B.S. in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Memphis

Program Overview

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Memphis brings together engineering, biology and medicine to prepare students to develop technologies that address real healthcare needs, from medical devices and implants to imaging, biosensors and tissue engineering. It suits students who want a flexible engineering degree with opportunities to focus on areas such as biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics, bioimaging, bioelectrical devices and systems, or pre-medical studies.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their engineering and biomedical foundations through subjects such as BIOM 1701 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Design, BIOM 1702 Biomedical Engineering Visualization, and BIOM 1720 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Tools. They begin learning how biomedical engineering problems are approached while building the mathematical, scientific and engineering skills needed for more advanced study.

Second Year: The curriculum moves into experimental methods and the engineering principles behind biomedical systems, with courses such as BIOM 2720 Experimental Design and Analysis for Biomedical Engineering, BIOM 3010 Medical Measurements, and BIOM 3110 Medical Physiology. Students learn to collect and interpret biomedical measurements, understand physiological systems and apply experimental design to biomedical engineering problems.

Third Year: Students deepen their understanding of how biological systems can be modeled and engineered through BIOM 3710 Physiological Systems and Modeling, BIOM 4110 The Science of Medicine, and BIOM 4702 Biotechnology Tools of Biomedical Engineering Research. Depending on their interests, they can also begin developing a specialist pathway through areas such as biomaterials, bioelectricity, biomechanics, medical imaging and biomedical device design.

Fourth Year: The final year focuses strongly on professional engineering practice and design, including BIOM 4730 Biomaterials, BIOM 4760 Biomedical Engineering Design Principles, and the BIOM 4782 Biomedical Design Practicum / BIOM 4784 Biomedical Design Studio sequence. Students work in teams to move from design concepts toward a biomedical prototype while considering project management, technical drawings, testing, verification and validation.

Focus areas: Biomaterials/Tissue Engineering, Biomechanics, BioImaging, Pre-medical Professional Studies, Pre-Orthotics and Prosthetics, Bioelectrical Devices and Systems, Medical Imaging, Medical Materials and Manufacturing.

Learning outcomes: Students develop the ability to solve complex biomedical engineering problems, apply engineering design to healthcare needs, communicate effectively, work collaboratively, conduct experiments, analyze biomedical data, model biological systems and apply engineering, biology, physiology, chemistry, mathematics and physics principles to living systems.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. Biomedical Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The program's educational objectives emphasize employment in biomedical or related health industries, professional or graduate study, and continued professional growth and service.

Reputation (employability): The University of Memphis reports that 50% of its biomedical engineering undergraduates have secured employment in the biomedical or biotechnology industry, 70% obtain internships, 50% participate in faculty/clinician collaborative research, and 33% are admitted to graduate school. The university also reports that more than 60% of its BME graduates who apply to medical school are admitted, while its current program page identifies graduates working at organizations such as Medtronic and Grace Medical.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The University of Memphis gives biomedical engineering students substantial opportunities to learn by designing, testing and researching rather than relying only on classroom theory. Students can participate in faculty and clinician research, internships and co-op education, while the senior design sequence takes them through biomedical device development with guidance from departmental and external biomedical and medical professionals.

Students can build practical skills through:

Biomedical Engineering Design: BIOM 4760 introduces practical biomedical design methods and focuses on developing concepts that satisfy real engineering needs and constraints.
Team-based capstone design: BIOM 4782 Biomedical Design Practicum and BIOM 4784 Biomedical Design Studio involve team meetings, mentor advising, brainstorming, technical drawings, prototype development, engineering analysis, verification and validation, culminating in a final team presentation.
Medical measurements: BIOM 3010 provides laboratory experience with biomedical sensors, signal processing and instrumentation used in clinical medicine and biomedical engineering.
Biomedical engineering tools: BIOM 1720 introduces students to tools used in biomedical engineering, while BIOM 2720 develops experimental design and analysis skills.
Medical imaging: Students interested in imaging can take BIOM 4801 Introduction to Medical Imaging, covering X-ray, radionuclide imaging, ultrasound and MRI, including imaging instrumentation, algorithms and clinical applications.
Research laboratories: Students can engage with research in the Biomaterials Applications of Memphis (BAM) Laboratory, the Tissue Template Engineering and Regeneration Laboratory, and the Dr. J. Amber Jennings Laboratory, which investigate biomaterials, tissue engineering, drug delivery, regeneration and implant-associated infection.
Biomechanics facilities: Biomedical engineering research includes equipment for bone and cartilage mechanical testing, laser scanning, a Microscribe 3D coordinate measurement machine, XSENS motion sensors, AMTI 3D force platforms, a BIODEX SYSTEM PRO dynamometer and a Formlabs stereolithography printer.
Medical-device research: The department's research areas include movement science and rehabilitation, biomedical devices, bioelectricity, neurological and cardiac electrophysiology, biomaterials and medical imaging.
Internships: The university reports that 70% of BME students obtain internships, giving them professional development experience connected with biomedical careers.
Co-op and Internship Education: Herff College of Engineering allows students to earn academic credit through real-world, on-the-job engineering education and practical experience in their chosen field.
Faculty research: Approximately 50% of BME students become involved in faculty/clinician collaborative research, allowing students to contribute to projects addressing real-world human-health problems.
Industry-academic collaboration: The Jennings Laboratory, for example, has established industry-academia partnerships for evaluating antimicrobial materials and their biocompatibility.
Research infrastructure: University-wide facilities provide access to shared research resources including high-performance computing, integrated microscopy and other specialized research facilities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is designed to give graduates flexibility to enter the biomedical and biotechnology industries, pursue research and engineering careers, or continue into graduate and professional education. The University of Memphis reports that approximately 55% of students find industry positions after graduation, 30% continue to graduate degree programs, and 10% enter medical, dental, veterinary, optometry or other professional programs.

Typical career directions include Biomedical Engineer, Quality Engineer, Research and Test Engineer and R&D Design Engineer:

Career services and job resources: Students have access to University of Memphis Career Services as well as BME-recommended resources including the BMES Career Center, Qmed Career Central, SFB Career Center and AfterCollege.
Internship preparation: Around 70% of BME students obtain internships, providing practical experience and professional development before graduation.
Employment outcomes: The department reports that approximately 55% of students enter industry, while its dedicated careers page reports an average alumni salary of $74,981.
Employer network: Recent and leading employers of University of Memphis BME students include Abbott, Charles River Laboratories, FedEx, Medtronic, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, MicroPort Orthopedics, Smith & Nephew, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Stryker and UTHSC College of Pharmacy.
Graduate destinations: The department reports that approximately 30% of students continue into graduate degree programs, while 33% of undergraduates are reported as admitted to graduate school on the current academic-program page.
Professional preparation: The program's ABET accreditation supports preparation in engineering problem solving, design, experimentation, teamwork, communication, professional responsibility and lifelong learning.
Medical and professional pathways: More than 60% of BME graduates who apply to medical school are admitted, according to the university, making the program particularly relevant for students combining biomedical engineering with pre-medical preparation.
Industry-relevant skills: The university's careers information identifies Microsoft Excel, MATLAB, research, medical devices and leadership among important skills for biomedical engineering careers.
Career flexibility: The advising guide identifies opportunities in research and testing, regulatory work, quality control, R&D design, technical support and sales, while also highlighting graduate, professional and legal education pathways.
Accelerated progression: Qualified students can enter the Accelerated B.S./M.S. in Biomedical Engineering pathway and earn both degrees in five years, with up to 12 graduate credit hours potentially counting toward the undergraduate degree.

Further Academic Progression: After completing the B.S., students can progress to the University of Memphis–UTHSC Joint Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering, which offers M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Qualified students can also use the five-year accelerated B.S./M.S. pathway, while specific undergraduate focus areas can prepare students for medical school, dental school, veterinary medicine, optometry, orthotics and prosthetics, or other professional programs.