Biomedical Engineering, B.S.

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Mississippi

Program Overview

The Biomedical Engineering, B.S. at the University of Mississippi combines engineering design and problem-solving with biology, medicine and advanced mathematics, preparing students to develop technologies that improve healthcare. It is well suited to students interested in medical devices, biomaterials, bioinformatics, biomedical research or pre-medical study, with four emphasis options: Biodevices, Bioinformatics, Biomolecular Engineering and Pre-med.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: Students build the mathematical, scientific and engineering foundation needed for biomedical engineering through subjects such as MATH 261, BISC 160/161 and ENGR 101 & 111. They also begin developing an understanding of the field through BME 200 – Introduction to Biomedical Engineering, while completing writing and general education requirements.

Year 2: Students move deeper into engineering and biomedical fundamentals through courses such as BME 222 – Biomaterials, BME 305, BME 311, BME 313 – Physiology for Biomedical Engineering and BME 314 – Biomedical Measurement. Mathematics, circuits and engineering analysis continue to strengthen their ability to understand and measure biological systems.

Year 3: The curriculum becomes increasingly specialized, with students studying subjects such as BME 333 – Biological Transport, BME 370 – Introduction to Bioinformatics and Biostatistics and BME 400. Students then develop their chosen direction through emphasis-specific coursework in areas such as biomedical devices, bioinformatics, biomolecular engineering or pre-medical science.

Year 4: In the final year, students apply their knowledge to advanced biomedical engineering problems through BME 444 – Biomedical Controls, BME 461 – Senior Design I and BME 462 – Senior Design II. The emphasis courses allow students to deepen their preparation for careers in medical technology, computational biology, biomolecular engineering or professional healthcare education.

Focus areas: Biodevices, Bioinformatics, Biomolecular Engineering, Pre-med, Biomaterials, Biomedical Devices, Biomedical Systems, Medical Instrumentation, Drug Delivery, Computational Biology

Learning outcomes: Apply mathematics, science and engineering principles to biomedical problems; measure and interpret data from living systems; identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems; design biomedical solutions; communicate effectively; work professionally and ethically; and prepare for professional practice or advanced study.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The program's educational objectives emphasize solving complex engineering problems, quantitative and analytical thinking, professional communication and ethics, and continued professional development or advanced study.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Mississippi maintains R1: Doctoral University – Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production, the highest Carnegie research classification. Ole Miss states that its R1 status gives students access to advanced research opportunities, cutting-edge resources and research mentorship, providing a strong environment for a research-oriented biomedical engineering education.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Biomedical Engineering students at Ole Miss gain practical experience through undergraduate research, senior design, internships and co-op opportunities. The department's research environment exposes students to real biomedical challenges including biomaterials and drug delivery, biomedical microdevices, molecular biophysics, and ocular and neuro-biomechanics, while students can also work with researchers across pharmacy, biology, chemistry, physics and engineering.

The program provides several ways to move from classroom theory into hands-on biomedical innovation:

Senior Design I and II: BME 461 and BME 462 give students an opportunity to apply their engineering knowledge through the program's senior design sequence.
Undergraduate research: Students can participate in faculty research investigating areas such as heart disease, cancer treatments, drug delivery and biomedical technologies.
Interdisciplinary NanoBioSciences Lab: Research in this area focuses on biomaterials, drug delivery, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, medical implants, biosensors and nanomedicine.
Biomedical Microdevices research: Students can be exposed to microscale technologies used for biological and medical research, including microdevices for high-throughput drug screening and controlled cellular environments.
Molecular Biophysics and Engineering Lab: Research uses optical tweezers and other biophysical approaches to investigate biological systems at the molecular level.
Biomedical instrumentation and measurement: The curriculum includes BME 314 – Biomedical Measurement, giving students a dedicated foundation in measuring biological systems.
Bioinformatics and computational work: Students following the Bioinformatics emphasis study computer science and biological data analysis, including courses such as CSCI 256, BISC 336, CSCI 343 and CSCI 375.
Biodevices specialization: Students can study subjects including BME 301, BME 322 and BME 413, developing knowledge relevant to biomedical devices, biomechanics and related engineering applications.
Co-ops and internships: The department specifically promotes opportunities for students to spend a semester or summer working in a company or laboratory to gain professional biomedical engineering experience.
Professional student community: Students can participate in the Biomedical Engineering Society, providing an opportunity to engage with the discipline beyond formal coursework.
Industry and academic collaboration: The department works with Ole Miss's School of Pharmacy, the National Centers for Physical Acoustics and the National Center for Natural Products Research, creating interdisciplinary opportunities around biomedical and pharmaceutical research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering prepares graduates for careers across medical technology, biomedical research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, biomedical imaging and telemedicine. The degree also provides a strong route into graduate study and professional education, including medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and patent law.

Typical career roles include Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Biomedical Researcher and Bioinformatics Specialist.

Students can strengthen their career prospects through:

Career Center support: The Ole Miss Career Center provides career advising, résumé reviews, mock interviews, graduate-school planning, career fairs, employer networking and access to Handshake for jobs, internships and co-op opportunities.
Internship and co-op experience: The BME department specifically encourages formative internship and co-op experiences, allowing students to gain experience in companies or laboratories before graduation.
Biomedical industry connections: The department collaborates with the Ole Miss School of Pharmacy and the National Centers for Physical Acoustics and Natural Products Research, supporting interdisciplinary work across engineering, medicine, pharmacy and science.
Research opportunities: Students can contribute to research involving biomaterials and drug delivery, biomedical microdevices, molecular biophysics and neuro-biomechanics, giving them experience relevant to both industry and postgraduate study.
Employment and salary information: The official Ole Miss BME pages reviewed do not publish a current program-specific graduate employment rate or BME-specific starting-salary figure. Therefore, no unsupported salary or employment percentage is included here.
Accreditation value: ABET accreditation provides an externally recognized quality framework for the undergraduate engineering program and supports preparation for professional engineering practice, leadership and continued development.
Research reputation: Ole Miss maintains Carnegie R1 status, placing the university among institutions with very high research spending and doctoral production and supporting access to advanced research opportunities.
Graduation pathways: Official program information identifies biomedical and related industry employment, graduate study, and professional careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and patent law as major pathways after the degree.

Further Academic Progression: After the B.S., students can continue into the University of Mississippi's M.S. in Engineering Science with an emphasis in Biomedical Engineering or Ph.D. in Engineering Science with an emphasis in Biomedical Engineering. Students following the Pre-med emphasis can also use the degree as preparation for medical school, while other graduates can pursue advanced study in biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, biomolecular engineering, biotechnology or related fields.