Biomedical Engineering Degree Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of North Texas

Program Overview

The University of North Texas Biomedical Engineering B.S. combines engineering, medicine and life sciences to prepare students to design technologies that improve patient care and quality of life. With options to focus on biocomputing, biomaterials, biomechanics, biomedical instrumentation, biotechnology or business, students can shape the degree around their interests while developing practical skills in medical-device design, data analysis, research and engineering problem-solving.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Students begin by building their engineering and mathematical foundation through courses such as BMEN 1300 – Discover Biomedical Engineering, BMEN 1400 – Software for Biomedical Engineers, Calculus I and Calculus II. The Software for Biomedical Engineers course introduces programming languages used in biomedical engineering, including the development of functions, algorithms and basic data-acquisition capabilities.

Year 2

The second year moves into biomedical instrumentation and engineering analysis through courses including BMEN 2210 – Biomedical Circuits and Data Acquisition Best Practices and BMEN 2320 – Biomedical Instrumentation I, alongside Linear Algebra and Vector Geometry and Differential Equations. Students begin connecting mathematical and electrical engineering concepts with biomedical measurement and instrumentation.

Year 3

Students develop deeper knowledge of how engineering can be applied to human systems through BMEN 3310 – Engineering Measurements from Human Systems, BMEN 3311 – Biomedical Signal Analysis and BMEN 3312 – Introduction to Biomechanics. The curriculum also introduces BMEN 3321 – Biomaterials and BMEN 3350 – Biomedical Transport Phenomena, covering areas such as physiological systems, biomaterials, biofluid mechanics and transport through biological tissues and organs.

Year 4

The final year emphasizes advanced application, experimental work and independent design, including BMEN 4007 – Biomedical Experimental Design & Data Analysis, BMEN 4212 – Senior Design I and BMEN 4222 – Senior Design II. Students complete the two-semester senior design sequence before graduation, applying the engineering, scientific and technical skills developed throughout the degree to a substantial biomedical engineering project.

Focus Areas

Biocomputing, biomaterials, biomechanics, biomedical instrumentation, biotechnology and business, with additional opportunities to develop a mathematics minor and a second minor in engineering, computer science, biology or business.

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to identify and solve complex biomedical engineering problems, design solutions that consider health, safety and societal factors, communicate effectively, apply ethical and professional judgment, and work across engineering, biological and medical disciplines. The program also prepares graduates for professional practice and continued study in engineering, science, medicine and business.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Biomedical Engineering B.S. at UNT is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Biomedical Engineering. The program's ABET objectives specifically prepare graduates for professional practice in areas including biomedical instrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials, biotechnology, biocomputing, medicine and healthcare.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

UNT's Biomedical Engineering department states that its undergraduate program was ranked #18 in the U.S. for Best Value Bio Engineering Schools for Bachelor's by College Factual in 2022. UNT Engineering also reports that its Biomedical Engineering program was ranked #8 in Texas by Best-Engineering-Colleges.com, while the university describes Biomedical Engineering as one of its fastest-growing programs.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UNT's Biomedical Engineering students gain practical experience through a two-semester senior design sequence, research with faculty, biomedical laboratories and collaboration with researchers at the UNT Health Science Center in Fort Worth. The program is based in Discovery Park, a 300-acre research facility, while the dedicated Biomedical Engineering building provides modern classrooms, research laboratories, teaching laboratories and a senior design lab; its facilities include microscopy, cell culture, optics, a bio 3D printer and a 3D virtual dissection table.

Students can put these resources into practice through several hands-on opportunities:

Software and data acquisition: BMEN 1400 develops programming, algorithm development and basic data-acquisition skills, while BMEN 2210 focuses on biomedical circuits and data acquisition.
Senior Design: BMEN 4212 and BMEN 4222 form a two-semester capstone sequence in which students apply their accumulated engineering knowledge to a biomedical design project.
Research laboratories: UNT Biomedical Engineering research covers micro- and nanoengineering in medicine, bio 3D printing, advanced robotic manipulators, immunoengineering, medical imaging and neuroengineering, tissue engineering, genetics and synthetic biology, nanomedicine, computational biomedical engineering and biomedical instrumentation.
Nanomedicine laboratory equipment: Research facilities include biological safety cabinets, CO₂ incubators, fluorescence microscopy, microplate readers, centrifuges, HPLC, peptide synthesis equipment, electrospinning equipment, 3D bioprinters and flow cytometry equipment.
Bio 3D printing: The Biomedical Engineering building includes a bio 3D printer capable of printing cells in structures that mimic human tissue.
3D virtual dissection: Students and researchers have access to a 3D virtual dissection table for exploring the human body without conventional dissection.
Faculty research: Undergraduate students can participate in faculty-mentored research; UNT lists biomedical engineering undergraduate projects involving areas such as protein and cellular engineering, organoids and biomedical devices.
Internships and co-ops: UNT Engineering's career resources help students locate internships and co-ops, while the College of Engineering works with corporate partners to provide opportunities for students to apply for jobs, internships and co-ops.
Industry-sponsored projects: College of Engineering capstone projects allow student teams to work with corporate partners and industry mentors on real-world engineering problems, developing skills in planning, budgeting, analysis, design, fabrication and testing.
Living Learning Community: UNT's Biomedical Engineering program offers an engineering-focused Living Learning Community that brings engineering students together to strengthen their academic and social experience.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates can move into biomedical engineering roles across healthcare, medical technology, research and industry, using skills in medical-device design and validation, troubleshooting, project management, FDA procedures and quality control. UNT also supports students who want to gain professional experience through internships, research and industry-connected projects, while its ABET-accredited curriculum provides a strong foundation for engineering practice and further study.

Typical career paths include Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Biomedical Instrumentation Engineer and Biomechanical Engineer. UNT specifically notes that biomedical engineers may conduct research, design systems and products, evaluate biomedical equipment, provide technical support and work with life scientists, chemists and medical scientists.

Career preparation is strengthened through these opportunities:

Career support: The UNT Career Center and Discovery Park Career Center assist students with career openings, internships and related opportunities; academic advisors and faculty mentors can also provide industry-specific guidance.
Internship preparation: UNT Engineering advises students to pursue internships for hands-on experience and provides career-fair, résumé, cover-letter and interview support.
Industry partnerships: UNT Engineering's corporate partnership program enables companies to recruit students for jobs, internships and co-ops and participate in career fairs and Discovery Park activities.
Industry-connected capstone: Corporate sponsors can provide project funding, laboratory access, equipment and professional engineers who mentor student teams during senior design.
Professional accreditation: ABET accreditation demonstrates that the program meets recognized engineering education criteria and supports preparation for professional biomedical engineering practice.
Employment outlook: UNT cites U.S. Department of Labor data indicating above-average growth for biomedical engineering and identifies it as a rapidly growing engineering field.
Professional development: Students can participate in conferences and other professional development opportunities through the College of Engineering and can build connections through faculty research and industry projects.

Further Academic Progression: Students can continue into UNT's M.S. or Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering or related graduate fields in engineering, science, medicine or business. UNT also offers a Grad Track option that allows eligible undergraduate students to take graduate-level courses during their senior year, creating a pathway toward completing the B.S. and M.S. in as few as five years.