Biomedical Engineering (BME)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Tulane University

Program Overview

The Biomedical Engineering program at Tulane University combines engineering, biology, medicine and quantitative science to prepare students to design solutions for real healthcare challenges, with strengths in biomaterials, biomechanics, bioimaging, biotransport, tissue engineering and biomedical design. It is a strong fit for students interested in medical technology, biomedical research, healthcare innovation or further study in engineering and the health sciences, with extensive hands-on research and design built into the degree.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build their core mathematics, science and engineering foundation through courses such as MATH 1210 Calculus I, CHEM 1070 General Chemistry I and PHYS 1310 General Physics I, followed by Calculus II, General Chemistry II and General Physics II. They also begin developing their engineering identity through the TIDES Tulane Interdisciplinary Experience Seminar and introductory engineering preparation.

Second Year: The curriculum moves further into biomedical engineering with CELL 1010 Intro to Cell & Molec Biology, BMEN 2310 Product & Experimental Design and BMEN 2730 Biomedical Electronics. Students also study computing concepts, organic and biochemistry, electrical circuits and materials science, giving them the technical foundation to connect engineering methods with biological and medical applications.

Third Year: Students begin applying engineering principles directly to the human body through BMEN 3030 Anatomy & Physio for Engr, BMEN 3440 Biofluid Mechanics and BMEN 3070 Quantitative Physiology, supported by dedicated anatomy and physiology laboratories. They also select two 3000-level BME domain courses, allowing them to develop deeper expertise in areas such as biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics and biotransport, biosignals and bioimaging, or biomedical design.

Fourth Year: Students bring their knowledge together through BMEN 4030 BMEN Team Design Project I and BMEN 4040 BMEN Team Design Project II, working on an in-depth group project focused on biomedical healthcare challenges. The year also includes BMEN 4902 Senior Research Prof Experience I and the BMEN 4920 Senior Research and Design Conference, where students present the results of their year-long research or design work.

Focus areas

Biomaterials, tissue engineering, biomechanics, biotransport, bioimaging, biomedical electronics, quantitative physiology, biomedical design, medical devices and computational biomedical engineering.

Learning outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply engineering, biology, physiology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and statistics to biomedical problems; analyze and design biomedical devices, systems and processes; make measurements on living systems; interpret data; and work effectively on research and engineering design challenges.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

Tulane's Biomedical Engineering program has been continuously accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET since 1981, under the General Criteria and Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs. The accreditation aligns the program with professional expectations in biomedical engineering, including engineering analysis, biomedical problem-solving, device and system design, and measurement and interpretation of biological data.

Reputation (employability rankings)

Tulane's Biomedical Engineering department describes its program as an area of excellence with national recognition, and the undergraduate program is one of the larger majors in the School of Science and Engineering, with approximately 235 undergraduates and 40 graduate students according to the department. The department also has a long research history dating to 1977 and continuous ABET accreditation since 1981, providing a strong combination of research depth and professional engineering preparation.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Hands-on learning is a major part of Tulane's Biomedical Engineering experience. Every student completes both a year-long individual research or design project and a year-long team design project, while the curriculum includes dedicated anatomy, physiology and engineering laboratories; students can also work in departmental research laboratories and use specialized facilities for imaging, anatomical study, computational research and prototyping.

Students gain practical experience through:

BMEN 2310 Product & Experimental Design: Students are introduced to biomedical product development and experimental design early in the degree, building the foundation for later design work.
Anatomy and Physiology Laboratories: The program includes a Gross Anatomy laboratory and a Quantitative Physiology Lab, giving students direct experience studying human biological systems.
Year-long team design project: Students work in teams for an in-depth biomedical engineering design project, incorporating engineering standards and realistic constraints to develop solutions addressing healthcare needs. Projects are presented publicly at Tulane's Engineering Capstone Design Expo.
Individual research or design project: Every undergraduate completes a year-long individual research or design experience, including a required thesis and public oral presentation.
Biomedical research laboratories: Research opportunities span biomaterials, biomechanics, bioimaging, biotransport, tissue engineering and design, with laboratories including the Biofluid Mechanics Laboratory, Regenerative Engineering and Equity Lab, Multiscale Bioimaging and Bioinformatics Laboratory and Neural Microengineering Laboratory.
Tulane Institute of Integrated Engineering for Health and Medicine (TI²EHM): This interdisciplinary institute connects engineering with Tulane's Schools of Medicine and Public Health and supports research into medical technologies and devices.
Advanced imaging: The TI²EHM Imaging Core includes the Vevo F2 high-resolution ultrasound system, supporting preclinical imaging, including 3D and contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
Center for Anatomical Movement Sciences: CAMS provides anatomical instruction and human dissection experiences, as well as hands-on work involving accelerometry, electromyography, metabolic assessment and spirometry.
Maker Space: Students have access to prototyping equipment including laser cutters, a 4-axis CNC milling machine, CNC lathe and 3D printers, alongside traditional hand and power tools.
High-performance computing: Tulane provides access to substantial computational resources through the Center for Computational Science, including the Cypress high-performance computer system.
Industry interaction: Tulane's BME Industry Alumni Advisory Council includes professionals from organizations such as Boston Scientific, Intuitive Surgical, Stryker and Guided Surgical Solutions, while industry professionals also participate in student mentoring and design activities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Tulane's Biomedical Engineering degree is designed to prepare graduates for biomedical engineering practice as well as advanced study in biomedical engineering, health sciences and medicine. The program combines professional engineering preparation with substantial research and design experience, giving graduates a foundation for careers in medical technology, biomedical research, device development and related technical fields.

Typical career roles include Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Clinical Development Engineer, Biomedical Research Engineer.

Students can strengthen their career progression through:

Career support: Tulane Career Services provides employment resources, job and internship searching tools, employer engagement and access to real-time labor-market information through its Lightcast partnership.
BME-specific advising: Every BME class is assigned two Biomedical Engineering faculty advisors who remain with students throughout their academic careers and advise them on elective choices and career pathways.
Employment and salary information: Tulane provides university-wide Graduating Student Survey dashboards covering employment, continuing education, employers, industries and locations. Its Career Services labor-market platform also provides occupation-level information on annual earnings, employment trends, technical skills and employers. A separate BME-specific graduate salary statistic was not identified in the official sources reviewed, so no unsupported salary figure is included here.
Industry connections: Tulane's BME Industry Alumni Advisory Council includes alumni working at Boston Scientific, Intuitive Surgical, Stryker, Guided Surgical Solutions and Biocore, while the department also brings professionals from companies such as Johnson & Johnson Electrophysiology and Boston Scientific to interact with students.
Long-term accreditation value: Continuous ABET accreditation since 1981 provides an established professional quality framework for the BME curriculum and supports preparation for biomedical engineering practice and further professional development.
Graduation outcomes: The department reports 16 BSE degrees awarded in 2024–25, following 21 in 2023–24 and 28 in 2022–23. Its educational objectives specifically prepare graduates for biomedical engineering industries and related technical or professional fields, as well as advanced study in biomedical engineering and health or medical sciences.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into advanced study in Biomedical Engineering MS or PhD programs, health and medical sciences, or other related professional programs. Tulane also offers a 4+1 BSE/MS pathway, allowing eligible BME students to complete a master's degree in one year following the bachelor's degree.