Biomedical Engineering (BS)

Union’s Biomedical Engineering program places strong emphasis on learning by doing. Students work through hands-on laboratories, project-based courses, undergraduate research and a two-term senior capstone, while the Summer Clinical Immersion Program can place selected BME students in clinical environments at Albany Medical College and Albany Medical Center to identify healthcare problems that can become engineering design projects.

The department also connects biomedical design with prototyping and digital fabrication through Union’s Maker Web, where students can develop and physically test their ideas using tools such as 3D printers, 3D scanners, laser cutters, CNC equipment and engineering design software.

Students can build practical experience through:

• Biomedical design projects: BME students complete project-based work throughout the curriculum and finish with a two-course senior capstone design experience.

• Clinical immersion: The Summer Clinical Immersion Program connects students with Albany Medical College and Albany Medical Center, where students can observe clinical environments and identify problems that could be addressed through biomedical engineering.

• Capstone teamwork: Senior BME students work in teams with faculty advisers on biomedical problems and present their completed projects to students and faculty. Past projects include an increased-efficiency kidney stone removal device and cuffed pediatric endotracheal tubes.

• SolidWorks and 3D printing: Union specifically describes BME students designing an airway stent in SolidWorks, 3D printing it and testing the model with a mechanical testing machine.

• Maker Web: Students have access to five makerspaces containing 3D printers, 3D scanners, laser cutters, CNC routers, industrial machining equipment, Arduino kits, soldering stations and other fabrication tools.

• Digital design tools: Maker Web provides resources for TinkerCAD, Fusion 360, Rhino and SOLIDWORKS, supporting digital modeling and engineering product development.

• Undergraduate research: Union reports that more than 100 students typically work with faculty on funded summer research projects across engineering and other disciplines.

• Internships: The Becker Career Center supports internships, including opportunities across engineering, healthcare and medical fields, with examples such as Albany Medical School, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins Hospital and engineering employers.

• Study abroad: Around 60% of BME/CpE/EE students participate in study abroad through a mini-term or full-term program, and the BME curriculum can accommodate a full term abroad with advance planning.

• Engineering facilities: Union is developing a 35,700-square-foot Engineering and Computer Science Initiative building, scheduled to open in Fall 2027, with advanced research labs, biomedical engineering spaces, modern learning areas, maker spaces and 3D-printing facilities.

Union’s Biomedical Engineering graduates leave with a combination of engineering depth, biomedical knowledge, design experience and liberal-arts breadth that can lead to careers in medical technology, biomedical research, engineering, healthcare and related fields. Official Union examples include graduates working at Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Stryker, Merck, Regeneron, Massachusetts General Hospital and other biomedical and technology organizations, while others continue into graduate and professional education.

Typical job roles include: Biomedical Engineer, R&D Engineer, CAD Engineer, Medical Device Engineer

Career development and progression are supported through:

• Career services: Union’s Becker Career Center provides career advising, internship and job resources, career fairs and employer connections through Handshake, where students can search for internships and jobs and schedule appointments with career advisers.

• Employment outcomes: Union reports that 97% of alumni are employed full time, in graduate or professional school, or pursuing a post-graduate fellowship or public service opportunity within six months of graduating. This is a college-wide figure rather than a BME-specific outcome.

• BME destinations: Recent BME graduates have entered industry positions at Stanley Black & Decker, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Mobius Imaging and Stryker, as well as graduate programs at the University of Michigan, University of Denver, WPI, UC San Diego and Tufts University.

• Industry and clinical connections: The BME program has a specific relationship with Albany Medical College/Albany Medical Center, allowing students participating in the clinical immersion experience to observe healthcare settings, identify clinical needs and develop potential engineering solutions.

• Alumni network: Union describes an extensive alumni network that is committed to helping current ECBE students with career assistance.

• Internship support: Students can pursue internships for professional experience, and Union provides resources for finding opportunities in engineering, healthcare, research and medical fields.

• Accreditation value: ABET accreditation provides a recognized quality framework for the Biomedical Engineering degree and supports graduates pursuing engineering careers and advanced study.

• Salary information: Union’s official pages reviewed for this program do not publish a current BME-specific graduate salary figure, so no salary figure has been added rather than using an external estimate.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, students can continue into graduate-level biomedical engineering or related engineering and scientific programs. Union’s official graduate destinations include the University of Michigan, University of Denver, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, UC San Diego and Tufts University, while the department also notes that the degree provides preparation for professions including medicine, law and business administration.