into further education: the department reports 36% of undergraduate graduates entering graduate school and 22% entering medical-dental school, alongside 33% entering industry.
ABET accreditation, which provides an important professional quality benchmark for the engineering degree and supports graduates pursuing engineering careers and further professional development.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the BS, students can continue into the University of Utah's MS or PhD in Biomedical Engineering, with graduate study areas including bioInnovate, biomaterials and therapeutics, biomechanics, data science and computation, cardiovascular engineering, neuroengineering, and imaging. Students can also use the undergraduate degree as preparation for professional schools, particularly medicine, as well as further study in science and engineering.