Biomedical Engineering BME

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Western New England University

Program Overview

The BSE in Biomedical Engineering at Western New England University (WNE) bridges engineering and medicine, preparing students to design technologies and solve problems related to human health, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, clinical care, and biological systems. The program combines engineering, physiology, anatomy, biology, and hands-on laboratory work, while allowing students to specialize through sequence electives in areas such as bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomedical imaging, cell and tissue engineering, manufacturing, medical imaging, premedical science, and prosthetics and orthotics.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students build their engineering and mathematical foundation through Introduction to Engineering (BLUE 103), Calculus I (MATH 133/MATH 127), and Mechanics (PHYS 133). They then develop practical engineering skills through Data Acquisition and Processing (ENGR 110/HONE 110), Computer Programming for Engineers (ENGR 105/HONE 105), Calculus II, and Electricity and Magnetism.

Year 2: Students begin focused biomedical study with Foundations of Biomedical Engineering (BME 201), General Biology I (BIO 107), and Biomedical Systems (BME 202). Biomedical Sophomore Laboratory (BME 206) and Biomaterials (BME 240) introduce experimental and materials-based approaches, supported by General Chemistry II and Calculus III.

Year 3: Students move deeper into human physiology and medical technology through Engineering Physiology I and II (BME 301/302), Bioinstrumentation (BME 331), Biomechanics I (BME 351), and Biomedical Engineering Laboratories I and II. Sequence electives allow students to start specializing in areas such as biomedical imaging, advanced bioinstrumentation, biomedical materials, cell and tissue engineering, manufacturing, medical imaging, or prosthetics and orthotics.

Year 4: The final year focuses on advanced engineering application through Biomedical Engineering Senior Laboratory (BME 405), Senior Design Projects I and II (BME 437/440), Biomechanics II (BME 451), and Biotransport Processes (BME 450). Students complete additional sequence and technical electives, giving them the opportunity to tailor the degree toward professional employment, graduate study, medical school, or other specialized pathways.

Focus Areas

Bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomedical micro and nanodevices, business and entrepreneurship, cell and tissue engineering, manufacturing, medical imaging, premedical science, prosthetics and orthotics, software engineering

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to solve complex engineering problems using engineering, science, and mathematics; design solutions that consider public health, safety, environmental, social and economic factors; communicate effectively; work collaboratively; apply ethical and professional judgment; conduct experiments and interpret data; and continue acquiring new technical knowledge.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The BSE in Biomedical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Bioengineering and Biomedical and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.

Reputation (Employability)

WNE reports that 96% of the Class of 2025 was employed or attending graduate/professional school within six months of graduation. The university also reports a #5 national and #1 Massachusetts ranking for preparing graduates for the job market, based on Federal College Scorecard data.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Biomedical Engineering students at WNE learn by applying engineering principles to real biomedical problems rather than relying only on classroom theory. The program combines four laboratory courses, clinical and industrial experiences, internships, faculty research, international field experience, student competitions, and a two-semester Senior Design Project; students also work in recently renovated biomedical engineering facilities designed for experimentation, design and clinical simulation.

Key practical opportunities include:

First-Year Engineering Program: Student teams design, code and prototype a robot for the Bot Battle, then develop a smart-technology product and present their prototype at the Emerging Engineers Expo.
Data acquisition and programming: Data Acquisition and Processing and Computer Programming for Engineers introduce engineering data handling and programming during the first year.
Biomedical Engineering Laboratories: Students complete Biomedical Sophomore Laboratory, Biomedical Engineering Laboratory I and II, and the Senior Laboratory as part of the degree.
Bioinstrumentation Lab: The Instrumentation Lab contains 12 computer stations, oscilloscopes and AD Instruments data-acquisition systems for biomedical engineering work.
Physiology/Wet Lab: Students can work with microscopes, fluorescence microscopy, particle analysis, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and mechanical testing of biological materials such as cartilage and tendon.
Hospital Suite: A simulated hospital environment includes medical diagnostic equipment, exercise physiology stations and an interactive simulation mannequin, giving students practice with clinical technologies.
Senior Design Projects: Students work with clinical or industrial partners to solve real problems and apply FDA design controls. Recent projects included a tear-duct drainage device and a Lab-on-a-Chip diagnostic device, with several projects resulting in patents.
Internships: Recent internship sites include Medtronic/Covidien, Stryker Orthobiologics, Cardinal Health, Sanofi-Genzyme, DEKA Research and Development, CIRTEC Medical Systems, AngioDynamics, Coherent, Inc., and FloDesign Sonics.
Research: Students have worked on assistive devices for stroke patients, sustainable healthcare technologies, tendon-growth tissue engineering devices, cancer-drug research platforms and a breathalyzer designed to test blood sugar.
Global Health & Technology: Students can participate in a 10-day Guatemala experience involving healthcare assessments in rural and urban settings.
Competitions and conferences: Students present design projects and research at events including the American Society for Engineering Education Northeast Conference, Northeast Bioengineering Conference and Biomedical Engineering Society Conference.
Center for Global Health Engineering: Students have collaborated with the center on sustainable healthcare solutions for developing countries.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BSE in Biomedical Engineering prepares graduates for employment across medical device and pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology, hospitals, research organizations and government agencies. WNE alumni have moved into roles including medical technology development, medical equipment manufacturing, quality assurance, manufacturing engineering, cellular biotechnology and medical device development, while others continue into graduate, medical, dental, prosthetics and orthotics, public health, or law programs.

Typical career roles: Biomedical Engineer, Medical Device Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Quality Assurance Engineer

Career outcomes: Recent graduates have worked at organizations including Boston Scientific, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Abiomed, Smith+Nephew, Getinge, DEKA Research and Development, UFP Technologies and Breas Medical.
Employment and salary: WNE reports 96% of the Class of 2025 employed or attending graduate/professional school within six months. The university reports an average starting salary of $71,500 for WNE Engineering graduates; the BME program itself also cites $116,890 average pay for biomedical engineers based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 data.
University–industry connections: BME students complete internships with organizations such as Medtronic/Covidien, Stryker Orthobiologics, Cardinal Health, DEKA Research and Development and Sanofi-Genzyme, while Senior Design Projects are conducted with clinical or industrial partners.
Career preparation: WNE provides more than 1,000 internship sponsor sites across the university, alongside career-focused experiential learning designed to build practical skills and employer connections.
Employability: WNE reports a #5 national and #1 Massachusetts ranking for preparing graduates for the job market, based on Federal College Scorecard data.
Accreditation value: ABET accreditation provides professional alignment for the BSE curriculum and confirms that the program meets the applicable engineering accreditation criteria for biomedical engineering.
Graduation outcomes: WNE's BME graduates enter medical instrumentation and device, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, research, hospital and government environments, while others progress to advanced study.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can pursue an M.S. or Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Management, medicine, dentistry, prosthetics and orthotics, or public health. WNE also offers accelerated pathways including the five-year B.S./M.S. in Engineering Management, five-year B.S./MBA, and six-year Engineering/Law program, allowing students to combine their undergraduate degree with advanced study and, in the law pathway, prepare for patent-law careers in the medical field.