Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Program Overview

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) combines engineering, biology and healthcare technology, preparing students to develop medical devices, biomedical systems and technologies that address real healthcare needs. It is well suited to students interested in medical technology, research, healthcare or engineering, with opportunities to explore areas such as biomechanics, bioelectricity, biomedical measurements, medical instrumentation, robotics and biomedical imaging.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin with the fundamentals of biomedical engineering and the supporting sciences and mathematics. BME 101 – Introduction to Biomedical Engineering introduces areas such as biomechanics, bioelectricity, bioinstrumentation, bioinformatics, biosensors and tissue engineering, while courses such as MATH 150 – Calculus I, BIOL 211 – Introductory Biology and PHYS 205A – University Physics I establish the scientific foundation.

Year 2: The curriculum moves toward computing, electronics and quantitative engineering analysis. BME 296 – Introduction to Deep Learning, Robotics, and Microcontrollers introduces Python, Arduino, sensors and introductory deep learning, while BME 296L – Introduction to Microcontrollers and Robotics Lab gives students hands-on experience with microcontrollers, robotics and biomedical sensor data acquisition; supporting courses include MATH 250 – Calculus II and MATH 251 – Calculus III.

Year 3: Students develop deeper knowledge of how engineering principles apply to the human body and biological signals. BME 336 – Biomechanics examines mechanical properties of biological tissues, BME 337 – Bioelectricity covers electrical activity in nerves, muscles and the brain, while BME 338 – Biomedical Measurements and BME 338L – Biomedical Measurements Lab introduce wet-lab techniques, cell culture, microscopy, ECG, EMG and biomedical measurement systems.

Year 4: The final year emphasizes specialization and professional-level design. Students complete BME 438 – Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design and then undertake BME 495A – Biomedical Engineering Capstone Design I and BME 495B – Biomedical Engineering Capstone Design II, where teams develop a major design project, address engineering standards and constraints, evaluate their final product, and present their work through written, oral and poster presentations.

Focus areas

Biomedical engineering, biomechanics, bioelectricity, biomedical instrumentation, biomedical measurements, robotics, biosensors, biomedical imaging, physiological modeling, medical devices, bioinformatics, neural engineering

Learning outcomes

Students are prepared to take increasing responsibility in biomedical engineering or related employment, progress into graduate or professional degrees, and continue adapting to evolving technologies; the program also develops engineering design, analytical, laboratory, teamwork and professional skills through its technical coursework and capstone sequence.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Bioengineering, Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. This provides students and employers with a recognized engineering-quality framework for the degree.

Reputation (employability rankings)

SIU's School of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering states that its programs have national recognition and that graduates have strong employment opportunities across industry, government and academia. SIU also reports that its engineering students have a broad range of internship and employment opportunities, while the School notes that the Biomedical Engineering program itself had not yet received a U.S. News & World Report ranking because its Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering began in Fall 2026.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

SIU's Biomedical Engineering program is strongly hands-on, combining laboratory instruction, programming, biomedical measurements, robotics, medical instrumentation and a real-world capstone design sequence. Students can work with equipment such as BioPAC systems, National Instruments data-acquisition devices, LabVIEW, oscilloscopes, biomedical sensors, microscopy equipment and cell-imaging technology, while the School also provides opportunities for undergraduate research and optional internships, co-ops and externships.

The practical experience is built around several specific opportunities:

Biomedical Measurements Laboratory: Students work with wet-lab techniques, cell culture, microscopy, electrocardiography, electromyography, pulmonary-function measurement, blood-pressure measurement and bioelectrodes.
Instrumentation Laboratory: The lab contains BioPAC systems, National Instruments USB data-acquisition devices with LabVIEW, oscilloscopes, function generators, FPGA development boards, Backyard Brain Heart and Brain SpikerBoxes, Neuron and Muscle SpikeBoxes, and an Evos FLoid cell-imaging station.
Python and Arduino: In BME 296, students learn Python and use Arduino-based microcontroller systems for robotics and sensor applications, including temperature, motion and proximity sensors; students also explore NumPy and OpenCV.
Microcontrollers and Robotics Lab: BME 296L provides hands-on experience with biomedical applications, sensor-based data acquisition and programming hardware using interpreted languages and C++.
Biomedical Signals: BME 355L – BME Signals and Systems Lab introduces MATLAB programming and the analysis of biomedical signals, including Fourier and Laplace transforms and frequency-response techniques.
Medical-device design: BME 438 – Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design gives students experience with sensors, amplifiers, signal conditioning, biopotential measurement and biomedical signal processing while incorporating design applications.
Team capstone: BME 495A and BME 495B form a major two-part design experience in which fourth-year students work in teams, establish goals, plan tasks, analyze risks, develop designs, evaluate the final product and present their results.
Research opportunities: SIU's engineering college provides undergraduate research opportunities in state-of-the-art facilities, while the ECBE School reports research supported by agencies including the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense, as well as high-tech industries.
Internships, co-ops and externships: The School specifically lists optional internships, co-ops and externships as program highlights, while the College of Engineering says its career-services coordinator helps students locate internships and cooperative education opportunities.
Biomedical Engineering Society: Students can join the Biomedical Engineering Society for workshops, collaborative activities, skill development and networking with peers, faculty and industry professionals.
Robotics: SIU Robotics provides an additional hands-on environment focused on competitive robotics, innovation, teamwork and practical technology skills.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering can lead to careers across healthcare, medical-device companies, manufacturing, rehabilitation, electronics, government laboratories and research and development. SIU specifically identifies opportunities spanning research and development, systems analysis, automation, manufacturing, customer service, technical support, marketing and sales, giving graduates flexibility beyond a single biomedical engineering job title.

Typical career directions include: Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Biomedical Research Engineer, Clinical/Healthcare Technology Engineer

Key progression and employment opportunities include:

Career Development Center: SIU provides career counseling, job-search assistance and access to employers, while its career resources include information on career opportunities, prospective employers and salary statistics.
Hire A Saluki / Handshake: Students receive access to SIU's career platform, where they can find jobs, internships, fellowships and graduate-school opportunities and receive recommendations based on their interests, skills, major and location preferences.
Job and internship fairs: SIU's Career Development Center hosts job and internship fairs during the academic year, giving students opportunities to meet recruiters and explore employment and internship positions.
Engineering career support: The College of Engineering states that its career-services coordinator can help students locate internships and co-op opportunities, with co-ops offering students real-world experience while earning income.
Industry connections: The ECBE School's Industrial Advisory Council includes representatives from Ameren, Boeing, Intel, Raytheon and Southern Illinois Healthcare, providing a direct connection between the School and industry.
Employment sectors: Official SIU materials identify healthcare industries, medical-device corporations, rehabilitation, electronics, defense, aviation, automotive, laboratories and government agencies among potential employment areas.
Employment statistics: SIU's College of Engineering reports that approximately 95% of its students have begun their careers within six months of graduation; this is a College-wide engineering figure rather than a Biomedical Engineering-specific placement rate.
Salary figures: SIU's official career-services resources provide access to salary statistics, but I could not verify a current Biomedical Engineering-specific graduate salary figure on the official SIU sources reviewed, so a program-specific salary figure should not be added.
ABET value: The program's EAC/ABET accreditation demonstrates that the bachelor's degree meets established criteria for biomedical and similarly named engineering programs, providing an important professional-quality credential for engineering employment and further study.
Graduate outcomes: SIU's stated educational objectives expect graduates to progress into positions of increasing responsibility, successfully pursue graduate or professional degrees and continue professional development as biomedical technologies evolve.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into SIU's M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, which offers advanced study and research in areas including biomechanics and mechanobiology, biosensors and medical embedded systems, biophotonics, medical imaging and medical instrumentation. SIU also offers a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, and the undergraduate program includes a Pre-Medical specialization for students intending to pursue medical school; the university's stated graduate pathways also include other engineering, medicine, business and law programs.