Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Texas at Arlington

Program Overview

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington combines engineering, science and medicine to prepare students for careers developing technologies and solutions for healthcare. It is well suited to students interested in areas such as tissue engineering, medical imaging, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, biomaterials and computational bioengineering, with opportunities to prepare for industry, healthcare, research or further professional study.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish their biomedical engineering foundation through BE 1105 Medical Applications of Engineering, BE 1325 Introduction to Bioengineering, and BE 2315 Introductory Computational Tools for Bioengineers, alongside calculus, chemistry, biology and physics. This year introduces students to engineering applications in medicine while developing the mathematical, scientific and computational skills needed for advanced coursework.

Second Year: Students progress into more technical engineering subjects through BE 2440 Electronic Devices and Circuits with Lab, BE 3415 Fundamentals of Biomolecular Engineering, and BE 3320 Biomedical Signal Acquisition and Analysis. Calculus, differential equations, physics and statistics strengthen their ability to analyze biological systems and biomedical technologies.

Third Year: The professional program introduces BE 3301 Cell Physiology for Bioengineers, BE 3280 Introduction to Medical Device Regulatory Requirements & Quality Standards, and BE 3344 Bioinstrumentation. Students also study linear systems, human physiology and laboratory principles while beginning to select technical electives such as biomechanics, fluorescence microscopy, MATLAB, medical imaging and cell culture.

Fourth Year: Students bring their technical knowledge together through BE 3352 Digital Processing of Biological Signals, BE 4331 Biopolymers and Biocompatibility, and BE 4337 Transport Phenomena in Biomedical Engineering. The year culminates in BE 4350 Senior Design Project I and BE 4355 Senior Design Project II, giving students a substantial opportunity to apply biomedical engineering principles to design and problem-solving.

Focus areas: Biomaterials and tissue engineering, medical imaging, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics, computational bioengineering, nanomedicine and medical device development.

Learning outcomes: Students learn to solve complex engineering problems using mathematics and science, design solutions that consider health and safety, communicate effectively, work collaboratively, conduct experiments and interpret data, apply ethical and professional judgment, and continue developing new technical knowledge.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Biomedical Engineering.

Reputation (employability): UTA describes the program as preparing graduates for professional positions across industry, healthcare facilities, consulting firms, research institutions and government agencies. The university also highlights its close affiliation with UT Southwestern Medical Center and its location within the Dallas–Fort Worth region, which provides access to a large technology and healthcare employment market.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

UTA’s Biomedical Engineering program places strong emphasis on practical engineering, research and design. Students can participate in faculty research, complete hands-on laboratory work and develop solutions through the required senior design sequence; UTA reports that more than half of its undergraduate students complete a co-op or internship before graduation, while the College of Engineering supports more than 40 undergraduate research projects each year.

The program also gives students access to specialized biomedical research environments covering biomaterials, tissue engineering, medical imaging, bioinstrumentation, biomechanics and nanomedicine. Technical electives such as MATLAB and Applications for Bioengineers, Medical Imaging, Cell Culture and Biomaterial Laboratory, Medical Device Prototyping and AI in Medicine allow students to develop skills aligned with current biomedical engineering practice.

Students can gain practical experience through:

Senior Design Project I & II: The required BE 4350 and BE 4355 sequence culminates the undergraduate design experience and focuses on applying engineering knowledge to real-world problems.
Co-ops and internships: UTA reports that more than half of its undergraduate students complete a co-op or internship before graduation, with the Engineering Co-op/Internship Office helping students find opportunities.
MATLAB: BE 3343 MATLAB and Applications for Bioengineers provides program-specific exposure to MATLAB applications.
Medical imaging: BE 3346 Medical Imaging, BE 3348 fMRI in Neuroscience and Neuroengineering and BE 4326 Tissue Ultrasound-Optical Imaging provide opportunities to explore biomedical imaging technologies.
Biomedical laboratories: BE 3367 Cell Culture and Biomaterial Laboratory and BE 4324 Biomedical Optics Laboratory provide laboratory-focused learning opportunities.
Medical device development: BE 4318 Medical Device Prototyping and BE 4388 Medical Product Design and Development connect engineering design with medical-device applications.
Biomaterials Laboratory: UTA’s Biomaterials Laboratory researches soft and hard bioactive biomaterials for drug delivery, tissue engineering and orthopedic applications.
Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering Laboratory: Research includes micro/nanomaterials for tissue repair, nanoparticles for drug delivery and nanocomposite materials for tissue engineering, with collaborations involving UTSW and other health institutions.
Functional Applied Biomaterials Laboratory: Students interested in biomaterials can engage with research involving stem-cell engineering, tissue repair, regeneration, medical devices and drug delivery.
Undergraduate research: UTA faculty invite undergraduate students to participate in research laboratories, while the College of Engineering sponsors more than 40 undergraduate research projects annually.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The B.S. in Biomedical Engineering prepares graduates for professional positions across biomedical engineering, healthcare, industry, consulting, research and government regulatory environments. UTA specifically identifies opportunities in medical-device and pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, educational and medical research facilities and government agencies, while also preparing students for medical, dental and graduate education.

Typical career directions include Bioengineer, Biomedical Engineer, Clinical Engineer and Biomanufacturing Specialist:

Career services: The Kelcy Warren Career Experience Center provides résumé reviews, interview preparation, mock interviews, career fairs, employer spotlight days, Tech Talks, alumni connections and company tours. UTA's College of Engineering hosts two career fairs each academic year with more than 200 employers.
Internship and co-op outcomes: More than half of UTA Bioengineering undergraduate students complete a co-op or internship before graduation, and the department reports that students are often hired by the companies where they intern.
Industry connections: UTA's engineering career system connects students with employers through career fairs, recruiting events, company tours and internships. The university's employer network includes organizations such as Abbott and B. Braun Medical, among many other engineering employers.
Healthcare connections: The Biomedical Engineering program has a close affiliation with UT Southwestern Medical Center, giving the program a strong connection to a major medical research environment.
Research opportunities: UTA is a Carnegie R-1 research institution, and engineering-related research expenditures contribute more than $64 million of the university's $125 million total research expenditures, creating opportunities for undergraduate research involvement.
Accreditation value: ABET accreditation demonstrates that the engineering program meets established educational standards for biomedical engineering and provides a strong foundation for professional engineering development.
Graduation outcomes: The program's educational objectives emphasize professional employment across industry, healthcare and consulting, continued professional growth, lifelong learning and progression into graduate or professional school.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can continue into UTA's M.S. in Biomedical Engineering or pursue the department's B.S.-to-M.S. Fast Track, which allows outstanding undergraduate students to receive dual undergraduate and graduate course credit. Students interested in research can also progress toward the Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, while those pursuing healthcare careers can use the curriculum as preparation for medical or dental school; qualified first-time freshmen may also consider UTA's B.S.-to-Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine pathway with the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine.