Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Saint Louis University

Program Overview

Saint Louis University's Biomedical Engineering B.S. combines engineering, biological sciences and medicine, making it a strong choice for students who want to use technology and engineering to improve healthcare and quality of life. The program builds a broad foundation in mathematics, science and engineering before allowing students to explore areas such as medical imaging, biomechanics, biomaterials, tissue engineering, bioinformatics and biomedical innovation.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

The first year establishes the scientific and engineering foundation needed for biomedical engineering, with students studying BIOL 1240/1245 – General Biology: Information Flow and Evolution and Principles of Biology I Laboratory, CHEM 1110/1115 – General Chemistry 1 and Laboratory, and MATH 1510 – Calculus I. Students also begin engineering studies through SE 1700 – Engineering Fundamentals and SE 1701 – Engineering Fundamentals Studio, giving them an early introduction to engineering design and practical problem-solving.

Year 2

Students begin applying their scientific foundation directly to biomedical engineering through BME 2000 – Biomedical Engineering Computing, BME 2200 – Applied Physiology for Engineers, and BME 3400 – Materials Science. Alongside ECE 2001/2002 – Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Electrical Engineering Lab, MATH 3550 – Differential Equations, and MENG 1011 – Prototyping, students develop computational, physiological, electrical and design skills relevant to biomedical technologies.

Year 3

The third year moves into the core analytical and experimental side of biomedical engineering through BME 3100 – Signals, BME 3300 – Transport Fundamentals, and BME 3150 – Biomedical Instrumentation. Students also complete BME 3840 – Junior Lab and begin choosing advanced BME electives, allowing them to explore subjects such as BioData Processing and Machine Learning, Medical Imaging, Biomechanics, Biomaterials and Quantitative Physiology.

Year 4

The final year is centered on advanced specialization and independent engineering work. Students complete BME 4950 – Senior Project I and BME 4960 – Senior Project II, while selecting advanced courses such as Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Engineering, Drug Delivery, Biofluids, Brain Computer Interface, Biomedical Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship, or Advanced Independent Study.

Focus Areas

BioData Processing and Machine Learning, Medical Imaging, Brain Computer Interface, Biomechanics, Human Movement Biomechanics, Biotransport, Drug Delivery, Biofluids, Biomaterials, Tissue Engineering, Regenerative Engineering, Quantitative Physiology, Biomedical Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to solve complex biomedical engineering problems using engineering, science and mathematics; design solutions with consideration for public health, safety and societal factors; conduct experiments and interpret data from living systems; communicate effectively; work in multidisciplinary teams; and apply ethical and professional judgment. The program also develops skills in analyzing, modeling, designing and realizing biomedical devices, systems, components and processes.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Biomedical Engineering B.S. is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. This gives graduates an engineering education aligned with recognized professional quality standards and supports preparation for biomedical engineering practice.

Reputation (Official Program Statistics)

Rather than relying on an external ranking, Saint Louis University publishes strong program-specific experiential-learning statistics: more than 25% of undergraduate biomedical engineering students participate in an organized research experience within the program. SLU also states that its BME program prepares graduates for careers in industry, academia and healthcare, as well as graduate and professional education.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Saint Louis University places practical experience at the center of its Biomedical Engineering B.S., with laboratory work integrated into science and engineering courses and a yearlong senior capstone project completed by every BME student. Students can work in multidisciplinary teams with other engineering, computer science, biological and medical students or engineers from corporations, while more than 25% of undergraduate BME students participate in organized research experiences.

The program's practical opportunities include:

Senior Capstone Design: Every BME student completes BME 4950 – Senior Project I and BME 4960 – Senior Project II, with projects commonly involving multidisciplinary student teams and corporate engineers.
Biomedical Engineering Computing: BME 2000 provides dedicated computational preparation within the BME curriculum.
Junior Laboratory: BME 3840 – Junior Lab provides hands-on experimental experience before students enter their senior design work.
Biomedical Instrumentation: BME 3150 develops practical understanding of biomedical measurement and instrumentation.
Prototyping: MENG 1011 – Prototyping introduces students to practical engineering development and prototype creation.
CHROME Lab: The Collaborative Haptics, Robotics and Mechatronics Lab works on human-machine interaction, including medical technologies such as steerable devices for brain-tumor surgery and neurological assessment technologies developed with neurosurgeons.
Sinquefield Science and Engineering Center: The 90,000-square-foot facility includes teaching laboratories supporting biomedical engineering, 10,000 square feet of research space, active-learning classrooms, collaboration areas and research-computing/data-visualization support.
Biomedical engineering research: Undergraduate research areas include biomaterials, biomechanics, mechanobiology, neuroengineering and brain-computer interfaces, regenerative engineering, scaffold production and tissue engineering.
Undergraduate research opportunities: SLU lists opportunities including the First Year Research Experience, NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates, Amgen Scholars and other summer research programs.
Industry internship: The department has highlighted opportunities such as a Medtronic R&D Engineer Summer Internship, involving biomedical equipment design, development, safety testing, maintenance and regulatory/quality requirements.
Entrepreneurship: Students are exposed to entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial mindset through the curriculum and extracurricular opportunities, with BME 4700 – Biomedical Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship available as an advanced elective.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The Biomedical Engineering B.S. prepares graduates for biomedical engineering and health-related positions across industry, government and academia, while also providing a foundation for research and professional education. SLU specifically identifies medical products, healthcare-related industry, consulting, graduate research, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law and business administration among possible post-graduation directions.

Typical career paths include Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Biomedical Researcher and Biomedical Instrumentation Engineer. Students can strengthen their transition into these areas through research, internships, multidisciplinary projects and the program's strong connection between engineering and healthcare.

Career development is supported through:

Undergraduate research: Faculty involve students at all levels in research, and more than 25% of BME undergraduates participate in an organized research experience.
Internship opportunities: The BME department maintains an undergraduate internship resource featuring programs such as Amgen Scholars, NSF REU opportunities, First Year Research Experience and Medtronic's R&D engineering internship.
Industry exposure: Senior projects can involve engineers from corporations, giving students experience working on engineering challenges with external professionals.
Healthcare and clinical connection: The CHROME Lab works directly with medical professionals, including neurosurgeons, on technologies intended to improve medical procedures and patient care.
Employment and salary data: SLU's current BME program page does not publish a current BME-specific employment rate or salary figure, so no unsupported figure is included here. An older official Parks College first-destination report recorded a 96% satisfactory-occupation rate and a $49,958 average salary for BME graduates in the 2017–18 reporting period, but this historical figure should not be treated as a current outcome.
ABET accreditation: ABET accreditation provides a recognized quality framework for the engineering curriculum and supports graduates seeking professional biomedical engineering careers.
Graduate and professional preparation: SLU explicitly designs the program for three major pathways after graduation: pre-health, graduate/professional school and industry.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into Saint Louis University's M.S. or Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering or pursue advanced study in related engineering and science fields. The B.S. also provides preparation for professional schools such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law and business administration, allowing students to use biomedical engineering as a foundation for a wide range of advanced careers.