Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Pennsylvania State University University Park

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Penn State brings together engineering, mathematics, life sciences, and healthcare to help students develop solutions to real medical and biological challenges. It is a great fit for students who enjoy engineering and want to apply it to human health, with opportunities to explore areas such as biopharmaceutical engineering, medical imaging, medical device design, and biomechanics.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by developing a strong foundation in mathematics, engineering, chemistry, and physics through courses such as MATH 140 Calculus With Analytic Geometry I, EDSGN 100 Cornerstone Engineering Design, and PHYS 211 General Physics: Mechanics. Chemistry courses including CHEM 110 Chemical Principles I and CHEM 111 Experimental Chemistry I also give students an early understanding of scientific principles and laboratory work.

Year 2: Students start connecting engineering concepts with biology and human health through courses such as BIOL 141 Introduction to Human Physiology, BME 201 Fundamentals of Cells and Molecules, and EMCH 210 Statics and Strength of Materials. They also develop computational skills through CMPSC 200 Programming for Engineers with MATLAB, while continuing their mathematics, physics, and engineering studies.

Year 3: Students move into more advanced biomedical engineering topics through courses such as BME 301 Analysis of Physiological Systems, BME 303 Bio-continuum Mechanics, and BME 313 Thermodynamics for Biomedical Engineering. They can also begin exploring specialized areas such as BME 406 Medical Imaging, BME 408 Solid Mechanics of Biological Materials, BME 409 Biofluid Mechanics, or BME 410 Biomedical Applications of Microfluidics.

Year 4: In the final year, students bring together their engineering and biomedical knowledge through advanced coursework, laboratory experience, professional preparation, and senior design. Courses such as BME 429 Biomedical Mechanics and Techniques Laboratory, BME 440 Biomedical Engineering Professional Seminar, and BME 450W Biomedical Senior Design help students apply what they have learned to practical biomedical engineering challenges.

Focus Areas

Biomedical Engineering, Biomechanics, Medical Imaging, Medical Device Design, Biopharmaceutical Engineering, Biomedical Instrumentation, Biomedical Materials, Biofluid Mechanics, Mass Transport in Biological Systems, Physiological Systems, Biomedical Computing, Medical Technologies

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to identify and solve complex biomedical engineering problems using engineering, science, and mathematics; design solutions while considering health, safety, social, environmental, and economic factors; conduct experiments and analyze data; communicate effectively; work as part of multidisciplinary teams; make responsible professional and ethical decisions; and continue developing their technical knowledge throughout their careers.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at Penn State is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. This accreditation demonstrates that the program meets established standards for engineering education and can provide a strong foundation for professional engineering careers and further study.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

Penn State has a strong reputation as a major public research university, with a well-established College of Engineering. In the 2026 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings, Penn State was ranked No. 21 among undergraduate engineering programs at institutions whose highest degree is a doctorate and No. 26 among national public universities. Penn State's graduate Biomedical Engineering/Bioengineering program was also ranked No. 46 nationally in the 2026 U.S. News graduate rankings.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at Penn State gives students plenty of opportunities to develop practical skills alongside their academic learning. Students gain hands-on experience through biomedical laboratories, engineering design projects, physiological analysis, instrumentation, computational modelling, and senior-level projects. The program also introduces students to industry-relevant tools such as MATLAB and gives them opportunities to apply their knowledge to real biomedical engineering challenges.

Students can build practical and technical experience through:

Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory (BME 403): Students gain hands-on experience working with biomedical instrumentation and applying measurement techniques to biomedical applications.
Biomedical Mechanics and Techniques Laboratory (BME 429): Students develop practical skills in biomedical mechanics and experimental techniques.
Biomedical Instrumentation and Measurements (BME 402): Provides experience with biomedical measurement methods and instrumentation used in healthcare and engineering applications.
Numerical Simulations in Biomedical Engineering (BME 401): Students use computational methods to model and analyse biomedical engineering systems.
MATLAB programming: CMPSC 200, Programming for Engineers with MATLAB, develops programming skills that students can apply in upper-level biomedical engineering courses and computational work.
Engineering design: EDSGN 100, Cornerstone Engineering Design, introduces students to engineering design principles that are developed further throughout the biomedical engineering curriculum.
Biomedical Senior Design (BME 450W): Students complete open-ended biomedical engineering design projects, including projects sponsored by industry and clinical partners.
Team-based projects: Senior Design involves multidisciplinary teamwork, where students identify needs, develop specifications, analyse designs, manage project budgets, and develop prototypes.
Project presentations and documentation: Students document their work through project notebooks, design reviews, written reports, presentations, posters, and other project deliverables.
Specialised biomedical applications: Depending on their chosen option, students can explore areas such as Medical Imaging, Biomedical Applications of Microfluidics, Biomedical Materials, Solid Mechanics of Biological Materials, Biofluid Mechanics, and Mass Transport in Biological Systems.
Physiology and laboratory work: The curriculum includes human physiology and laboratory-based study, helping students connect engineering principles with biological and physiological systems.
University Park facilities: The program is based at Penn State's University Park campus, with the Biomedical Engineering program located in the Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building.
Research preparation: The combination of laboratory work, computational modelling, biomedical instrumentation, mechanics, physiology, and design prepares students for research opportunities and advanced study in biomedical engineering and related fields.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at Penn State prepares graduates for careers across medical devices, healthcare technology, pharmaceuticals, medical imaging, research, and other biomedical engineering fields. Graduates can also choose to continue their education through graduate study or professional programs such as medicine, dentistry, public health, and other health-related fields. Penn State BME graduates have gone on to work with organisations including Abbott, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Merck, Pfizer, GE Healthcare, and the National Institutes of Health.

Typical career paths include Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Biomedical Research Engineer, Medical Imaging Engineer.

Students can strengthen their career prospects through:

Engineering career support: Penn State Engineering provides career advising, résumé and cover-letter support, mock interviews, networking opportunities, career fairs, and access to internships, co-ops, and full-time positions through Nittany Lion Careers.
BME career resources: Biomedical Engineering students can use Engineering Career Resources and Penn State Career Services, as well as participate in Fall and Spring Career Days and explore internship and co-op opportunities.
Industry experience: Penn State BME provides opportunities to connect with industry partners through internships, co-ops, research activities, and industry-supported design projects.
Industry and clinical partnerships: The Biomedical Senior Design course includes projects sponsored by industry and clinical partners, allowing students to work on practical biomedical engineering challenges and develop potential solutions.
International project experience: Penn State BME students have participated in a global capstone initiative with engineering students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, working on real-world projects for corporate sponsors.
Employer connections: Penn State BME graduates have progressed into organisations such as Abbott, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Merck, Pfizer, GE Healthcare, and the National Institutes of Health.
Starting salary: Penn State Engineering's 2024–25 salary survey reported an average starting salary of $82,600 for Biomedical Engineering graduates, based on five respondents. Because the number of respondents was small, this figure should be viewed as an indication rather than a guarantee.
Graduation outcomes: Penn State reports that nearly 99% of BME undergraduates earn their degrees within five years, with more than 70% graduating within four years.
ABET accreditation: The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. This provides graduates with a recognised engineering quality standard and can be valuable for those pursuing engineering careers and, where applicable, professional licensure.
Flexible career direction: The program's educational objectives allow graduates to pursue industry and government positions in areas such as research and development, regulation, manufacturing, quality assurance, sales and marketing, or continue into graduate and professional education.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S., students can continue into graduate-level study in bioengineering and related fields. Penn State graduates may pursue advanced study in engineering, medicine, biostatistics, public health, health administration, or other health-related professional programs, depending on their career goals. The Biomedical Engineering program specifically notes advanced-degree pathways in medicine, engineering, biostatistics, public health, and health administration.