Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Program Overview

WPI’s Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering combines engineering, biology, medicine, mathematics, and computing to prepare students to develop technologies that improve human health. The program suits students interested in areas such as biomaterials, tissue engineering, biomechanics, medical devices, bioinstrumentation, and physiological signal processing, with substantial flexibility to build a pathway around their interests.

Curriculum Structure

First Year: Students establish the mathematical and scientific foundation needed for biomedical engineering through courses such as Calculus I and II, introductory Chemistry or Physics, and biology coursework. They also begin major-specific study through BME 1001 Introduction to Biomedical Engineering and BME 1004 Introduction to Programming in Matlab, where students are introduced to the field and develop programming skills involving data structures, image processing, visualization, and graphical interfaces.

Second Year: Students move further into engineering applications with courses such as BME 2001 Introduction to Biomaterials, BME 2210 Biomedical Signals, Instruments and Measurements, and BME 2502 Introduction to Biomechanics: Stress Analysis. These subjects build an understanding of how materials, biological signals, instrumentation, and mechanical principles can be applied to biomedical problems.

Third Year: Students develop more specialized laboratory and engineering capabilities through subjects including BME 3012 Biomedical Sensors Laboratory: Techniques, BME 3013 Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory: Techniques, BME 3014 Physiological Signals Laboratory: Techniques, and BME 3112 Human Physiology for Biomedical Engineers. Students can then deepen their interests through areas such as biomechanics, biomaterials, bioinstrumentation, biotransport, cellular engineering, and biomedical data analysis.

Fourth Year: Advanced study focuses on applying biomedical engineering knowledge to complex problems through courses such as BME 4201 Biomedical Imaging, BME 4503 Computational Biomechanics, BME 4701 Cell and Molecular Bioengineering, and BME 4300 MQP Capstone Design. The Major Qualifying Project gives students an opportunity to undertake substantial research or design work and present the results publicly, providing a strong bridge from undergraduate study to professional practice or graduate education.

Focus Areas

Biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics and mechanobiology, bioinstrumentation and signal processing, biomedical imaging, cellular engineering, medical devices, physiological monitoring, computational biomechanics, bioprocess engineering, drug delivery

Learning Outcomes

Students develop the ability to apply mathematics, science, and engineering principles to biomedical problems, design and evaluate biomedical systems, analyze biological and physiological data, use computational and experimental methods, and communicate technical solutions effectively. The program also emphasizes ethical and socially responsible engineering and prepares students to adapt through lifelong learning.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The Biomedical Engineering BS at WPI is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET under the General Criteria and the specific Program Criteria for Biomedical Engineering Programs. This accreditation provides an established quality framework for the engineering education delivered by the program.

Reputation (Employability Rankings)

WPI reports that its Biomedical Engineering graduates earn an average starting salary of $73,332, with graduates moving into roles such as engineer, analyst, researcher, project manager, consultant, designer, and scientist. WPI also identifies employers of its Biomedical Engineering graduates including Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Stryker, Abbott Laboratories, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, and Intuitive Surgical.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Experiential learning is a major part of WPI’s Biomedical Engineering experience, with students applying classroom concepts through laboratory work, team projects, research, design activities, and the required Major Qualifying Project. The department provides specialized facilities for biomedical sensors, biological signals, biomechanics, biomaterials, cell culture, medical imaging, microscopy, mechanical testing, and computational biomechanics, while WPI’s wider project-based education connects students with authentic problems and external partners.

Students can build practical skills through:

MATLAB programming: BME 1004 introduces MATLAB programming, including vectors, matrices, data structures, 2D images, 3D image volumes, visualization, file handling, and GUI development.
Biomedical instrumentation: The Bioinstrumentation and Biosignals Laboratory provides equipment for computer-based acquisition and processing of biological signals, including digital multimeters, waveform generators, power supplies, oscilloscopes, and data-acquisition equipment.
Biomechanics: The Biomechanics Teaching Facility provides experimental and computational resources for studying human balance control and body movement.
Biomedical research laboratories: The Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center includes laboratories for biomedical instrumentation, signal processing, tissue biomechanics, biomaterials synthesis and characterization, cell and molecular engineering, regenerative biosciences, and tissue engineering.
Medical imaging and microscopy: Departmental research facilities include medical imaging and microscopy capabilities, supporting research and project work involving biomedical systems and tissues.
Cell culture and histology: Students have access to facilities supporting cell culture and histological research, alongside biosafety cabinets, incubators, and microscopes in the MQP/Projects Laboratory.
Major Qualifying Project: Every WPI student completes an MQP; Biomedical Engineering students use this substantial project to investigate research or real-world engineering problems and present their work at the Undergraduate Research Projects Showcase.
Industry-linked projects: WPI works with organizations including UMass Medical Center and Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, giving Biomedical Engineering students opportunities to address healthcare, medical-device, surgical-tool, monitoring, and animal-related challenges.
Project-based education: WPI reports that 89% of the Class of 2025 participated in the Global Projects Program, while 95% of surveyed alumni reported that project experiences prepared them for their careers.
PracticePoint: The Gateway Park facility supports work involving MRI, motion capture, medical robotics, surgical systems, rehabilitation, and wearable sensors.

Progression & Future Opportunities

WPI’s Biomedical Engineering graduates can enter engineering, research, design, medical technology, healthcare technology, and consulting roles, with opportunities across medical-device companies, healthcare organizations, research institutions, and technology companies. WPI reports an average starting salary of $73,332 for its Biomedical Engineering graduates and lists employers such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Stryker, Abbott Laboratories, Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, Baxter, BD, Intuitive Surgical, and Edwards Lifesciences.

Typical career roles include: Biomedical Engineer, Biomedical Analyst, Biomedical Researcher, Medical Device Designer

Students can further strengthen their career prospects through:

Career preparation: WPI's project-based curriculum gives students repeated opportunities to solve real-world engineering problems, while the department's MQP provides a substantial project that can strengthen both employment and graduate-school applications.
Starting salary: WPI reports an average starting salary of $73,332 for Biomedical Engineering graduates.
Employer network: WPI lists major employers of Biomedical Engineering graduates including Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Stryker, Abbott Laboratories, Philips Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, and Intuitive Surgical.
Industry and clinical collaboration: Biomedical Engineering students can work on projects connected with UMass Medical Center, Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, the Healthcare Delivery Institute, and the Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center.
Research-to-industry environment: WPI's Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center brings biomedical engineering together with biology, biotechnology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and life-science companies, creating an environment for interdisciplinary research and industry collaboration.
Accreditation value: The BS program's ABET accreditation demonstrates that the program meets established engineering education criteria and specifically follows Biomedical Engineering Program Criteria.
Graduate outcomes: WPI graduates have progressed to graduate institutions including WPI, Tufts University, Brown University, Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Boston University, Columbia University, and the University of Connecticut.

Further Academic Progression: After the BS, students can continue into advanced Biomedical Engineering study at WPI, including the MEng, MS, and PhD pathways. WPI also offers a BS/MS option, allowing eligible undergraduate students to combine bachelor's and master's study, while graduate-level work can provide deeper specialization in areas such as tissue engineering, biomedical instrumentation, biofluids, computational biomechanics, biomedical imaging, and cell and molecular bioengineering.