B.S. in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

San Jose State University

Program Overview

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at San José State University combines engineering, biology, and health sciences to prepare students to develop technologies that improve human health, including biomedical devices, bioelectronics, imaging, bioinformatics, and manufacturing. It is particularly suited to students interested in applying engineering principles to healthcare while developing communication, teamwork, ethical decision-making, and FDA-regulated product-development skills.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their mathematical, scientific, communication, and engineering foundations through subjects such as MATH 30/30X Calculus I, MATH 31/31X Calculus II, CHEM 1A/1B General Chemistry, PHYS 50 Mechanics, and ENGR 10 Introduction to Engineering. These courses provide the quantitative and scientific preparation needed for more specialized biomedical engineering study.

Year 2: The second year introduces students more directly to biology and biomedical design through BIOL 30 Principles of Biology I, BME 25 Introduction to BME Design, and CHEM 8 Organic Chemistry, alongside Calculus III and Ordinary Differential Equations. Students begin connecting biological concepts with engineering design and develop the mathematical background required for later BME courses.

Year 3: Students move into core biomedical engineering subjects including BME 115 Foundations of Biomedical Engineering, BME 116 Biosensors and Bioinstrumentation, BME 117 Biotransport Phenomena, BME 130 Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, and BME 177 Physiology for Engineers. Courses such as BME 133 Programming Applications in Biomedical Engineering and BME 135 Biomedical Engineering Design Methods add computational and design skills to the technical foundation.

Year 4: The final year focuses on advanced application, product development, professional practice, and the senior design experience. Students study areas such as BME 147 Quantitative and Statistical Methods for Biomedical Engineers, BME 165 Applied Engineering Biomechanics, BME 168 Medical and Biological Polymers, and BME 178 Biomedical Product Realization, before completing BME 198A Senior Design Project I and BME 198B Senior Design Project II.

Focus areas

Biomedical devices, bioelectronics and instrumentation, biomedical imaging, bioinformatics, biomedical manufacturing, biosensors, bioinstrumentation, biotransport, biomechanics, biomedical product development, programming and numerical methods, medical and biological polymers, biomedical regulatory requirements, and physiology.

Learning outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply engineering principles to biomedical problems, work with biological and health-science concepts, use quantitative and computational methods, design biomedical products, understand regulatory requirements, communicate technical information, collaborate in teams, and consider ethical issues affecting human health and welfare.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Program Criteria and the Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs criteria.

Reputation (employability rankings)

SJSU's Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering has a strong national reputation for engineering education. SJSU reports that the College of Engineering ranked #6 among public universities nationally and #12 overall for Best Undergraduate Engineering Program – Non-Doctorate in the 2023 U.S. News rankings cited by the university, while SJSU also reports a #5 ranking among public universities for engineering graduate salaries in a Wall Street Journal ranking.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

SJSU's Biomedical Engineering department emphasizes hands-on education and real-world biomedical problem solving, with dedicated laboratory and research facilities supporting both teaching and research. Students can work with biomedical instrumentation, cell-culture systems, imaging equipment, biomechanical testing systems, 3D printing and prototyping tools, while the senior design sequence gives them an opportunity to develop, prototype, test, and present a biomedical engineering solution.

Students also have opportunities to connect their projects with external programs and industry experiences, including the JABIL Scholars program and the SJSU-UCSF Shadow a Clinician Program; the department specifically encourages projects connected to industry collaborations and internships.

Key practical and research opportunities include:

Senior Design Project I & II: In BME 198A, students develop an NIH-style project proposal covering specific aims, significance and innovation, and approach. In BME 198B, they complete the design, prototyping and testing and present their work at the annual Biomedical Engineering Showcase.
Biomedical Engineering Laboratories: SJSU provides approximately 4,000 sq. ft. of BME laboratory space in ENG 221 and ENG 233 for teaching and experimental research.
Biomedical instrumentation: Available equipment includes tissue-culture facilities, CO₂ incubators, microscopes, UV-Vis spectrophotometers, a microplate reader, thermal cyclers, a hypoxia chamber, and a thrombogenicity tester.
Imaging and fluid mechanics: Students and researchers have access to a time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system, imaging systems, a mock blood-circulation loop, and related biomedical testing equipment.
Biomechanics: Facilities include an Instron MTS 5 kN system, gait-analysis equipment, treadmill, 3D motion-capture systems, and insole pressure systems, supporting biomedical movement and biomechanics work.
Prototyping and fabrication: The department has 3D printers and a 3D bioprinter, while the College of Engineering Central Machine Shop provides CNC milling, CNC turning, fabrication equipment, laser cutting and access to additional 3D printing.
Materials and microfabrication: The Materials Characterization and Metrology Center provides SEM, AFM, X-ray diffraction and 3D optical profiling capabilities, while the Microscale Process Engineering Laboratory supports processes such as photolithography, plasma etching, metal deposition and wafer bonding.
Bioprocessing: The Bioprocess Engineering Laboratory includes computer-controlled fermentors, LC/MSD, HPLC, a Bioanalyzer, PCR equipment and electrophoresis capabilities.
Internships and industry exposure: SJSU Engineering states that students have access to thousands of internship opportunities across Silicon Valley and surrounding industries, including healthcare and biomedical companies.
Career and library support: BME students can use the SJSU Career Center for resume and interview support, internship and full-time job fairs, and an online job database; King Library provides engineering research assistance and study facilities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is designed around emerging careers in biomedical devices, bioelectronics and instrumentation, imaging, bioinformatics, and manufacturing, with the curriculum developed in consultation with potential employers. SJSU's location in Silicon Valley also places students near a substantial biomedical engineering ecosystem; the department reports that the San Francisco Bay Area has more than 1,100 biomedical engineering companies, including more than 600 involved in manufacturing.

Typical career roles include Biomedical Engineer, Biomedical Device Engineer, Bioinstrumentation Engineer, Biomedical Manufacturing Engineer:

Career services: The SJSU Career Center provides resume-writing and interview workshops, career advising, internship and full-time job fairs, and an online job database. Students can also use SJSU Handshake to search for employment and internship opportunities.
Employment environment: The department lists BME graduates working at organizations including Abbott, Boston Scientific, Bayer, GE Healthcare, Medtronic-related industry, Stryker Neurovascular, Shockwave Medical, Cepheid, Varian Medical Systems, Cordis, TE Connectivity, and Intuitive Surgical among others.
Salary information: SJSU does not publish a current B.S. Biomedical Engineering-specific average starting salary on the program page. The university does report that SJSU engineering graduates averaged approximately $105,000 per year over the first 10 years after graduation in a 2023 Wall Street Journal ranking; this is an engineering-wide figure, not a BME-specific salary.
Industry connection: The B.S. BME program was designed in consultation with potential employers, and SJSU describes the undergraduate program as being designed in partnership with Silicon Valley biomedical companies.
Industry-linked projects: Senior projects can involve industry collaborations, and the department highlights programs such as JABIL Scholars and the SJSU-UCSF Shadow a Clinician Program as possible pathways for senior design experiences.
Professional accreditation: ABET accreditation provides an established quality framework for the B.S. Biomedical Engineering program and aligns the degree with recognized engineering education standards.
Graduation and enrollment data: SJSU's official BME program page publishes enrollment and graduation data for the department, although the current webpage presents these figures through tables/charts rather than a text-based summary.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, students can continue into graduate-level study such as an M.S. or Ph.D., or pursue further professional education including medical school. SJSU's Biomedical Engineering department specifically identifies M.S., Ph.D., and M.D. pathways among the options pursued by graduates interested in advanced research, engineering leadership, or medicine.