Biomedical Engineering Major, Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E.)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Biomedical Engineering at UMass Lowell combines engineering with biology, chemistry, physiology and healthcare to prepare students for careers in medical devices, biopharmaceuticals and related technologies. It is particularly well suited to students interested in solving healthcare problems through engineering, with two focus areas—Medical Device Design and Cellular and Tissue Engineering—and substantial opportunities for laboratory work, research, internships and co-op experience.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students build their foundations in engineering, mathematics and science through courses such as Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering Application Programming and Calculus I, alongside Chemistry, Physics and writing courses. The BME programming course gives students an early introduction to applying programming within biomedical engineering, while the introductory BME courses establish the connection between engineering and healthcare.

Second Year: Students progress into engineering and biological applications through Thermodynamics, Biology for Engineers and Bioinstrumentation, supported by dedicated laboratory work. They also study Organic Chemistry, Calculus III, Differential Equations and Physics II, developing the quantitative and scientific foundation needed to understand physiological systems and biomedical technologies.

Third Year: The program becomes more specialized through Transport Phenomena for Biomedical Engineering, Quantitative Physiology and Biomechanics, with quantitative physiology including a dedicated laboratory component. Students then move into Biomaterials, statistics, engineering ethics, entrepreneurship and their chosen track, allowing them to connect engineering analysis with medical devices, biological materials and tissue-related applications.

Fourth Year: Students complete advanced track courses, technical electives and the two-semester Biomedical Capstone sequence, applying their accumulated knowledge to substantial biomedical engineering work. Depending on their interests, students can concentrate on areas such as medical device design or cellular and tissue engineering, while courses such as Medical Device Design I and II, Fundamentals of Medical Device Regulation, Tissue Engineering and Neural Engineering provide routes into specialized professional fields.

Focus areas

Medical Device Design, Cellular and Tissue Engineering, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials, quantitative physiology, medical devices, tissue engineering, biomedical technology

Learning outcomes

Graduates are expected to solve complex engineering problems using engineering, science and mathematics; design solutions that consider public health and safety; communicate effectively; work collaboratively; conduct and interpret experiments; make ethical and professional judgments; and continue acquiring new technical knowledge.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The B.S.E. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and Biomedical Engineering Program Criteria. The curriculum combines engineering fundamentals with biology, anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, economics, statistics and entrepreneurship, while the senior year includes a two-semester capstone research project.

Reputation (employability rankings)

UMass Lowell's official program page reports a $145,000 median annual salary for bachelor's degree holders in New England and 14.1% projected job growth in New England from 2023–2035, citing Lightcast 2025. The university also identifies graduates working at organizations including Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Pfizer, Moderna, Medtronic, Massachusetts General Brigham and GE Healthcare.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UMass Lowell's Biomedical Engineering program is strongly practice-oriented, with undergraduate teaching laboratories, research facilities, a clean-room environment and imaging capabilities supporting hands-on learning. Students can also participate in research, internships and the Professional Co-op Program, while the university's location within a regional biomedical ecosystem gives students access to more than 600 biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and related companies in eastern Massachusetts.

Students can develop these practical skills through:

Biomedical Engineering Teaching Lab: Located in Perry Hall 104, this undergraduate facility supports Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, Bioinstrumentation and Quantitative Physiology, with flexible project-based learning and modern instrumentation.
Cell and Tissue Engineering Teaching Lab: The Biosafety Level 2 facility provides hands-on training in cell culture and biomaterials, including sterile techniques, experimental workflows, biosafety cabinets, fluorescent microscopy and cell incubators.
Research laboratories: Students can become involved in research covering biomaterials, tissue engineering and medical-device development, including wet-lab and cell-culture research.
Falmouth Annex laboratories: These facilities support laser, optics and fluid-flow research relevant to medical devices, biomedical imaging and therapeutic technologies.
Lowell Advanced Robotics Initiative (LARI) Lab: An interdisciplinary research environment supporting biomechanics and kinetic biomedical technologies.
UMass Lowell Core Research Facilities: Students involved in research can benefit from specialized capabilities in materials characterization, microscopy, nanofabrication, genomics and biomanufacturing.
Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2): Provides a medical-device and biotechnology innovation environment where students can interact with entrepreneurs, researchers and industry partners working toward commercialization.
Professional Co-op Program: Students can gain paid real-world experience while exploring career paths; the program combines full-time work with coursework and may count toward a professional elective.
Internships and employer networking: UMass Lowell's M2D2-hosted Student Employer Mashup brought together 18 medical technology and biotechnology companies, including Bristol Myers Squibb, Insulet and RevBio; students have secured internships through the event.
Senior capstone: The two-semester Biomedical Capstone sequence gives students an opportunity to apply their engineering knowledge to a substantial biomedical project.
Career-connected experience: UMass Lowell's Guarantee gives every first-time, first-year undergraduate an opportunity to pursue at least one career-connected experience, such as an internship, co-op, clinical placement or service learning, before graduation.
Student organizations and projects: Students can participate in the Biomedical Engineering Society, eNable Lowell, M2D2 Club and the DifferenceMaker Prototype Competition.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The degree prepares graduates for careers across medical-device development, biomedical research, clinical engineering, regulatory work, biomaterials and related healthcare technologies. UMass Lowell specifically identifies career destinations including product development, research and development, regulatory compliance and clinical engineering, while its program reports a $145,000 median annual salary for bachelor's degree holders in New England and 14.1% projected regional job growth through 2035.

Typical career roles include: Product Development Engineer, Research and Development Engineer, Regulatory Compliance Engineer, Clinical Engineer

Career-connected experience: The UMass Lowell Guarantee provides first-time, first-year students with an opportunity to complete an internship, co-op, clinical placement, service-learning experience, study abroad or another career-connected activity before graduation.
Professional Co-op: The BME program encourages students to use the Professional Co-op Program to gain real-world experience and explore career paths before graduation.
Industry ecosystem: Students benefit from relationships with more than 600 biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and related companies in eastern Massachusetts.
Industry exposure: UMass Lowell's biomedical employer networking has included companies such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Insulet and RevBio, while the university identifies graduate employers including Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Pfizer, Moderna, Medtronic, Massachusetts General Brigham and GE Healthcare.
Research and commercialization: M2D2 connects the university's research resources with medical-device and biotechnology companies, providing an environment where biomedical technologies can progress toward commercialization.
Salary and employment outlook: The official program reports $145,000 median annual salary for bachelor's degree holders in New England and 14.1% projected job growth from 2023–2035, based on Lightcast 2025.
Long-term accreditation value: ABET accreditation demonstrates that the program meets established engineering education criteria, including engineering design, experimentation, communication, teamwork, ethics and lifelong learning.

Further Academic Progression: Students can continue into UMass Lowell's Bachelor's-to-Master's BSE/MSE pathway, with eligible students having a streamlined route into the master's program. UMass Lowell also offers the M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, and its graduate pathway allows qualified B.S.-to-M.S. students to complete both degrees in as little as five years, with up to 12 graduate credits potentially counting toward the 31-credit master's degree. Students interested in research can progress further to the Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology.